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A Newsletter for the HHQI Underserved Populations (UP) Network
July 2013
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UP Network Announcements
The UP Network calls will only be once a month for the summer related to busy vacation schedules for organizations. Below is the listing of calls for July and August.
Registration is now open for both webinars -
Webinar: July 10, 2013 @ 3-4 PM (ET )
Speaker: Jennifer Pearce, MPA Health Literacy Consultant
Sutter Center for Integrated Care
- Contextualize patient engagement
- Identify skills necessary for shared decision making
- Define health literacy and health literate care
- Recognize how health literate care impacts:
- Health systems (quality/compliance/safety)
- Patients (engagement/outcomes)
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Webinar: August 14, 2013 @ 3-4 PM (ET)
Speaker: Speaker Ndidi Amutah, Ph.D, MPH, CHES
Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences, Montclair State University, New Jersey Register Now
- African Americans disparate issues/barriers and intervention strategies
Click here for a printable flyer of upcoming events.
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UP News & Highlights
Obesity and Rural Populations
People living in rural areas in the United States have a variety of health barriers and issues including the rate of obesity. Studies show that rural obesity rates vs. urban rates is not only higher but growing. The University of Florida study finds 40% of the rural residents obese and a lower rate of 33% for urban residents.
So why is this important? There are about 60 million people living in rural areas of the country. "Obesity is a preventable condition that is linked to any number of serious and expensive-to-treat chronic diseases and other medical conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, high-blood pressure, cancer, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, liver and digestive tract complications, and even mental illness" (Commins, J., 2012).
Click here for more information.
It will take a healthcare community to assist this population with education, support, and resources to improve healthy lifestyles and reduce risk or manage chronic diseases. Great opportunity for collaboration. |
Homeless Elderly
The homeless population have many barriers for healthcare, but is there a difference for the homeless elderly? Absolutely! There are more multiple and chronic problems that are untreated or undertreated for many years resulting in more complications. Mental health issues including dementia affect decision-making and prioritizing care needs. The basic physiological needs of housing, food, clothing, and money win out over disease or medication management (HRSA, 2003).
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) identifies various types of barriers to accessing needed services and possible strategies to address these needs. Barriers can include: difficulty with using shelter systems, lack of transitional and regular housing, conflicting services hours, lack of transportation, lack of awareness of benefits and resources, inadequate substance abuse and mental health services, as well as the lack of economic resources. Additionally there are internal barriers such as distrust, pride, self-perception, and victimization (HRSA, 2003).
Click here to learn more about each of these barriers as well as recommendations from community providers who serve the elderly homeless populations. |
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Tools/Resources of the Month
Patient Friendly Medication Schedule
 This simple, easy-to-use medication schedule tool is great for patients who easily get confused or have health literacy issues. It is written with few words, simple pictures and spaces to enter medications. Developed by the Sutter Center for Integrated Care, 2013. Permission to copy and use as needed.
 Tip: Trial the tool with 1 or 2 nurses and modify to meet your population before spreading. Translate as needed for cultural populations. *Please note you must be logged in to the HHQI Web site to access this tool. If you are not logged-in already, please click here to log in, or click here to register if you are not yet participating in the HHQI National Campaign.
Empathy: The Human Connection to Patient Care
This short video by Cleveland Clinic visually can provide insight for clinicians to be more aware and have empathy for patients, caregivers, patient's family, coworkers, other healthcare workers across all settings, and actually every human we encounter each day.
Tip: Use at team meeting and facilitate conversation. |
For more information or to suggest future UP topics or speakers, please contact us at hhqi@wvmi.org.
Join the HHQI UPDate mailing list.
Click here for more information about the HHQI National Campaign. |
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