Suicide Prevention: When Prayer is not Enough

   Suicide is a major public health problem and a leading cause of death in the U.S.  There is a lot we can learn about how to recognize suicide warning signs.  In the African-American community, suicide is an unspoken ‘tabooed’ topic.  Persons who have suffered from trauma, hopelessness, chronic diseases, and everyday life stressors are seen as having ‘a nervous breakdown’ or are weak.  Religion may provide comfort for the sick but some may pray in silence for wellness only.  Dr. Donald Grant, a Psychologist said “Millions live in the shadows suffering alone, managing the weight of the world in silent bent knee prayer…if we ignore it for long enough or fail to name it, it will magically disappear.” 

    Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young black men.  The rates of suicide have doubled among young black men over the last 10 years.  Women of all ethnicities attempt suicide at higher rates than men but men complete the act at a higher rate (CDC).  The warning signs of suicide are:  a person talking about    hurting themselves, self-medicating, extreme changes in mood, diet or sleeping patterns.  It is critical to quickly connect the person to support  services which may include calling 911, a visit to the emergency room, or crisis center.  Minority  communities tend to under-utilize mental health services across all social and   income levels, and some may die in silence.  Studies found that people who are familiar with mental health services and providers (psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, nurse, counselor or practitioner) will more likely make an appointment.  How can we make an impact?  Realize that violence, trauma,

incarceration, school drop-out and health disparities impact one’s overall  health and well-being.

     Promoting a safe and supportive environment which provides opportunities to build relationships among people, families and communities is a key preventative goal.  We have to ‘Break the Stigma of Silence’ and seek professional help when prayer may not be enough.  While prayer may provide spiritual comfort, we can begin to address the whole person-body, mind and spirit.  Although prayers are powerful, there are also other professional resources that can be provided for those suffering from depression and risk of suicide. 

Call the Crisis Hotline at (800) 273-TALK or make an appointment with your healthcare provider.                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                        Dr. Nina & Norwood Coleman Jr., LCSW 

Suggest a personal Gift that cost less than $10.00

What tips can you share to reduce Holiday Stress?

      The holiday season maybe a time of joy or it maybe a time of stress. Preparing for the holidays when money is tight can trigger anxiety. Remember it is important to explain to your children that certain toys and electronics maybe too expensive for your budget.  Do not buy gifts that you will spend the rest of the year or max out your credit card paying off.  The holidays most importantly offer a chance to reconnect with family, friends and loved ones.  Here are a few tips to help reduce stress during the holidays:

à Set a Budget.                                   Set a Limit & stick to it.      

à Share the Tasks                               Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

à Give a Personal Gift                        Gifts don’t have to cost a lot.

à Learn to say NO                               You can’t attend every event.

à Get Plenty of Rest                            Take time for yourself.

à Get Support if you need it               Holidays can trigger Depression.               

For more information click on,

http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/tc/quick-tips-reducing-holiday-stress-get-     started?page=

SCDAA 'Get Connected' Registry is Here

    The “Get Connected” Registry is a Patient-Powered registry that is housed at and managed by the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA).  It is designed to create a new way for people with Sickle Cell Disease and trait to receive information about where to access specialty care, current treatments and therapies, advocacy initiatives, and research studies. For too long, many people with sickle cell disease have lived in silence, in the shadows, without   feeling the freedom to openly speak about their condition. That has definitely changed. People are now learning to “Live Well with Sickle Cell” and are looking for ways to continue to improve their overall quality of life.  People who participate in the registry may also receive or share information critical to establishing better health care, influence policy, advocate for more research and funding for those living with Sickle Cell  Disease.

      It’s time for a Universal Cure for sickle cell.  In fact, it’s well past the time for a cure.  We can help the process along by ensuring everyone in the United States including Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, gets  entered into the “Get Connected” Registry. For further information  contact Community Health Worker, Donna Monroe, the “Get Connected” representative for Delaware at: MsDPM1013@gmail.com,  contact@tovacommunityhealth.org or call TOVA at, 302-762-0200 ext. 105.  Together, we can make this happen by “Getting       Connected.”                                                                                       

                                                                                                                     Donna Monroe, MS

 

Norway Wins Spot for the sixth year as the World's most Prosperous Country

re-blogged from the guardian,

       Norway has been named the most prosperous country in the world for the sixth year in a row and European countries dominate the top 30 of the annual Prosperity Index.  What is a Prosperity Index?  According to Saian Hansen, Executive Director from the Legatum Institute who published the rankings,

   "The Prosperity Index tells us that the story of human progress goes beyond economics. It tells us that for nations to flourish they must provide opportunity and freedom to their citizens. It shows how access to quality healthcare and education provide the foundations on which nations can grow.  It proves that effective and transparent government empowers citizens to take control of their lives. And it shows that protection from violence and oppression, as well as strong social bonds, are crucial to a thriving society."     Simply stated, the Prosperity Index studies the overall economic health and well-being of a nation besides looking at indicators such as a country's GDP (Gross Domestic Product).   The GDP measures the economic performance of a country based on output and productivity.  In a broader context, the economic health or the holistic health are Comprehensive  Holistic Indicators of a country or an individual's overall wellbeing- sounds a lot like TOVA's mission.  Prosperity is about more than Money.     The Index assesses 142 countries and looks at 89 individual variables across eight sub-indices: economy, entrepreneurship and opportunity, governance, education, personal freedom, health, safety and security and social capital. 

 

   Norway has been named the most prosperous country in the world for the sixth year in a row by a global prosperity ranking, which rates countries on how they perform in areas such as economics, health, education and freedom. What makes Norway one most prosperous country in the world?  Norway's high incomes coupled with social freedom, political stability, excellent healthcare, education and other social benefits aim to provide safe and secure environment for people to live and go about their daily lives. 
    European countries dominate the top 30 of the Prosperity Index, while the UK has jumped three places on last year’s rankings and has been named the most prosperous of all the major EU countries in 2014. It has been placed above Germany at 14th and France at 21st place.  It also warns that the US is “no longer perceived to be the ‘land of the free’” and is placed 21st for the personal freedom, below countries such as Uruguay and Costa Rica. Following Norway in second place on the overall rankings is Switzerland. New Zealand, which is placed third, is the highest climber of the latest release with its jump up attributed to its economic resurgence.  Almost two thirds of the countries listed in the top 30 are European nations, with 6 of these being EU member states. 

Here are the top 10 prosperous countries:
  1. Norway              2. Switzerland         3. Denmark      4. New Zealand         5.  Sweden      6.  Canada       7. Australia   
  8. Netherlands       9. Finland               10. Ireland       11.  United States      12.  Iceland     13.  Luxembourg 
14. Germany          15.  United Kingdom


Click on for the complete report,

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2014/nov/03/european-countries-dominate-in-global-prosperity-rankings?CMP=share_btn_link
 100 best things to do in Switzerland. It is over 10,000 words and packed with practical tips and advice. You can find it here: https://www.jenreviews.com/best-things-to-do-in-switzerland/

Be Well and Prosper
All the Best,  Dr. Anderson

TOVA Community Health
Primary Specialty Care
www.tovacommunityhealth.org
(302) 429-5870 ext. 120



Background Check to promote trait awareness at the Delaware Adolescent Program (DAPI)

                                                                 Background Check

Sickle Cell Awareness in our Community

  The TOVA team was invited to the Delaware Adolescent Program (DAPI) last week for a Sickle Cell presentation called, 'Background Check'. Only 1 out of 10 girls knew their Sickle Cell Trait status or the status of their baby's father. One mother of her newborn child was identified as having the Sickle Cell Trait and she was of Hispanic descent. She was appreciative of the information and the information provided on the trait.  Overall, teen pregnancy rates are declining in the state of Delaware and nationally.  Support TOVAs' programs to increase awareness, quality care & research for Sickle Cell. Go to www.tovacommunityhealth.org for more information.
National Teen Pregnancy Statistics:
     In 2013, there were 26.5 births for every 1,000 adolescent females ages 15-19, or 273,105 babies born to females in this age group. Nearly eighty-nine percent of these births occurred outside of marriage. The 2013 teen birth rate indicates a  decline of ten percent from 2012 when the birth rate was 29.4 per 1,000. The teen birth rate has declined almost continuously over the past 20 years. In 1991, the U.S. teen birth rate was 61.8 births for every 1,000 adolescent females, compared with 26.5 births for every 1,000 adolescent females in 2013. Still, the U.S. teen birth rate is higher than that of many other developed countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom  (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (Office of Adolescent Health, http://www.hhs.gov).

    Non-Hispanic black youth, Hispanic/Latino youth, American Indian/Alaska Native youth, and socioeconomically disadvantaged youth of any race or ethnicity experience the highest rates of teen pregnancy and childbirth. Together, black and Hispanic teens comprised 57% of U.S. teen births in 2013 (CDC).
Delaware Statistics:
 In Delaware, DECLINING TEEN BIRTH RATE SHOWS MORE YOUTH ARE MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES.  Delaware's teen pregnancy and teen birth rates are at an all-time low, according to statistics from Delaware's Division of Public Health (DPH). During 2004-2008, the most recent rate available, Delaware's teen pregnancy rate for girls ages 15-19 was 65.1 per 1,000. The 2004-2008 teen birth rate for girls 15-19 was 43.1 per 1,000. Nationwide, teen pregnancy is at its lowest point in 70 years. (Delaware Department of Health & Human Services, 2011).

All the best,
Dr. Nina

Chicago Woman is the First Adult Cured Of Sickle Cell Disease With Chemo-Free Technique

re-blogged from blackdoctor.org

Ieshea Thomas, a Chicago woman, is the first adult

         to be cured of sickle cell disease with the chemotherapy-free

procedure at UI Hospital. Photo: UI News Release

                  http://blackdoctor.org/466678/doctors-cure-12-adults-of-sickle-cell-disease/

Promising results for Sickle Cell recipients a Chemo-Free Stem Cell Transplant.  Typical stem-cell transplant treatment protocols would use chemotherapy and radiation to suppress the bone marrow before infusing healthy non-sickled cells.  But, chemotherapy & radiation can increase a person’s risk for infection & other problems. 

Types of Stem Cell Transplants:
     In a typical stem cell transplant for blood disorders very high doses of chemo are used, often along with radiation therapy, to try to destroy all the damaged cells. This treatment also kills the stem cells in the bone marrow. Soon after treatment, stem cells are given to replace those that were destroyed. These stem cells are given into a vein, much like a blood transfusion. Over time they settle in the bone marrow and begin to grow and make healthy blood cells. This process is called engraftment. (American Cancer Association.)
There are 3 basic types of transplants. They are named based on who gives the stem cells.
            ·  Autologous (aw-tahl-uh-gus)—the cells come from you

·  Allogeneic (al-o-jen-NEE-ick or al-o-jen-NAY-ick)—the cells come from a matched related or unrelated donor

           ·  Syngeneic (sin-jen-NEE-ick or sin-jen-NAY-ick)—the cells come from your identical twin or triplet

     Outcomes:   

            “In the reported trial, the researchers transplanted 13 patients, 17 to 40 years of age, with a stem cell preparation from the blood of a tissue-matched sibling. Healthy sibling donor-candidates and patients were tested for human leukocyte antigen, a set of markers found on cells in the body. Ten of these HLA markers must match between the donor and the recipient for the transplant to have the best chance of evading rejection.

In a further advance of the NIH procedure, physicians at UI Health successfully transplanted two patients with cells from siblings who matched for HLA but had a different blood type.

In all 13 patients, the transplanted cells successfully took up residence in the marrow and produced healthy red blood cells. One patient who failed to follow the post-transplant therapy regimen reverted to the original sickle cell condition.”

          To learn more about ongoing sickle cell transplant trials at NIH (a participant in a trial will not be charged for a procedure) call 1-800-411-1222 or visit the NIH clinical trials registry at www.clinicaltrials.gov and search under ‘sickle cell disease.”

 

All the best,

Dr. Anderson

 

Thanks Theo Jr. for sharing



Dr. Anderson makes her Editorial Column Debut on Sickle Cell

COMMENT

The far-flung reach of sickle-cell disease

DELAWARE VOICE
DR. NINA ANDERSON

   Sickle-cell disease is a lethal blood disorder that is oftentimes invisible and misunderstood. This debilitating and painful disorder impacts the lives of people who suf- fer from this condition.
Sickle cell most frequently occurs in people who have descended from trop- ical and sub-tropical regions of the world where malaria is prevalent such as, Africa, South and Central America, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Asia and the Middle East.
    In fact, sickle cell is one of the world’s most common inherited blood disorders. In 1910, a western physician was the first to note a patient with “sickle shaped” red blood cells. Histori- cally, access to quality specialty care and research tends to lag far behind other chronic diseases and blood dis- orders. Despite the needs to improve health equity, the life expectancy for those living with the disease has im- proved over the last two decades. Yet, the availability of specialty centers for children is four times greater than for adults. In spite of societal burdens for those living with a progressive chronic disease, a person’s quality of life should be considered of high importance. This would include indicators to improve one’s overall (physical, emotional and spiritual) health, educational, and em- ployment opportunities.

    The availability of resources for research and a cure is recognized, but the improvement of a person’s health- care experience in a broader context is not often accepted as a priority.
Other indicators of a population’s health would include access to: nutri- tious foods, parks for walking and bike

paths, policies that lower income dis- parities, affordable housing, high-qual- ity public education, vocational training and gainful employment for persons with disabilities, clean water, culturally competent healthcare providers, qual- ity mental health care and etc. In other words, why not put more resources into initiatives that build healthy patients, families, communities and cities for all which would ultimately benefit those living with sickle cell?
    As National Sickle Cell Awareness Month comes to an end, Tova Community Health wants to thank all those who came out to support raising Sickle Cell Awareness in Delaware. On Sept. 5, Tova Community Health held a fun- filled 5K & 1 Mile Walk/Run with over 500 participants at Brandywine Park in Wilmington. Generations of families, young and old, enjoyed a fantastic day in the park for an unspoken disease. Later in the evening, an awards show

was held at the Christina Cultural Arts Center to honor community leaders for their support and to recognize those living with complex chronic medical conditions.
Tova’s mission is to provide holistic comprehensive compassionate care and awareness to persons living with com- plex chronic diseases like sickle cell. Join us by volunteering, making a dona- tion, supporting our specialty center and outreach events held in the commu- nity. We are that much closer to, “Breaking the Sickle Cycle.” Again, thank you for your generosity and sup- port. If you would like more informa- tion, please visit our website at www.tovacommunityhealth.org.

Dr. Nina Anderson is the executive director of Tova Community Health and is an Affiliated Associate Professor at the University of Delaware.

                                                   The News Journal/Delaware Online

Leslie & Dr. Nina

 

September 25, 2015.  The News Journal 09/25/2015. Copy Reduced from original to fit letter page 

Page : A21

A group of scientists call for a Moratorium on Gene Editing

  A group of scientists call for a Moratorium on Gene Editing

The International Society for Stem Cell Research and the  Doudna group calls for public discussion, but is also working to develop some more formal process, such as an international meeting convened by the National Academy of Sciences, to establish guidelines for human use of the genome-editing technique.  A paper published in Science calls for a moratorium on any clinical application.



GMO Corn-debate.org

    Genome engineering technology offers unparalleled potential for modifying human and nonhuman genomes. In humans, it holds the promise of curing genetic disease like sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy & cancer.   In other organisms, it provides methods to reshape the biosphere for the benefit of the environment and human societies. However, with such enormous opportunities come unknown risks to human health and well-being. In January, a group of interested stakeholders met in Napa, California, to discuss the scientific, medical, legal, and ethical implications of these new prospects for genome biology. The goal was to initiate an informed discussion of the uses of genome engineering technology, and to identify those areas where action is essential to prepare for future developments. The meeting identified immediate steps to take toward ensuring that the application of genome engineering technology is performed safely and ethically.



"Mouse-Ear"-ahsmediacenter.pbworks.com

DOI: 10.1126/science.aab1028.   PERSPECTIVE  BIOTECHNOLOGY
A prudent path forward for genomic engineering and germline gene modification
David Baltimore1, Paul Berg2, Michael Botchan3,4, Dana Carroll5, R. Alta Charo6, George Church7, Jacob E. Corn4, George Q. Daley8,9, Jennifer A. Doudna4,10,*, Marsha Fenner4, Henry T. Greely11, Martin Jinek12, G. Steven Martin13, Edward Penhoet14, Jennifer Puck15, Samuel H. Sternberg16, Jonathan S. Weissman4,17, Keith R. Yamamoto4,18

         Some in the science community urge us to proceed considerately w/ caution. Researchers and the public need to have considerate  debate raising important ethical, safety, regulatory & public policy concerns altering genes.   Though highly efficient, the technique occasionally cuts the genome at unintended sites.   The chief problem has always been one of accuracy, of editing the DNA at precisely the intended site, since any off-target change could be lethal.
        Dr. Baltimore said. “I personally think we are just not smart enough — and won’t be for a very long time — to feel comfortable about the consequences of changing heredity, even in a single individual.”

       I would also suggest that each state's medical and research community set-up a Center for BioEthics to raise these important issues.   Does anyone know the long-term implications of  altering corns' genes and sold to farmers by Genetically Modified Organism (GMO0) companies?

All the best,
Dr. Anderson

43rd Annual Sickle Cell Disease Assocation Convention started last month in Baltimore, MD

                 The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America's (SCDAA) Conference just started today at the Hilton Hotel in Baltimore, MD.  Congratulations to SCDAA for being awarded a $2.6 million grant from HRSA to train Community Health Workers (CHW) and to build a National Registry for those living with Sickle Cell in the U.S.  Tova Community Health, lead by Dr. Nina Anderson will be the state lead in Delaware in a regional partnership with the SCDAA Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Chapter.   

September 23 - 26, 2015
Hilton - Baltimore, MD

Welcome. Last year’s convention was a great success! Our 43rd event will be even more fantastic with exciting new sessions, world renowned speakers and innovative learning. We look forward to seeing you back in  beautiful Baltimore this year!
 

Members of the SCDAA Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Chapter

Did you know that September is Sickle Cell Awareness and Hispanic Heritage Month too

      National Hispanic Heritage Month begins September 15, 2015 and recognizes

 Hispanic and Latino American heritage and culture. 2015 Theme: Honoring our Heritage. 

                                                                  

   

                                                               Did You Know?

                           -     1 in 100 Hispanics carry the Sickle Cell Trait in the U.S.

                          -   Sickle Cell Disease occurs among about 1 in 36,000 Hispanic Births in the U.S.
                                            
                          -   Sickle Cell Disease affects about 100,000 Americans in the U.S.

                                                          All the best,  Dr. Anderson