Bmore Healthy Newsletter: Friday, July 1, 2016
Friday Jul 1st, 2016
Note from Commissioner
Dear Community Partner,
This week, I joined U.S. Representatives Elijah Cummings, Dutch Ruppersburger, John Sarbanes, and Chris Van Hollen, along with Baltimore City Police Commissioner Davis and community advocates for a Day of Action for Gun Violence Prevention, called by Congressman John Lewis. This event continued the momentum started during the recent sit-in of the House floor, which called for renewed action following yet another deplorable display of senseless violence.
Doctors across the country have spoken up on what science shows us to be true: that gun violence is a disease; that it is a public health crisis; that it is an epidemic. The blood of our patients, the cries of their families—we see it in our ERs and we hear it on our streets every day.
If the 30,000 people who were shot and killed in the U.S. last year had died from Ebola, we would be without a doubt be doing everything we could to study it, treat it and prevent it.
As an ER doctor, as Baltimore City’s doctor, I know that enough is enough. We have to do more than treat bullet wounds, we have to prevent the bullets in the first place.
I want to thank our leaders for standing with us, for breaking the silence, and for committing to action.
This week’s meeting was a timely one, as Baltimore City had the honor of hosting the National Summit on Preventing Youth Violence, which convened more than 600 Justice Department officials, police chiefs, school leaders, health officials and youth to discuss strategies to reduce youth violence. I was honored to present on behalf of Baltimore City and discuss our approach: we treat violence as a public health issue, not just a criminal justice issue. A number of other national leaders spoke during the conference, including U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Secretary of Education John King, Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, and others.
In Baltimore, we know that taking a public health approach to violence – such as we have with the Safe Streets program – is effective. To prevent further tragedy, we must invest in health – both immediate intervention and upstream prevention – with urgency, compassion and most importantly, with action.
As always, thank you for your continued support in ensuring the health of our city’s residents, and working with us to promote a healthier, more inclusive, and more equitable city.
With all my best,
Leana Wen, M.D. M.Sc.
Agency News
Maryland Leaders Answer National Call to Action for Gun Violence Prevention
Federal, state and city leaders delivered that message during a press conference convened by Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence on Wednesday. Dr. Wen joined U.S. Representatives Elijah Cummings, Dutch Ruppersburger, John Sarbanes, and Chris Van Hollen, along with Baltimore City Police Commissioner Davis and community advocates to discuss the historic Congressional sit-in and called for action to prevent future gun violence. “As an ER doctor and as Baltimore City’s doctor, I have something to say to our elected representatives in Congress,” said Dr. Wen. “If you send me patients who are shot, I will treat them, but you and your colleagues have the ability prevent the bullets in the first place.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, guns kill more than 30,000 people each year in the U.S. In 2015, 300 of the 344 homicides in Baltimore City were due to gun violence. |
Gun violence is a public health epidemic that can be prevented.Efforts to Treat Violence as a Public Health Issue Highlighted at National Youth Violence Prevention Summit
In her keynote address, Dr. Wen shared Baltimore’s city-wide efforts to address violence and public safety through the lens of public health, recognizing that violence is a generational challenge impacted by the social determinants that shape people’s lives. . Other speakers over the three-day conference included U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Secretary of Education John King and Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez and dozens of other representatives and stakeholders from communities across the city. |
Justice Department officials, police chiefs, school leaders and youth from more than 30 cities convened in Baltimore this week to discuss strategies to reduce youth violence during the BCHD Presses Congress for Comprehensive Resources to Combat Zika Virus
“In public health, it is our duty to provide care for our most vulnerable. The proposed bill was unscientific, inhumane, and threatened to pass undue burden onto those individuals most in need of protection," said Dr. Wen. “The costs of contracting Zika in early stages of pregnancy can be devastating and have the potential to impact generations of our citizens. We know that the Zika virus can be spread through sexual transmission. It makes no sense to place limits on Planned Parenthood, which offers vital reproductive health services across the country." Dr. Wen urged Congress to act quickly to provide sufficient, unfettered funding that is directly available to those fighting on the front lines of this crisis. |
This week, the U.S. Senate voted to block a Zika funding bill that would have restricted grants for reproductive health services. Dr. Wen issued aDr. Wen Delivers 17th Annual Hilde and Bill Birnbaum Endowed Lecture
Social factors shape our health. That includes affordable housing, safe neighborhoods, living wages, and strong relationships. However, where our children live should not determine if they live. Geography should not be destiny. This was the message shared by Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen during the 17th annual Birnbaum Endowed Lecture, "A shared vision: New perspectives on strengthening social determinants of health." Each year, Group Health Research Institute and the Group Health Foundation host a lecture to honor Hilde and Bill Birnbaum, founding members of Group Health who were passionate about their cooperative and its power to improve patient care through research. A social justice pioneer, Hilde Birnbaum fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s, then spent much of her life as an activist with a passion for health and human rights. Activism, Hilde Birnbaum often said, was as natural as wiping "your shoes at the front door—you just did it.” On Monday, Dr. Wen took the opportunity to highlight that legacy and to discuss how health problems,from efforts to address gun violence to changing how we view issues of chronic illness, can be solved by addressing their social causes. “Let’s call out poverty, violence and racism as health problems,” Dr. We added “Let’s use the lens of public health to level the playing field of inequities.” |
Baltimoreans Get Tested in Recognition of National HIV Testing Day
On Monday, in observance of National HIV Testing Day – an annual day of awareness – BCHD joined partners at local health departments and community-based organizations across the country to host clinics, including at Mondawmin Mall, to provide free testing, diagnosis and treatment for residents. Thanks to prevention and care activities like these under the guidance of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, we have reduced new infections, increased access to care, and improved health outcomes for those living with HIV. What was once thought as a disease that affected only some is now commonly recognized as an epidemic that impacts people from all walks of life. By continuing to work with partners across the country, we can ensure that all populations across our city have access to the care and treatment they need and further fast track our efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat. For more information about the Baltimore City Health Department’s efforts, please visit http://health.baltimorecity.gov/programs/hivstd-services. |
Under our Mayor's leadership, and through the commitment of a range of public and private partners, Baltimore City and BCHD have improved access and quality of care for individuals with HIV.BCHD Convenes Emergency Departments to Discuss Mental Health and Substance Abuse
On Wednesday, BCHD convened representatives from emergency departments across the city as well as other hospital representatives to discuss how the city can work in partnership to improve emergency medical services.
During the discussion, representatives mentioned that many medical professionals still view substance abuse as a character flaw, which often furthers stigma and creates barriers to accessing treatment.
Dr. Wen urged emergency departments to join the BCHD in expanding access to naloxone, the opioid overdose antidote, in order to continue raising awareness about the life-saving medication.
In coordination with partners, the Baltimore City Health Department is educating the public and providers on the nature of substance addiction: that it is a disease, recovery is possible, and we all must play a role in preventing addiction and saving lives.
While we have made significant strides in Baltimore City, communities across our city need further support from emergency departments to treat this disease that afflicts thousands of residents.
By strengthening these partnerships, we can reduce stigma around addiction, increase access to treatment and address this public health crisis.
Next B’More Health Talks to Discuss Zika in Baltimore
These virtual town hall meetings are an opportunity for leaders in our community to discuss efforts to reduce health disparities, engage in our city's collaborative strategy, and share the work that organizations are doing. As always, you can join us by calling 605-562-3180 and using the access code 117-245-291 and tweet-chat live with the hashtag #BMoreHealthTalks. You can listen to all of our past Bmore Health Talks on our Soundcloud. You can also watch the special webcast edition of our last Bmore Health Talks on HIV on our YouTube channel. In the meantime, we hope you will email us at bmoreheard@baltimorecity.gov with suggestions, ideas, or comments for this and future episodes. |
We hope you’ll join us for our next talk on Friday, July 8th, for a discussion on the Zika virus and what Baltimoreans need to know.Are You on the Verge of Developing Type-2 Diabetes?
Pre-Diabetes means that your blood sugar is higher than normal, but has not yet become diabetes. Diabetes is a serious disease that can cause heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, or loss of feet or legs. Type-2 Diabetes can be delayed or prevented in people with pre-diabetes through effective lifestyle programs. Diabetes is not reversible, but pre-diabetes is! With consistent exercise and healthy eating, you can avoid the dangers of diabetes and improve your overall health. If you scored positively for the pre-diabetes screening test, consider joining a Diabetes Prevention Program near you: http://health.baltimorecity.gov/chronic-disease-prevention/diabetes-prevention |
Only 1 in 10 people with pre-diabetes are aware of their condition. The first step is finding out your risk for pre-diabetes is taking a quick pre-diabetes screening test to know where you stand: