AUGUST 2021 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
The Impact of Bias & Racism on Black Health Outcomes SPONSORED BY:
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In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark THE WASHINGTON INFORMER NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published weekly on each Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. News and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. Announcements must be received two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016 by The Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send change of addresses to The Washington Informer, 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20032. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee the return of photographs. Subscription rates are $45 per year, two years $60. Papers will be received not more than a week after publication. Make checks payable to: THE WASHINGTON INFORMER 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E Washington, D.C. 20032 Phone: 202 561-4100 Fax: 202 574-3785 news@washingtoninformer.com www.washingtoninformer.com
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A great bit of my work as a historian examines America’s fascination with developing its national character: its mottos, beliefs, fortitude, and body politic. The latter depended heavily on the construction of fitness and public hygiene but had to consider those on the periphery of citizenship: African Amer5 Dr. Shantella Sherman (Photo by India Kea) icans, immigrants. In short: the nation grappled with the might of Whiteness and the White man’s burden of managing those outside of that construct. Discrimination grew as a natural character flaw within the development of this great nation. …And America will always be a great nation. That greatness birthed innovation, ingenuity, tremendous wealth, and the global authority of a world power. With it though, came white mob violence, redlining, sundown towns, segregation, and a host of Jim Crow laws that embodied a fractured nationality. Perhaps no place has fracturing been more apparent than in the health of its citizens, whether based on conditions, life expectancy, or morbidity. It was no surprise, then, in May 2020, when former American Psychological Association president, Sandra L. Shullman, released a statement on the impact of racism on Black American health. “We are living in a racism pandemic, which is taking a heavy psychological toll on our African American citizens. The health consequences are dire. Racism is associated with a host of psychological consequences, including depression, anxiety and other serious, sometimes debilitating conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders,” she said. “Moreover, the stress caused by racism can contribute to the development of cardiovascular and other physical diseases.” Shullman’s impassioned plea for greater oversight went largely unchecked as data continued to pronounce graver health outcomes when Black patients faced the bias of health practitioners and lack of access alongside various ailments. Since Shullman’s statement, little has changed. In fact, the nation has seen an uptick in scientific racism played out most notably in the NFL use of “race norming” – a controversial medical practice which made theoretical assumptions that Black players had lower cognitive function than white players – in its dementia tests for brain injury settlements. In an interview with Vox, Harvard historian David S. Jones said of the race norming scandal, “Is it really likely that the average person of African ancestry is cognitively impaired when compared to the average white person? I can’t think of how that could actually be true. And the assumption that it is true just sounds like white supremacist racism to me. We need to subject any claims like this to really strict scrutiny.” Still, America seems unwilling to march full steam ahead into scrutinizing and then strategically setting aside the racist assumptions that fuel pubStill, America seems lic health policies. This is not only heavy lifting but would require acknowledging unwilling to march full steam the canons of our biology textbooks, medical understanding, and health practices, ahead into scrutinizing and then have made missteps and mistakes. Then strategically setting aside the too, this is America and if there is one place where the promise of change exists, racist assumptions that fuel it is here. Read, Learn, Grow. Dr. Shantella Y. Sherman
public health policies.
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Researchers Unlock Links Between Racism and Negative Health Outcomes Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Staff Writer “How does the lived and social experience of race turn into racial differences in health — into higher levels of Type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease or higher rates of infant mortality?” These questions sit at the center of several new studies undertaken by researchers like Amani Nuru-Jeter, a social epidemiologist at the University of California-Berkeley, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Increasingly their data suggests that “lived experiences” – particularly those surrounding racial trauma and discrimination impact stress levels and play a role in health disparities. Rochelle P. Walensky, Centers of Disease Control and Prevention Director, noted that COVID-19 illuminated inequities that have existed for generations and revealed racism as an unaddressed parallel pandemic impacting public health. “What we know is this: racism is a serious public health threat that directly affects the well-being of millions of Americans. As a result, it affects the health of our entire nation,” Walensky wrote in CDC commentary. “Racism is not just the discrimination against one group based on the color of their skin or their race or ethnicity, but the structural barriers that impact racial and ethnic groups differently to influence where a person lives, where they work, where their children play, and where they gather in community.” Across the country, racial and ethnic minority populations experience higher rates of poor health and disease in a range of health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, asthma, and heart disease, when compared to their White counterparts. The life expectancy among Black/ African Americans is four years lower than that of White Americans. “Just the fact that the nation continues to make comparisons between “racial” groups – as if diseases consciously work along our constructed labeling is problematic,” biology graduate student Georges Diop told the Informer. “Under the social bullying and frailty that make up white supremacy, sane professionals cannot sweep aside how being denied access to proper housing, employment – or those rights forged in our Constitution: life, liberty, and
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the pursuit of happiness – impact the mental and physical health of those groups. It also does not take into account the mental health of those denying others access.” A 2015 review by Trusted Source collated the results of almost 300 studies examining how racism affects the physical and mental health of Asian American, African American, and Latinx American people. Among their findings, Trusted Sourced found 1) considerable data that the stress associated with experiencing racism can have long lasting physical effects, 2) stress can elevate blood pressure and weaken the immune system, which, in turn, raises the risk of developing long-term health conditions, 3) stress as a result of racism can also lead to behaviors that may cause further risk to physical health. For example, research has found that discrimination is linked to higher rates of smoking, alcohol use, drug use, and unhealthful eating habits. “The research has been there for quite a while, but not taken into consideration within health communities,” said health analyst Ronda Smith. “There is no trickle down from the lab to the clinic, so we go about treating Black people as if they are genetically predisposed to conditions that are actually causal… they have their roots in trauma.” Smith points to a 2019 study that found racist experiences appear to increase inflammation in African Americans, raising their risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease and kidney disease. She notes that few physicians caring for African American patients for these conditions approach their treatment through stress relief or therapy. “Confronting the impact of racism will not be easy. We must recognize that we are working to overcome centuries of discrimination. We will only be successful in undoing the entrenched systemic and structural barriers if we work in collaboration with our public health partners, and deeply within our communities, across the country,” Walensky said. “I know that we can meet this challenge. I know that we can create an America where all people have the opportunity to live a healthy life. I know that we can do this if we each take responsibility and work together.” HS
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Give Your Baby the Best Hope for a Healthy Start Abayea Pelt As a mom and director of Maternal and Child Health at Community of Hope, I’ve been reflecting on the healthy start that I work towards for my children and for the community around me. Too often, I’ve observed that it’s hard for people living in under-resourced communities to have access to quality and affordable healthcare. Historic inequities and ensuing disparities in access have contributed to these areas having high mortality rates for Black mothers and babies. At Community of Hope, we offer Healthy Start for families. This federal grant funded program, awarded to DC Health and sub-awarded to Community of Hope, is available for District residents and aims to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy, and reduce racial/ethnic differences in rates of infant death and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The program accom-
plishes this by focusing on providing care coordination support to those communities that have the highest rates of infant mortality and poor maternal health outcomes in the District, helping to strengthen linkages to care and birthing support. The Healthy Start program at Community of Hope brings together Perinatal Care Coordination and Doula services with our high-quality Midwifery and OB care and is offered specifically to families who live in Wards 5, 7, and 8. Our families in these areas are often long-term residents of DC who have lived here for generations and are rooted in the community. They are resilient in many ways. But unfortunately, the areas they call home are challenged with higher levels of maternal mortality and morbidity, as well as infant mortality. Healthy Start offers specialized support designed to address these disparities in health outcomes by helping bridge historic gaps in access through the provision of perinatal care coordination support and
Healthy Start works to assure access to culturally competent, family-centered, and comprehensive health and social services for women, infants, and their families, like Deette Henry. evidence-based Doula services. Healthy Start works to assure access to culturally competent, family-centered, and comprehensive health and social services for women, infants, and their families, like Deette Henry. Deette and her family receive medical care at Community of Hope’s Family Health and Birth Center in Ward 5 and entered the Healthy Start program in 2020 at the start of her second pregnancy with her son. “[Community of Hope’s staff and providers] make me feel wel-
come. They treat us good. Everyone knows us,” said Deette. Deette was assigned a Perinatal Care Coordinator who ensured she received the support she needed during pregnancy and the postpartum period through services such as CenteringPregnancy®, home visiting, referrals to other critical family support services, and basic wellness check-ins that helped mom and baby stay up to date with health appointments and visits. “We don’t talk all the time but when I do need something, she [care coordinator] is available to help.” Community of Hope has partnered with DC Health on the Healthy Start program since May 2020. Since then, we have served 228 participants (birthing parents, fathers/partners, and children). We
want our Healthy Start participants to feel prepared as parents to support the health, growth, and development of their babies. We are committed to serving young families to make sure moms and babies get a healthy start. Our team provides a whole range of prenatal care and supportive services for your whole family. Highlights of our services include midwives and OB providers, doula services, referrals to home visiting, free rides to OB appointments, 24hour medical advice, care coordination, health education, CenteringPregnancy sessions, breastfeeding support, and parenting classes including support services for partners and fathers. We have room for your family. Call 202.540.9857 to secure a Healthy Start today. HS
5 Deette Henry, pictured with her two children, was able to benefit from Community of Hope’s Healthy Start Program. (Photo courtesy of Deete Henry)
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Safeway’s Summer (Nutrition) Standouts Elaine Magee, MPH, RD Safeway Wellness Corporate Dietitian Summer is a time to rediscover your love for water sports, travelling and fruit! The produce section is never more colorful than in summer. The fruits that standout nutritionally generally follow these three color palates; purple/blue, red, and yellow/ orange. The plant compounds that give these fruits their color, tend to also contribute antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Three summer standouts, one in every color, are mango, watermelon and blueberries. Read more about what makes each of these summer fruits special and check out the easy recipes below.
Eat More Mango
One of the most popular fruits in the world is one of the most nutrient-packed. Mangos are one of our yellow/orange superfruits because they are packed with compounds (including polyphenols and flavonoids) that may offer antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer
activity in the body. Mangos also add over 20 vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, many of which have been linked to possible improvements in heart and immune health and brain function. One-half cup mango adds so much flavor and color to your dish plus 50% of the Daily Value for vitamin C and about 18% for vitamin A, with only 50 calories and 12 grams of carbs.
Watermelon Brings More Than Water
Chilled watermelon is the ultimate refresher on a hot day! Red fruits tend to have certain plant compounds that come with the color red, many of which may have antioxidant and immune boosting activity. When you enjoy a bowl or a slice of watermelon you are getting many of these antioxidant compounds (like lycopene) plus several key vitamins including vitamins B6, A and C. A 90-calorie, 2-cup serving of watermelon is both filling and hydrating, thanks to it being made up over 90% water and being a great source of the electrolyte potassium. Enjoy water-
Watermelo
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We put the pro in produce.
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We chop you enjoy.
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Recent & Recommended Books on Racial Stress Lee Ross WI Staff Writer
Get Covered. Stay Covered.
Restorative Yoga for Ethnic and Race-Based Stress and Trauma by Gail Parker Presenting ways in which Restorative Yoga can contribute to healing emotional wounds, this book invites yoga teachers, therapists and practitioners to consider the psychological impact of ethnic and race-based stress and trauma. It aids in the process of uncovering, examining, and healing one’s own emotional wounds and offers insight into avoiding wounding or re-wounding others. The book considers the implications of an increasingly racially and ethnically diverse and global yoga community, as well as the importance of creating conscious yoga communities of support and connection, where issues of race and ethnicity are discussed openly, non-defensively and constructively. Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care by Institute of Medicine, Board on Health Sciences Policy Racial and ethnic disparities in health care are known to reflect access to care and other issues that arise from differing socioeconomic conditions. There is, however, increasing evidence that even after such differences are accounted for, race and ethnicity remain significant predictors of the quality of health care received. In Unequal Treatment, a panel of experts documents this evidence and explores how persons of color experience the health care environment. The book examines how disparities in treatment may arise in health care systems and looks at aspects of the clinical encounter that may contribute to such disparities. Patients’ and providers’ attitudes, expectations, and behavior are analyzed.
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How to Survive the Stress of Still Being Black in America: Recognizing Race-Based and Racism-Related Stress in 21st Century America and Strategies for Active Coping by Joseph R. Gibson Racism is not over. “This system of Whites as dominant and people of color as subordinated” that we all, as Americans, live in “has become so ingrained in our society that it is virtually invisible,” explained Sheri Schmidt,” but it certainly exists. Contemporary racism can be experienced as systemic, individual, institutional, cultural, unconscious, aversive, every day, anticipated, perceived, internalized, or microevents, which radically increases the probability and regularity of experiencing it in some form as a stressor. Race, Work, and Leadership: New Perspectives on the Black Experience by Laura Morgan Roberts, Anthony J. Mayo, David A. Thomas Race, Work, and Leadership is a rare and important compilation of essays that examines how race matters in people’s experience of work and leadership. This groundbreaking book shines new light on these historical and present-day dynamics of race in the workplace. Contributions from top scholars, researchers, and practitioners in leadership, organizational behavior, psychology, sociology, and education test the relevance of long-held assumptions and reconsider the research approaches and interventions needed to understand and advance African Americans in work settings and leadership roles. HS
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Sisterhood Is A Key To Wellness: Diabetes Education for African American Women In Wards 7 And 8 Ruth T. Perot, Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc. (SHIRE) – www.shireinc.org Kimberly Fogg, Global Sustainable Partnerships (GSP) – www.gspartnerships.org “When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we’, even illness becomes wellness.” When Malcolm X spoke these words, he shared a powerful truth, whether he spoke of the state of our community as a whole, or he referred to our physical well-being. Over 20 years, SHIRE has promoted togetherness as a tool to advance health and wellness. We have affirmed the importance of knowing about diabetes and other chronic conditions. We have underscored the importance of healthy eating, physical activity, and reducing our stress. We have helped community members understand the importance of interacting with health providers as informed partners. Our most important message
however, throughout our years of service in Ward 8, Ward 7, and other areas of the District of Columbia has been the need for “we”. That has been the key to the success of the Wellness Circles we have conducted in partnership with the District of Columbia government and AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia. SHIRE has created “safe places” where men, women, and even children can come together to support each other, listen to each other’s challenges, applaud lifestyle changes and celebrate improved health outcomes. We have cried together, laughed together, and prayed together. Coming to the table as individuals challenged by illness, we have seen many of our sisters and brothers leave the circles as empowered companions on the road to wellness. Gratefully, despite the onset of COVID-19, SHIRE has continued to build communities supporting health and wellness. Since April this year, we have worked in partnership
with Global Sustainable Partnerships (GSP) and their strategic partner, CareFirst, to conduct a Diabetes Wellness Education Program to support Advancing Equitable Health to Reduce Diabetes. Launched initially to promote the empowerment of women in Africa, due to COVID, GSP pivoted their efforts to focus on African American women in Wards 7 and 8 who have diabetes or are pre-diabetic. Educational sessions are conducted for groups of women each Saturday morning for a month by Zoom. GSP also arranges for outdoor activities to supplement these weekly educational sessions. SHIRE’s role is to help build a sense of community among each group of women by connecting them with SHIRE peer educators who stay in close communication with them throughout the month, encouraging their participation. GSP reinforces the sense of togetherness, (“I want for my Sisters what I want for Myself”) by soliciting active participation
Supporting your efforts to find balance America’s beverage companies are working together to deliver more choices, smaller portions, and less sugar. Today, 55% of our beverages have zero sugar and two-thirds are low or no calorie. We’ve also added signs on coolers and vending machines to help remind consumers about these choices. See what else we’re doing at BALANCEUS.ORG.
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during Zoom sessions and sharing of experiences. We urge participants to see themselves as a “Sisterhood” where we support and inspire each other as we gain information about tools to use to take charge of diabetes, our health, and our lives. This is how we can move, in Malcolm’s words, from Illness to Wellness. GSP and SHIRE are recruiting African American women with diabetes/pre-diabetes for monthly sessions beginning again in September. To register, call any one of the following numbers: 202-246-2429
202-378-0349 202-840-5306 We welcome our sisters to continue the journey to Wellness together! HS
Get Your COVID-19 Vaccine Questions & Concerns Answered By Whitman-Walker Health Being an active participant in caring for people during the COVID-19 pandemic, we at Whitman-Walker Health are reaching out in hopes of keeping the communities we serve safe and healthy. As COVID-19 cases continue to rise around the globe, nationally and in the district, we wanted to share information about the COVID-19 vaccine and information on how to keep yourself and your family healthy if you are choosing not to get a COVID-19 vaccine. We understand the different reasons that folks have for not wanting to get vaccinated. Whether it’s fear, a lack of trust in the vaccines and healthcare system, or you are concerned with side effects, your concerns are valid. If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, call our Whitman-Walker Health team at 202.207.2480. We want to hear your concerns and provide any answers that we can. While we all enjoy these warmer months when many of us can be out-
side and unmasked with family and friends, colder weather is coming. This colder weather will force many of us to be inside and keeping a 6-ft distance can be hard when indoors. Folks who are unmasked, indoors and unvaccinated have greater chances of getting COVID-19. If you are not currently interested in getting a vaccine, please be sure to wear a mask that covers both your nose and mouth, keep a 6-ft distance from others and avoid indoor and crowded spaces where it is hard to keep a 6-ft distance. If you must be indoors and around others, especially while unvaccinated, it is important you wear your mask correctly over both your nose and mouth – consistently. The COVID-19 variants today have evidence of being more transmissible than the original COVID-19 viral strain that we experienced in early 2020. This is because these variants are causing higher viral loads in people who test positive for COVID-19 – including in people with mild symptoms or no symptoms of COVID-19.
5 HIV/STI testing and the COVID-19 vaccine are being administered at The Max Robinson Center
Having a higher viral load means that there is more virus in an infected person’s nasal passages (in their nose) and respiratory particles (from their nose and mouth). This is why it is so important to continue wearing masks that cover both your nose and mouth to help prevent new cases of COVID-19.
GET YOUR COVID-19 VACCINE WITH US! Ask ANY questions you have about the vaccine. Our Whitman-Walker Health care team is here to help.
Vaccines are available each week at our Max Robinson Center on the corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE and Chicago Street, SE. Please remember to wear a mask that covers both your nose and mouth. Call 202.207.2480 to get your questions answered and to schedule your FREE vaccine appointment. Whitman-Walker at 1525 1525 14th Street, NW www.whitman-walker.org
Max Robinson Center 2301 Martin Luther King, Jr Ave, SE
The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. They do not prevent vaccinated people from getting COVID-19, but they do help keep vaccinated people alive and out of the hospital. Becoming infected with COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated is very unlikely. Breakthrough COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated people represent less than 1 percent of every 100 cases of COVID-19. On the flip side, COVID-19 infections in unvaccinated people happen to 99 out of every 100 unvaccinated people. If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, please don’t hesitate to call our Whitman-Walker Health team at 202.207.2480. We are here to help share information about the COVID-19 vaccine and information on how to keep safe if you are choosing not to be vaccinated. Here are a few reasons you might call Whitman-Walker Health about the COVID-19 vaccine at 202.207.2480: • You have questions or concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine and side effects. The COVID-19 vaccine can lead to some side effects like body aches and fatigue, but many people have also reported experiencing very few or barely any side effects. • You know our nation’s medical history includes race-based malpractice and you’re wondering what’s changed this time. Research today requires community leadership and input. Since the SARS outbreak back in 2003, scientists have studied mRNA vaccines. Although this
COVID-19 vaccine is new, the makeup and science of the vaccine is not new. • You have concerns about how the vaccine could affect your chances of being pregnant. The COVID-19 vaccine has not been shown to harm pregnant people. Healthy babies have been delivered by vaccinated people during the pandemic. • You are not sure the vaccine is effective against COVID-19 variants. Data shows that all the vaccines, including the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, are providing good immunity, and protection against COVID-19. • You don’t want to lose another family, friend or community member and want tools how on to speak to them about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. We don’t want to lose anyone else either. Call us at 202.207.2480 for tools on how to talk to others about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Whitman-Walker Health is here to help and we’re just one phone call away! We hope you’ll give us a call. To access HIV/STI testing or to get your COVID-19 vaccine at Max Robinson Center, or another Whitman-Walker location, call 202.797.4439. HS
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SAVE THE DATE
MAX ROBINSON CENTER
IS MOVING C O M E S E E U S AT S T. E L I Z A B E T H S C A M P U S I N 2 0 2 3 !
Whitman-Walker Services Available at St. Elizabeths’ East Campus will include: Primary Medical Care | Pharmacy Services | Dental Services Behavioral Health (Psychiatry, Mental Health & Substance Use Treatment) | Advocacy HIV/STI Screening and Treatment | Community Health and Wellness | Youth Services Legal Services and Public Insurance Navigation | Research | Health Care Education Learn more about Whitman-Walker’s Max Robinson Center move at whitmanwalkerimpact.org/stelizabeths.
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Teens: Back on Track for School Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia Getting back into the routine of school can be hard for both students and their parents or caregivers. Most kids feel nervous on the first day back. The change in school schedules during the COVID-19 pandemic could make students feel even more wobbly. Start preparing a couple weeks before school to be ready. Eating right and getting enough sleep and exercise help teens be at their best. 1 Get bedtimes and routines back on track. A couple of weeks before school starts, help your teen push bedtime back by 15 minutes each night. Experts suggest teens need eight to 10 hours of sleep. But only seven teens out of 10 get the right amount of sleep.2 Talk with your teen about the value of sleep, including its impact on mental health.
Try to set limits together about the use of technology and light exposure before bed. You may both decide it’s best to keep electronics out of the bedroom. If mealtimes or other routines have changed, help your teen reset those, too. You might want to add a little extra time in the morning before school for any extra stress. Encourage your teen to eat right and stay fit. Help them choose healthy breakfasts and lunches to help with mood and focus, and remind them to limit junk food. AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia (DC) enrollees can take virtual healthy cooking classes at no cost. To see our monthly schedule, visit www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com. Exercise can help your teen focus, raise self-esteem, and improve mood. Being active can help your teen sleep and feel better.1 Find ways to bond and connect.
Be present. Often teens will want to talk after their school day, but it may take them a while to open up. Walks, car rides, and meals together are chances to connect. You might grab any chance you get to exercise with your teen! Notes tucked into book bags or cheerful text messages can also help get your teen through the day. Make sure your teen knows you are ready and willing to talk with them if they have concerns about school, relationships, or other parts of their life. If your child could use further help, AmeriHealth Caritas DC offers enrollees ages 13 – 20 access to MindRight, a behavioral health service that can help give support by text. Whenever they need it, teen enrollees can get guidance and emotional support on their
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Find us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/amerihealthdc. • Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/amerihealthcaritasdc. • ind us on Instagram at www.instagram.com/amerihealthcaritasdc.
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Rewards Program
I got a gift card for getting my diabetic eye exam. You can too. You can get a $25 gift card if you: • Are 18 – 75 years old • Are an AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia enrollee • Have type 1 or 2 diabetes • See your eye doctor for a retinal eye exam
Visit www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com/member/eng/ healthy-living/reward-program.aspx to learn more. Note: An enrollee cannot get more than $75 in incentives each year. Certain limitations and restrictions may apply. ACDC-201001070-3
www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com
All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model.
AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE HS12 smartphones to help them navigate the challenges they face each day. AmeriHealth Caritas DC offers MindRight at no cost to enrollees. To sign up for MindRight or learn about other behavioral health services, enrollees can call Enrollee Services at 202-408-4720 or 1-800-408-7511. Make sure your teen has a healthy school-life balance, with time for homework and personal time, time with friends, clubs, sports, and other activities.
HELP IS AVAILABLE NOW
The D.C. Department of Behavioral Health Hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 1-888-793-4357. If you or someone you know is thinking of suicide or having a mental health emergency, get help now by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1‑800‑273‑8255. Sources. 1. “Back to School Mental Wellness: Tips for Parents/Caregivers of Teens,” Mass Public Health Blog, https://blog.mass.gov/publichealth/mental-wellness/back-to-school-mental-wellness-tips-forparentscaregivers-of-teens. 2. “Sleep in Middle and High School Students,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/features/students-sleep.htm All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model
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Back-to-School Checkups Summer is a great time to get teens and other kids ready for the upcoming school year by scheduling wellness checkups. Yearly checkups help your child’s health care provider find and treat any health conditions your teen may have before they become worse. During a checkup, your teen will get physical, behavioral, dental, hearing, and eyesight screenings, as well as any vaccines they need. If your teen is an AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollee, you can find a provider by going to www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com or by calling Enrollee Services at 1-800-408-7511. AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees under age 21 can get yearly checkups at no cost. Enrollees can get rides to and from health care visits at no cost by calling 1-800-315-3485.
HEALTHY MOUTHS
Your teen is assigned a primary dental provider, or PDP, when they become an AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollee. Having a PDP lets your teen form a relationship with one dentist whom they visit regu-
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larly. This also helps the dentist better know your teen’s dental care needs.
CHECKUPS AT SCHOOL
Seven high schools in the District of Columbia have school-based health centers (SBHCs). These clinics provide primary care, dental care, and behavioral health services for students at these schools and children of students. There is no cost to students or their children to get care at an SBHC. To enroll your teen in their school’s SBHC, fill out the SBHC Consent Form found at https://dchealth.dc.gov/service/ school-based-healthcenters.
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Exercise can help your teen focus, raise self-esteem, and improve mood. Being active can help your teen sleep and feel better.
Get the Facts about Weight-Loss Surgery Submitted by Adventist HealthCare Adventist Medical Group Obesity is a chronic disease resulting from multiple environmental and genetic factors. If you’ve been struggling with losing weight and keeping it off, bariatric surgery, also known as metabolic surgery, can offer you a tool to lose weight, maintain weight loss and reduce your risk of early death. It can also improve or resolve chronic health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. Tuesday F. A. Cook, MD, a board-certified bariatric surgeon with Adventist HealthCare Adventist Medical Group in Fort Washington, Maryland provides more information on which patients qualify, procedures available and what you can expect after weight-loss surgery.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR SURGERY
Weight-loss surgery is an excellent
option for people who are diagnosed as obese and struggling to maintain a healthy weight. According to Dr. Cook, you may be a candidate if you: n Have a body mass index (BMI) 40 or greater, that is, more than 100 pounds overweight n Have a BMI of 35 or greater with weight-related conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnea n Are unable to achieve and maintain weight loss through diet and exercise alone You will also meet with a team of professionals including a registered bariatric dietician, behavioral health specialist, exercise physiologist and bariatric surgeon to prepare you for life after weight loss surgery. Depending on your medical problems, you may need to see additional medical specialists to optimize your health preoperatively. “Your team of healthcare providers are here to work with you to ensure that you’ll use this tool to achieve success,” says Dr. Cook.
FINDING THE OPTION BEST FOR YOU
Together, you and your surgeon will review your health history and determine which operation is best for you. Sleeve Gastrectomy: This operation removes about 80% of your stomach. The remaining stomach is smaller and restricts the amount of food you can eat at once, making you feel full sooner. By removing the stomach that produces the most “hunger hormone”, the surgery reduces food cravings, improves blood sugar control and helps maintain a healthy weight. Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: By dividing the stomach and small intestine, food enters a small pouch, decreasing your portion size. The meal then bypasses a segment of the stomach and small intestine, causing your body to absorb fewer calories. The impact on hormones and metabolic health often results in the improve-
Find Your Path to Better Health with Adventist Medical Group in Fort Washington
Introducing Tuesday F.A. Cook, MD Board Certified Bariatric Surgeon As a board certified, fellowship-trained laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon, Dr. Cook specializes in invasive foregut gastrointestinal surgery and the treatment of obesity. She is passionate about the treatment of metabolic diseases by management of obesity through an integrative, patient-centered approach. Dr. Cook is dedicated to ensuring health equity and increasing access to care for people of color throughout the world.
ment of adult-onset diabetes before any weight loss occurs. Patients experiencing heartburn may also see improvement in symptoms. Adjustable Gastric Band: A small, adjustable silicone band is placed around the upper part of the stomach creating a small pouch above the band. Through adjustment of your band via access to a port underneath the skin with a needle, the meal portion size can increase or decrease. The impact on obesity-related diseases and long-term weight loss is less than with other procedures.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER SURGERY
Depending on the type of operation, you’ll spend one to two nights in the hospital and will have minimal pain. Initially, you will need to follow a specific diet that will be gradually advanced the further out you are postoperative. “Immediately following surgery, the most important thing is to remain hydrated and walk,” states Dr. Cook. “For maximum success, each patient will need to stick to the guidelines they were taught before their operation and continue to follow up closely with their bariatric surgery team.” Most weight loss is experienced in the first few months and continues for 12 to 18 months after surgery. “Around 90 percent of patients lose 50 percent of excess body weight and keep this extra weight off long-term,” says Dr. Cook. Your surgeon can help you determine a more accurate range depending on your starting weight and the type of surgery you undergo.
ENSURING SAFETY
Today’s weight-loss operations are safe and performed using minimally invasive techniques. “This allows for patients to have a better experience with less pain and complications, as well as a faster return to normal activities,” says Dr. Cook. As with any surgery, there are potential risks that
may vary with each patient. One way to ensure your safety is to keep follow-up appointments with your medical team. This way, they can monitor your progress and make sure you are doing well from a surgical and nutrition standpoint. Dr. Cook adds, “Weight loss surgery is as safe as gallbladder surgery. This operation doesn’t just treat obesity; it treats over 20 other medical conditions, including infertility associated with weight. Bariatric surgery greatly reduces the risk of death from cancer and has been shown to lower a person’s risk of death from any cause by over 40 percent.”
ACHIEVING LASTING SUCCESS
Bariatric surgery can provide excellent, long-term success. However, it requires making ongoing lifestyle changes since it is only one aspect of counteracting obesity. “Surgery is only a tool and patients must be willing to continue their behavior modifications long term,” says Dr. Cook. “If these lifestyle changes aren’t followed, patients could regain the weight. If that happens, we are always here to help as it’s a lifelong journey we take together.” HS
Call to schedule an appointment at 240-724-6018. 10709 Indian Head Highway, Suite D Fort Washington, MD 20744 AdventistMedicalGroup.org
Adventist Medical Group
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FIND YOUR PATH TO BETTER HEALTH TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD A HEALTHIER YOU
Reconnect with an expert healthcare provider who can support your journey to well-being. Adventist Medical Group is ready to help with:
• Telehealth • Convenient locations • Easy online scheduling • Safe in-person care To make an appointment, visit AdventistMedicalGroup.org/Healthy
Primary Care Locations College Park • Fort Washington Germantown • Montgomery Village Rockville • Silver Spring
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Forward. For all of us.
See how we’re moving health care forward. An inner voice calls us forward. So we listen. We imagine. We care. Not just for us. But for all of us. hopkinsmedicine.org/forward
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