Prenatal Testing - Blog 6

I could go either way on this issue. I personally do not think that I would have the strength or courage to raise a special needs child. I have an extended family member who is severely mentally and physically handicaped and has major medical problems. I know that my aunt and uncle have a constant up hill battle with this everyday of their lives. I admire their ability to take care of him (with help from nurses and other family) but I do not think I could do what they are doing! I am very happy that prenatal testing is available and I feel that I will utilize a lot of what technology has to offer me when I decide to have a child. However, I can see where too much infomation could lead to the need to make unpleasant decisions. As far as making it mandatory (or routine), I don't think that is possible. Many people do not even have regular prenatal visits when they are pregnant let alone testing. I would hope that every doctor would encourage regular visits and general testing to insure that there is nothing life threatening for mom or baby going on, but beyond that I feel like it is a personal choice to go farther with more advanced tests.

Contraception and Child Bearing

This is a big subject for me right now...My husband and I are at a point where having a baby is a realistic thing. When I was in my teens and early twenties, I remember saying, "I want four kids!" That was when I was in fantasy land! Now as I am approaching the point in my life where we will actually stop preventing and start trying to have a baby I am darn scared! I have been on the pill, which is by far my method of choice, for many years. It has helped me emotionally and physically and has been great for preventing pregnancy. I started taking the pill to help lighten my periods and reduce cramps which was a blessing! I have tried the Depo shot, that was the WORST 3 months of my life! I had a spotty period the whole time and was a crazy psycho chick (and I gained 10 pounds!!!!)!

I feel that people need to be more responsible with their bodies. Teen pregnancy and unplanned pregnancy for those in a bad financial, emotional or physical situation is really inexcusable. There are so many methods of contraception (especially abstinence when we are talking about teens!) that there should not be an issue. Unfortunately, I think that many women are uneducated or misinformed about all of the means of prevention out there. I also feel that many women do not want to "insult" there guy buy telling him he needs to were a condom (especially young teen girls). I know when I was a teen I surely was not ready to have a child so I did what was necessary to prevent that and for me that was abstinence. I also know that until I KNOW I can provide for another human being in every way necessary, I will continue to take the appropriate precautions.

I do want to touch on the religious/cultural aspect of contraceptives. Having gone to Catholic school my entire life, I am very aware of their position on the use of contraceptives. HOWEVER, I certainly do not agree with their ideology. I find it so hard to understand how a religion can impose on a people in this manner. They certainly aren't paying for diapers and formula so they should not be telling me to use the "natural family planning" method of prevention that has a fail rate of up to 25%! That is a one in four chance! This figure is also with good monitoring - which most people do not keep up with.

Sex Education

I feel that a comprehensive sex ed course should be included in high school. I went to a Catholic high school and they felt it necessary to include contraception in our Morality course....Taught by a NUN! In the Catholic religion, contraception is not condoned however, the Diocese sees the need for pregnancy and disease prevention due to the increases in statistics of both issues. I remember the teacher of my course and one of the stories she told....A young man and woman came to her with an unplanned pregnancy and were confused as to how it could have happened. The method of prevention they used was a rubber band tightly wrapped around the base of his penis. They actually believed that this would work. This type of ignorance is why we need to provide information. By teaching abstinence only education, students like them continue to be uninformed about the appropriate use of contraceptives.

I also believe that a mock child rearing exercise should be included in this course. There are lifelike simulators that act and require care like real babies. This experience shows young people just how difficult being a parent can be and hopefully encourages them to practice abstinence (or at least safer sex practices.)

Health Promotion for Adolecents - Blog #3

As a dental healthcare provider I am afforded the opportunity to educate my patients on good health practices. The role of a hygienist in overall health is tremendous. We are extensively educated in nutrition, systemic disease and disease prevention. I think there are so many avenues to take where education can be incorporated into care as well as outside the care/treatment arena.

In my private practice experience with adolescents, I discuss things such as good eating habits and smoking in addition to oral hygiene. This is the easy part! Outside of practice is where it is tough! I participate in a school program where I present information to Junior High and High school students and provide them with handouts and information to take home to share with parents/family. But how many people do I reach? Not enough! Here are a few suggestions for others to get involved:

Medical community - So often, doctors will prescribe a medication or complicated treatments to alleviate a problem when a simple old fashion remedy may do just as well or better. Recommend good eating habits, exercise, good sleep habits, non-smoking, no drugs, safe sex practices. Use your authority and the "respect" factor to capture their attention!

Media - I have noticed the PSA's from the cigarette companies, why is McDonalds (etc.) not required to do the same? When heart disease is one of the number one killers in America and we KNOW that it is linked to obesity (usually caused by excessive fat intake) why are they allowed to advertise on TV, billboards, buses, mail, etc.? Those rights were taken away from the cigarette companies, lets see our government collaborate with the media and get some good information that could educate people out there!

Blog#2 Economics of Healthcare

Is healthcare a right or a privilege? In my opinion, it is both. I think that everyone should have access to healthcare however, I do not feel that it should be handed out without a cost. I feel that people who are in our country illegally should not be given free care until all US citizens have the same care available. I feel that this especially applies to the baby-boomer generation who are in between retirement age and the age where Medicare becomes available. There are too many people who are paying taxes and legitimately contributing to this country that are not able to go to the doctor for routine check-ups or seek care when they are ill. For a healthy 60-65 year old female with no preexisting conditions, the cost for private health insurance runs $500-$700 per month. For "catastrophic care" insurance which covers major services (no doctor visits, prescriptions, etc.) the cost is $250-$400 per month. This is ridiculous! It is also frustrating that young women who get pregnant and do not have the means to pay for the prenatal care or care for themselves or the child after it is born is given Medicaid to cover the costs. Why are we essentially rewarding irresponsible behavior when women are dying of breast cancer and many other diseases because they have no means to pay for care and do not fit into the criteria for Medicaid? I have a friend who lost her mother because of this terrible situation. She died at the age of 42 from breast cancer.

Today, I participated in an event called Give Kids a Smile. At this event, local dentists and hygienists volunteer their time to provide free dental care to the underprivileged children in the community. I spent my entire day providing free dental care to children with decay more severe than you can imagine, gum disease at the age of 6, and fear that could bring you to tears. I am an active participant in many events such as these but I have to say, sometimes it is a trying experience. On my way out, I was behind two of the families with children who received care and I was taken back when I saw them hop into a Chrysler Pacifica and a Ford Expedition, respectively. These were nice, newer vehicles that are in the $30,000-$45,000 range! Frankly, I was disgusted. If you can afford to spend money in this way, you should be able to pay for your child’s dental needs. I find this behavior exploitive and selfish. While I do not know these families or their circumstances and should not judge them, I cannot help but to feel like my fellow volunteers and I were taken advantage of. Many of the families were tremendously grateful and truly valued the services they were receiving, for that, I was glad to be of service and for them I will continue to use the talents that the Lord blessed me with to help those in need.

Interviews

Kathie - 51 year old, caucasian

Primary concern - cancer. A 2 year survivor of breast cancer, she is concerned that it will come back. Early detection was what allowed for recovery. A good thing came of the chemo portion of treatment, skin cancer was detected and sucessfully treated on her scalp, but only after her hair fell out. The doctor told her that the skin cancer could have been more deadly that the breast cancer.

Stephanie - 26 year old, Hispanic

Primary concern - HPV and cervical cancer.
**As a dental health care provider this is a topic I feel warrants more of my attention. There have been several reports that link the HPV virus to some oral cancers.**

The issue of cancer surely hits home with me. The issue of HPV was not something I thought of but I know that it is a HUGE concern for women. I was surprised that neither woman mentioned weight as a concern. Not to say that either is overweight but, both have made comments about being on "diets" in previous conversations.

Blog #1

My main health concerns are cancer, heart disease and obesity. I have a family history of multiple types of cancer. I myself have had skin cancer removed from my upper arm. Several of my female relatives have had breast cancer - some have survived and others have not. My maternal grandmother has had not only breast cancer but also uterine cancer and lymphoma. She is a walking miracle at 89 years old! With treatments improving, early diagnosis and the extensive research for a cure, there is hope for a brighter future without breast cancer and many other cancers. My family has also been impacted by heart disease. My father died at the age of 48 from a heart attack. No one knew he was sick, not even himself. He looked like a picture of health. There is a lot of media regarding men and heart disease but women are at substantial risk and need to be more aware. The signs and symptoms are even more difficult to detect for women so prevention is extra important. Obesity is a concern for me because research indicates that overweight people are far more susceptible to heart disease and cancers - in addition to many other fatal diseases. While I am not morbidly obese, I am overweight. I have taken the appropriate steps to be aware of my personal health issues by going to the doctor and taking the medication prescribed for my cholesterol However, doing my part to eat well and exercise has been a giant struggle. I fear that 25 pounds of excess weight will turn into 50 and then 75 and so on! It was so easy to gain 25 pounds without noticing a whole lot. Losing it is a whole other ballgame!!