WOMEN’S HEALTH
NEWS
National Women’s
Health Information Center (NWHIC)
NWHIC is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ gateway
to women’s health information via a web site (www.womenshealth.gov) and toll-free
number (1-800-994-9662), including a TDD line (1-888-220-5446). Services
include:
1.
Database searches on over 800 health
topics
2.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on
different health topics; 85 in English and 37 in Spanish
3.
19 specialty sections including most
recently updated, Health Professionals
4.
Health news delivered and refreshed on
the home page on a daily basis
5.
Monthly e-newsletter to 16,641 consumers
and health care providers
6.
Print and online materials available in
English, Spanish, and Chinese
7.
8.
National Breastfeeding Helpline - staff
trained by La Leche League
Also, instructions for receiving free copies of the
"HEALTHY WOMEN TODAY" newsletter are available at: http://www.womenshealth.gov/newsletter.
Girls Health
The
girlshealth.gov program (formerly 4girls.gov) is dedicated to providing
relevant, trustworthy and commercial-free health information for girls ages
10-16. The web site (www.girlshealth.gov)
gives
girls reliable information on the health issues they will face as they become
young women; safety information; facts about tobacco, drugs and alcohol; and
tips on handling relationships with family and friends. It offers:
o
A searchable
database of keywords used throughout the web site (i.e. Search for
“Puberty” and come up with all listings where that word is used on
girlshealth.gov)
o
Nine specialty
sections (Body; Fitness; Mind; Nutrition; Safety; Relationships; Drugs,
Alcohol, and Smoking; Illness & Disability; Bullying; and Your Future) that
are updated on a regular basis
o
A “Parents
& Caregivers” section designed to provide information on how to talk
to girls about health related issues which also provides useful links, news,
events, and publications about various topics
o
A section for
educators that provides links to printable information, organizations, and
publications to teach girls the importance of maintaining good health
o
An “Illness
and Disabilities” section for parents and girls
o
Online polls to
get up-to-date responses from girls on different topics
o
A “News
& More” section updated frequently with current health-related news,
events, and awards
o
A
“Spotlight On” section highlighting inspiring young women which
changes bi-monthly
o
A “Speak
Up!” forum where girls can discuss a topic and read what their peers have
to say
o
Free educational
materials available to girls, health professionals, and other educators such as
e-cards, a brochure, Instant Messenger icons, and girlshealth.gov wallpaper for
computer screens
o
Articles from
“New Moon” magazine (for girls, by girls) posted on the web site
and updated annually
o
“Friends of
girlshealth.gov” page listing health-related and non-profit organizations
who act as endorsers or partners for the web site
The Office on Women’s
Health is Looking for Your Stories
Your story may be featured in our
newsletter, on our web site, or in a book about women's health. Have you had
an experience with a health condition or issue that you would like to share
with others? If so, let us know! We are interested in learning about how women
have dealt with a variety of issues, from cancer to depression, and from
autoimmune diseases to osteoporosis. We'd like to hear about difficult
struggles as well as positive stories about how you have dealt with your
diagnosis or situation. The full list of topics we'd like to hear about is
below. Share your story with us by visiting http://www.womenshealth.gov/contact/index.cfm?sawquestions=yes.
If you don't have a story, but know someone who does, please pass this on to
her.
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·
Difficulty getting health care ·
Using alternative medicine, such as massage or supplements to
manage symptoms of a health condition ·
Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus or multiple sclerosis ·
Bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia ·
Breastfeeding challenges and successes ·
Cancer, such as breast cancer ·
Caring for a sick loved one ·
Dealing with an emergency situation, such as a hurricane ·
Diabetes ·
Digestive/gastrointestinal tract health, such as ulcers or
irritable bowel syndrome ·
Environmental health, such as how pollution has affected you ·
Eye health, such as cataracts ·
Fitness challenges and successes ·
Heart disease |
·
HIV/AIDS ·
Infections, such as influenza ·
Mental health ·
Oral health ·
Pain ·
Pregnancy ·
Reproductive health, such as PCOS or fibroids ·
Respiratory health, such as asthma ·
Skin and hair health, such as alopecia (hair loss) or adult
acne ·
Sexually transmitted diseases, such as Chlamydia or syphilis ·
Stroke ·
Urologic health, such as bladder control problems ·
Violence against women, such as spousal abuse or rape |
BODYWORKS: A
Toolkit for Healthy Girls and Strong Women
BodyWorks is a
program designed to help parents and caregivers of young adolescent girls (ages
9 to 13) improve family eating and activity habits. Using the BodyWorks
Toolkit, the program focuses on parents as role models and provides them with
hands-on tools to make small, specific behavior changes to prevent obesity and
help maintain a healthy weight. For more information about the program, go to www.womenshealth.gov/bodyworks
Quick Health Data Online – free data fast (http://www.healthstatus2010.com/owh/)
The Office on
Women's Health announces new updates to Quick Health Data Online. Updates
include counts and rates for infectious diseases (Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, STDs and
TB), cancer morbidity, chronic diseases, disease prevention, and mortality statistics.
Data on breastfeeding, childhood immunizations, and Medicare enrollment
have also been updated to include the most current information available.
Additional updates will be available in July.
Quick Health Data
Online offers comprehensive
Another new feature is the Women’s Health
Assessment Toolkit (WHAT). The WHAT has been developed to foster the
formation, growth and success of women's health networks throughout the region.
The WHAT is organized in four main sections to provide help local community
planners:
- Identify existing assets and prioritize needs;
- Learn about the women of their area;
- Adopt measurable objectives;
- Incorporate findings into a usable planning
document;
Completion of Parts 2 and 3 of the WHAT can be
accomplished on the website, through the DHHS Office on Women's Health's Quick
Health Data Online.
Free PDA Applications for Health
Receive a
Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) this holiday season? The National Heart, Lung
and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has interactive tools and resources for health
professionals available at no cost.
Three examples are:
The Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator: it is quick and easy to use, Works on
any device running Palm OS or PocketPC 2003, Accepts English or metric system
input, and Includes BMI classification table for adults.
http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/bmi_palm.htm
The Act in Time to Heart Attack Signs Physician
Quick Reference Tool: This Palm OS program provides talking points for
discussing heart attack warning signs and survival steps with patients. The
program includes suggested responses to common patient concerns. http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/atpiii/atp3palm.htm
Pediatric Hypertension Clinical Reference Tool:
Need a useful tool that helps the busy clinician at the
point of care? Download a Synopsis in PDA form. It distills key clinical
concepts and decision points from the 4th Report on the Diagnosis, Evaluation,
and Treatment of High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents. Offers simple
menus for evaluation steps and two interactive calculators: one gives blood
pressure percentile from patient parameters and a second calculates left
ventricular mass from echo cardio data. http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/nhlbi_peds/hbppedpda.htm
For other
PDA applications, go to http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/other/index.htm
including clinical guidelines on: JNC 7 (High Blood Pressure in Adults),
Overweight and Obesity in Adults, Cholesterol Management (from Adult Treatment
Panel III), and Asthma.
HIV Fact Sheets
The HIV/AIDS epidemic is
taking an increasing toll on women and minorities in the
The
Developing Healthy
People 2020 Objectives
The public comment period is now open regarding the Draft Model for
Developing 2020 Health Objectives. The US Dept of Health and Human
Services/Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and its partners are
interested in the opinions of all Americans—consumers, public health
professionals, advocates, health care providers, businesspeople, teachers,
environmentalists, and others—because national health objectives must
reflect the priorities and needs of the nation as a whole. If you are interested
in submitting a comment, please go to www.norc.org.
2007 Folic Acid Campaign Materials Released
The Folic Acid Now! Campaign
offers an online media tool kit and consumer materials that community programs
can customize and use during National Folic Acid Awareness Week (January 8-14,
2007). The campaign is sponsored by the March of Dimes and the National
Alliance for Hispanic Health and managed by the National Folic Acid Council
(NCFA), a project of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition.
The tool kit contains a media outreach worksheet and outreach activity ideas,
including activities for a Hispanic community. A fact sheet and local press
release (in English and Spanish) are also provided. Consumer materials,
including bookmarks, brochures, and stickers (in English and Spanish) are also
available for use in sharing the folic acid message. Materials may be
downloaded from the NCFA Web site, or ordered free-of-charge. More information is
available at http://www.folicacidinfo.org/campaign.
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National
Health Observances |
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Health observances are days, weeks, or months
devoted to promoting particular health concerns. A planning guide developed
by the |
New Learning Tools
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Center for
Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) in HHS’s Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) announced the availability of two new learning tools to
help consumers use the Nutrition Facts label to choose nutritious foods and
achieve healthy weight management. The tools are Make Your Calories Count, a Web-based learning program, and
a new Nutrition Facts Label brochure.
Make Your Calories Count is an interactive online learning
program that is also available in a downloadable format. It is designed
to help consumers understand and use the Nutrition Facts label to plan a
healthy diet while managing calorie intake. The program guide features an
animated character called “Labelman” who expertly leads the viewer
through a series of exercises on the food label. The program includes
exercises to help consumers explore the relationship between serving sizes and
calories, while they learn how to limit certain nutrients and get enough of
others. For simplicity, the program presents two nutrients that should be
limited (saturated fat and sodium) and two nutrients that should be consumed in
adequate amounts (fiber and calcium).
Consumers can use the Nutrition Facts Label brochure to take control of their caloric intake and
weight and to make healthy food choices, if
they know how. This program will show consumers how, in part, by
explaining what serving sizes, percentages, and daily values mean
and how to use them. This program is available for online use and in a
downloadable format at www.cfsan.fda.gov/labelman.
FDA is making available a new downloadable Nutrition Facts Label brochure that is targeted for use by
consumers. Health professionals can also use the brochure to teach people
how to make healthier food choices. The brochure describes how consumers
can use the Nutrition Facts label as they shop and plan meals. The
brochure includes information that will help consumers understand the
relationship between calories and serving size, which may help them use the
label to manage their intake of calories. This brochure is available at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/lab-gen.html.
THRIVE: Tool for Health and Resilience In Vulnerable Environments
Prevention Institute proudly announces the release of THRIVE, a web based tool designed to
help communities identify and foster factors in the community environment that
will improve health outcomes and reduce disparities experienced by racial and
ethnic minorities. The THRIVE
tool guides users through an interactive process to prioritize health concerns
for their communities and identify those factors that hold the most promise for
improving health outcomes and reducing disparities. Use THRIVE to identify which key conditions
could help promote better health and safety outcomes in your community. THRIVE complements other health
disparities strategy documents available on http://www.preventioninstitute.org/thrive/index.php.
$$$$$$$ FUNDING $$$$$$$
Diverse Women’s Health Funding
Opportunities
– go to http://www.womenshealth.gov/fund/.
This Office on Women’s Health website is an excellent resource for all
kinds of funding opportunities in women’s health. Also, you can register
to become an application reviewer for grant programs. The programs will pay
the reviewer’s travel expenses, and in some instances, also pay an
honorarium or stipend.
For a
one-stop online access to $300 billion in
federal grant information, visit www.cfda.gov.
The online Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) gives you access to a
database of all Federal programs available to State and local governments
(including the District of Columbia); federally -recognized Indian tribal
governments; Territories (and possessions) of the United States; domestic
public, quasi-public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and
institutions; specialized groups; and individuals. Click on “Find a
Grant”, enter your key words and get your results.
Visit www.grants.gov for a single, comprehensive website that will contain
information about finding and applying for all federal grant programs.
The website makes it easier for organizations to learn about and apply for
federal grants.
The
Health Through Action – Community Partnerships Grant Program is a multi-year national grant program
supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. It is designed to strengthen and bolster
community approaches to improving the health of vulnerable Asian American (AA),
Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (NHOPI) individuals and families, and
children of these families by strengthening the capacity of AA and NHOPI led,
local community based organizations and by capitalizing on local assets to meet
health needs. This grant asks each community collaborative to select a pressing
local health or healthcare issue as a starting point, build on community
assets, and identify and work on priority areas to strengthen the capacity of
their collaborative to impact change. The
W.K. Kellogg Foundation and APIAHF anticipate awarding grants of up to $150,000 per year for four (4)
years to approximately eight (8) communities. The eight
communities will represent diverse AA and NHOPI subgroups, urban and rural
areas, population sizes, and geographic locations. To be considered for this grant, please submit a Letter
of Intent no later than February 28, 2007. Guidelines on
filling out the Letter of Intent and for further information, please visit the
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum website at: www.apiahf.org
website and don’t forget to
disseminate this e-mail announcement to your networks!
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The Office on
Violence Against Women (OVW) has announced the FY 2007 Rural Domestic
Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Child Abuse
Enforcement Assistance Program ("Rural Program"). The geographic
isolation, economic structure, and lack of available services in rural
jurisdictions significantly compound the problems confronted by those seeking
support and services to end the violence in their lives and complicate the
ability of the criminal justice system to investigate and prosecute domestic
violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and child victimization
cases. In light of these disadvantages, the primary purpose of the Rural
Program is to enhance the safety of victims of domestic violence, dating
violence, sexual assault, stalking, and child victimization by supporting
projects uniquely designed to address and prevent these crimes in rural
jurisdictions. Faith- and community-based organizations are eligible to
apply. To review the solicitation and locate contact information, click here. Deadlines: OVC's 2008 National Crime Victims' Rights Week Resource Guide The Office for Victims of Crime
(OVC) has announced it is seeking applications for funding the 2008
National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) Resource Guide project. This
Resource Guide will serve the victims' field in its efforts to heighten the
public's awareness of crime victim issues nationwide during NCVRW in April
2008 and throughout the year. This cooperative agreement will support the
development of a comprehensive resource guide for use by the victims' field
when planning for local National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) events
across the Nation in 2008 and throughout the year. Faith- and community-based
organizations are eligible to apply. To review the solicitation and locate
contact information, click here. Deadline: All applications are due 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. on
Thursday, January 25, 2007. OVC's Public Awareness in Underserved Communities Program The Office for Victims of Crime
(OVC) has announced that it is seeking applications for funding for the
Public Awareness in Underserved Communities program. This program furthers
the Department's mission by enhancing typically underserved persons'
knowledge of and access to crime victim services. The overall goal of this
program is to raise the awareness of traditionally underserved populations on
victims' rights as well as improve their knowledge on how to access local
services available to crime victims. Victim service organizations will work
in partnership with ethnic media (radio, print, television) as well as
ethnic- or faith-based organizations to produce linguistically and culturally
appropriate public awareness campaigns on one or more victimization issues.
Faith- and community-based organizations are eligible to apply. To review the
solicitation and locate contact information, click here. Deadline: All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. on
Monday, January 22, 2007. CCDO's Weed and Seed National Poster Contest The Community Capacity
Development Office (CCDO) encourages children in Weed and Seed sites
to participate in the National Poster Contest. This year's theme is "How
Weed and Seed Has Changed My Neighborhood". The contest promotes the
goal of the Weed and Seed programs nationwide to encourage the talents of
young people in Weed and Seed communities. The winning posters will be
announced and displayed at the 2007 National Weed and Seed Conference. For
contest rules, click here. Deadline: March 16, 2007 NIC's Transition from Jail to Community Program The National Institute
of Corrections (NIC) announces the availability of funds in FY 2007 for a
cooperative agreement to initiate the project "Transition From Jail to
the Community" (TJC). A cooperative agreement is a form of assistance
relationship where NIC is substantially involved during the performance of
the award. An award will be made to an organization who will, in concert with
NIC, identify the method and approach in developing a jail/community
transition program. For summary information, click here.
The solicitation announcement is available here.
Deadline: All applications are due by 4:00 p.m. E.S.T. on
Thursday, February 1, 2007. ____________________ Task Force for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
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The
Office on
Violence Against Women (OVW) has announced the Transitional Housing
Assistance Grants for Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Stalking and Sexual
Assault. The Transitional Housing Assistance Program focuses on a holistic,
victim-centered approach to provide transitional housing services that move
individuals into permanent housing. Grants made under this grant program
support programs that provide assistance to victims of domestic violence,
dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who are in need of transitional
housing, short-term housing assistance, and related support services. It is
critical that successful transitional housing programs provide a wide range of
flexible and optional services that reflect the differences and individual
needs of victims and that allows victims to choose the course of action that is
best for them. Transitional housing programs may offer individualized services
such as counseling, support groups, safety planning, and advocacy services as
well as practical services such as licensed child care, employment services,
transportation vouchers, telephones, and referrals to other agencies. Trained
staff and case managers may also be available to work with clients to help them
determine and reach their goals. Faith- and community-based organizations are
eligible to apply. To review the solicitation and locate contact information,
click here.
For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, contact the Office
on Violence Against Women at (202) 307-6026.
Deadlines:
Letters of intent to apply should be submitted by January 23, 2007.
All Applicants should register online with Grants.gov by January 23, 2007.
All applications are due by 8:00 p.m. e.s.t. on February 22, 2007.
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Applications for the Computer Grants Program - Reopened
Until February 23! * Qualified
community-based organizations (CBOs) in the
Otherwise, click here to download a PDF
of the application, or send an e-mail to communications@nmac.org
to request the application as a Word document. Applications are due
by close of business on Friday, February
23 and must include:
Send complete
application packets to: 2006-2007 EAI
Computer Grants Program National Minority
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CONFERENCES/MEETINGS
Overview and Call for
Abstracts
Pacific Global Health Conference to be held at the East West Center
June 19-21, 2007
The Pacific Global Health Conference is a biennial conference that brings
together academics, educators, policymakers, and practitioners from across the
Pacific region to share research, discuss current issues, develop strategies
for the future, and increase avenues of communication across this widespread
geographic and cultural area.
The conference is sponsored by the Hawaii Public Health Association (HPHA) in
association with several national and regional partners, including
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Office of Minority
Health,
the University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine,
the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii,
the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service,
the Hawaii State Department of Health,
the Hawaii Primary Care Association,
the Pacific Islands Primary Care Association,
the Asian Pacific Islanders American Health Forum,
the Pacific Resources for Education and Learning, and
the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems.
The goal of the 2007 conference is to bring together a diverse array of
individuals with an interest in improving public health infrastructure and
practice by sharing effective strategies and models of application. Of
particular interest are exemplars of programs that meet workforce needs through
the use of effective strategies that may assist others in developing responses
to their own local requirements.
The 2007 conference has been organized around three major themes identified as
critical by the conference steering committee and regional health
organizations. These include;
workforce training and development;
promoting evidence-based practice; and
emerging health issues for the Pacific.
This focus emphasizes the shared purposes of health professionals, researchers
and educators. The specific inclusion of educators in this conference signals
the awareness that all three of the thematic elements of the conference are
unlikely to be successfully addressed without the participation of those
representing the education and research networks and institutions active in the
region as well as those focused specifically on health. Many of the issues and
problems faced by those in public health and health care services delivery are
shared by educators. A particular focus of this conference is to develop
effective networks between educators, public health and other healthcare
professionals that can yield mutual insights and provide shared experiences.
The PGHC Steering Committee is accepting abstracts for oral presentations and
posters up until February 9th, 5:00 p.m.
Save the
Date!
August
13 -15, 2007
Rural
Women’s Health Conference
Omni
Shoreham Hotel,
2007 Charting
New Frontiers in Rural Women’s Health
Registration and conference details:
http://www.esi-bethesda.com/ruralfrontier2007
For more information: Contact
Barbara James (301) 443-4422 Barbara.James@hhs.gov, Leo Moody (301)
443-4422 Leo.Moody@hhs.gov,
or Calvin Teel (301) 443-4422 Calvin.Teel@hhs.gov
Conference Purpose:
The purpose of this conference is to share information and best practices to
increase awareness of the needs of women and families living in rural and
frontier areas and gain hands on experience with programs that work.
Target audiences: Rural
health care professionals, providers, consumers, government agencies, rural
communities, community leaders, community clinics and rural businesses,
hospitals…etc.
Conference Goals: The
goals of the conference are:
- to present the
latest sex- and gender-specific research and programs to improve the
health status of women, especially rural women
- to translate sex-
and gender-specific research into clinical practice by sharing effective
programs/tools to address the research and social concerns of women living
in rural areas
- to share with
national and regional change agents strategies to enhance effective
outreach to rural women and their families and increase support for
women’s programs and services
- to provide hands-on
workshops to teach participants how to implement programs in their own
community
Conference features:
- Photography contest
featuring online submissions in two categories: rural health (including
pictures of people and community health activities) and rural life
(including landscapes and animals); and
***Call for Abstracts***
2007 Minority
Women's Health
August 23-26, 2007
Minority Women's Health
Hyatt Regency
Women
of Color: Addressing Disparities, Affirming
Resilience,
and Developing Strategies for Success
The Call for Abstracts is
now posted on the Office on Women's Health's website, http://www.womenshealth.gov/mwhs/.
The deadline for abstract submissions is Wednesday, February 9, 2007, 5:00 pm EST.
SAVE THE DATE!
SUMMIT
February 8, 2007
8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Wyndham Hotel, Downtown
Registration -- $65.00
per person
Join other civic,
business, government and social sector leaders to discuss and determine statewide
priority issues for women as detailed in the
Together,
we can work toward social change. Help us create a bright future for
For
more information, call Emily Dietz at 602-532-2800
The 2007 National HIV Prevention Conference will be held in
http://www.2007nhpc.org/abstract.asp.
The website for this conference is http://www.2007nhpc.org.
Kay A.
Strawder, J.D., M.S.W.
Regional Women's Health Coordinator
Region IX Office on Women's Health, DHHS
50 United
(V) 415.437.8119; (F) 415.437.8004
(E) Kay.Strawder@hhs.gov
(NEW)
(W) www.WomensHealth.gov
- www.GirlsHealth.gov
Region
IX:
N. Mariana Islands *