Helping Close

9 Austin South Asian | June 2021

Helping Close The Care Gap For Spanish-Speaking Arthritis Patients

When Velia Martínez was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2005, she was shocked. The joint pain, fatigue and other symptoms she was experiencing made it measures used in their health care provider’s office. Patients can track pain, fatigue, physical function, and more, and share such data directly with their doctor to discuss during appointments. They can also participate in voluntary research studies. Overall, Hispanics are under-represented in medical research, and their collective data will be a powerful tool in informing researchers and health providers about the needs of Hispanic Americans living with arthritis.

difficult for her to get up in the mornings, which was frustrating because she had always been an active person.

Currently, 4.4 million Hispanic Americans live with some form of doctor-diagnosed arthritis, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. While the prevalence of arthritis among Hispanics is less than non-Hispanic whites, they are more than twice as likely to become disabled from arthritis and experience joint damage.

These statistics are a testament to the fact that health disparities in Hispanic communities, including adequate access to healthcare and information, far predate the COVID-19 pandemic.

The good news is that when it comes to arthritis, efforts are being made to close the health gap and amplify the voices of Hispanic Americans. CreakyJoints Español and CreakyJoints, the multicultural digital arthritis communities for patients and caregivers worldwide, has created ArthritisPower Español, a free patient-centered research registry available entirely in Spanish for people living with joint, bone and inflammatory skin conditions, like arthritis. ArthritisPower Español invites Spanish speakers, many of whom self-identify as Hispanic, to proactively participate in their disease management and contribute to a better understanding of life with arthritis. “It’s incredibly exciting to offer the Spanishspeaking community an easy-to-use tool to monitor the aspects of their disease most important to them,” says Daniel Hernandez, MD, director of Medical Affairs and Hispanic Outreach, CreakyJoints and CreakyJoints Español. “We know that patients who are educated about their disease and actively participate in shared decision making with their providers have improved health outcomes.”

After spending six years using a cane, Martínez now walks without one and exercises every afternoon in the pool, thanks to her proactive and continuous efforts working with her doctor to find the best ways of managing her chronic condition. She plans to use ArthritisPower Español as part of her disease management.

Available as a free mobile and desktop application, ArthritisPower first launched in English in 2015 and now includes more than 30,000 people who track their symptoms and treatment experiences using the same “This tool will allow me to stay on top of how my symptoms ebb and flow over time and then I can share that data with my doctor, helping us both keep my arthritis under control. Using the disease-tracking measures and participating in studies is easy and takes just a few minutes each week,” she says.

To learn more and to join AthritisPower Español for free, visit ArthritisPower.org.es. To learn more about CreakyJoints, visit creakyjoints.org or CJES.org (for Spanish-language).

More than a disease of older adults, arthritis affects over 50 million Americans of all ages and backgrounds, and thanks to new tools, a greater number of patients will be able to proactively participate in their disease management, helping address long-term health disparities.

10 Austin South Asian | June 2021 “Open” Signs Take On New Meaning For Small Business Owners

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As part of an effort to amplify these

inspiring stories, Wells Fargo has commissioned three artists to design custom “open” signs for businesses that persevered and is also pointing entrepreneurs to resources that can help.

Dedicated to showcasing women and diverse voices, illustrator and graphic designer Sophia Yeshi, is paired with Roxtography, a woman-owned business based near

the Colville Reservation, outside of Seattle. Owner Roxanne Best shifted from in-person yoga and photography classes to outdoor stand-up paddleboarding classes and photography that embodies her love of nature.

Precision Productions, a new rental music studio, was just about to open its doors when the pandemic hit. Optimistic owner Kasey Phillips, who hails from Trinidad and Tobago, pivoted to a hybrid in-person and virtual studio model, never wavering from his plan to expand the music scene and own his first studio.

Taking cues from music while paying homage to Phillips’s Caribbean roots, Korean-born illustrator Deborah Lee, known for her use of bold, vivid colors, is interpreting how Precision Productions made a way to stay open.

“As an artist, it was rewarding to support not just a small business that stayed open in tough economic conditions, but one that’s a platform for creativity,” says Lee.

Writer, illustrator, visual artist and community organizer Gabriela Alemán has a passion for helping combat food insecurity.

With her comics and pop art aesthetic, she’s working to bring the mission of PREP Atlanta to life, which focuses on offering diverse food truck owners and caterers access to a commercial kitchen.

During the pandemic, PREP Atlanta was a venue for keeping the city’s restaurant and food industry afloat, including for many Blackowned businesses.

Aleman will combine her art with a shared dedication to feeding the community as she depicts PREP Atlanta’s grit.

This project comes on the heels of the July 2020 announcement of the Wells Fargo Open for Business Fund, a roughly $420 million small business recovery effort providing grants to nonprofits that serve small business owners.

The fund was created by donating all gross processing fees from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans made in 2020.

The company has also committed not to take a profit from the second round of PPP. Overall, the Open for Business Fund is expected to translate into roughly $1 billion in available financing and 7.5 million hours of technical assistance for small business owners, helping them close the gap on rent, utilities and employee pay, while accessing expertise to adapt for the future.

To learn more about available support or to download an artistic “Open” sign, entrepreneurs can visit wellsfargo.com/together.

“Today ‘open’ signs represent much more than they used to, embodying the ingenuity required to pivot in this ever-evolving economy,” says Jenny Flores, head of Small Business Growth Philanthropy at Wells Fargo.

“We are inspired every day by small business owners pushing through these tough times, particularly those who have been hard hit.

This effort aims to shine a light on stories of resilience so entrepreneurs can learn from each other and seek the resources needed to keep their dreams alive.” (StatePoint)

Safely Returning To Diabetes Care One Visit At A Time

Collectively, we’ve all paused to assess and adjust as we navigate a new normal amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, yet understandably, this has included a pause in consistent medical care for some. Nearly half of Americans surveyed by the Kaiser Family Foundation say they or a family member have skipped or delayed medical care because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to worsening conditions for many.

Among people with diabetes, according to an American Diabetes Association (ADA) and Thrivable survey, almost half delayed seeking the routine medical care they need to manage their condition during the pandemic, mainly because they feared COVID-19 exposure. Yet delaying care and not regularly seeing a healthcare provider can increase the risk for serious complications for people with diabetes. Furthermore, the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that the added stress from COVID-19 and avoiding the

doctor can have tremendous psychological effects on people with diabetes that can ultimately impact how they manage their condition.

That’s why it’s important to know there are options to return to care safely, including in-person and telehealth visits. If you or a loved one lives with diabetes, developing a plan to safely return to care and resume consistent visits with your health care providers to check A1C levels can help maintain appropriate treat ment and care. Contact your healthcare provider’s office to determine which type of visit, whether in-person or telehealth, is right for your return to care.

In-Person Visits

During an in-person appointment, you and your healthcare provider can discuss A1C levels, diabetes management and treatment plans in the office as usual. If you are going to an in-person appointment, ask the office about its current process and recommendations for returning.

The CDC also has guidelines to protect yourself during the visit, including interacting with as few people as possible, keeping at least six feet of distance between you and others, wearing a mask and washing hands frequently.

Telehealth Visits

Telehealth services have emerged as a way to triage, evaluate, and care for patients without relying on in-person visits. During the pandemic, 40 percent of people with diabetes reported telehealth services made it easier to manage their diabetes, according to the ADA. health visit is best for you.

During a telehealth visit, you can talk to your healthcare provider about A1C levels, diabetes management and your treatment plans as usual. To inform this more holistic conversation, you should get your A1C tested at an on-site facility or use an at-home A1C test. For more tips and resources on how to prepare for a telehealth appointment, visit https://lillydiabetes. com/telehealth.

It can also be helpful to connect with those who share your experiences. Join the conversation and encourage others to return to care by sharing how you’re safely returning to your regular healthcare visits to manage your diabetes – whether in-person or virtually – using #ReturnToA1C on social media. (StatePoint)