HEAL Class Journal

Today's class included a presentation from Dr. Martin on Health Disparities, particularly diabetes and diseases of the eye. Points discussed in relation to disparities included:

• Gender
• Sexual orientation
• Various diseases
• Age
• Socioeconomic status
  
• Education

Also discussed was the importance of making specific definitions for what a disparity is according to target audience (talking to patients vs. grant writing) and knowing how to communicate and understand the patient, for example, referring to diabetes has having "the sugars."

Points discussed about diabetes included:

• Types
• Incidence and prevalence
• Risk factors: what can be modified and what cannot

Factors able to be modified, especially related to disparities, include environment

Ideas on helping patients modify environment included:

• Making urban areas safe for exercise areas
• Where one grocery shops and food choices available

We also discussed how to most effectively reach African American women through education and ideas included:

• Young: technology
• Middle-Seniors: church, grocery stores, creating opportunities to stay active

Please offer your thoughts and comments on today's topics and ideas resulting from the presentation. For example, what might be your thoughts or ideas about best reaching African American women, how might one change their environment or how to best communicate with and understand the patient?

Mentor Journal Entry 4

Well, it was our last individual group meeting with our students.  Any final thoughts?

Mentor Journal Entry 3

We covered quite a few topics with our students this week, including transcripts reviews, goal setting, problem solving, study skills, etc.  Please share your thoughts on this week's meeting.

Journal Entry # 5

HEAL topics covered in class today include:

Alcohol use and the similarities or differences across ethnicity, income, education, economics and more specifically, amongst medical students and physicians (signs of impairment) and what one can do to be an activist against alcohol use and how to be a resource in providing others in seeking assistance or how to go about reporting. Suggestions included prevention measures such as stress management and setting standards in place for behaviors that are acceptable, what behaviors are not and the consequences. The use of other various substances and the stats on the different types used were discussed.

Adolescent pregnancy and the rates across different regions in the United States. Being in the south, a region where teenage pregnancy is high, the class discussed thoughts about how to go about patient care and the importance of giving out correct information to teens and creating a comfortable, nonjudgmental environment where the patient can ask questions

Cigarette Smoking and the expense, prevalence, rates among ethnicity and factors affecting use such as risky behaviors and education. Resources discussed included smoking cessation programs, stress reduction and medications such as the patch.

Please share your thoughts.