All posts tagged Health Care

Youth leading to achieve an AIDS-free generation


In a recent Lifelong AIDS Alliance press release, a group of advocates wrote:

The CDC found that in 2010, youth ages 13-24 accounted for over a quarter of the new HIV infections in the US whereas in Seattle, only one in every eight people are diagnosed with HIV between the ages of 13-24 years old.

In fact, the CDC reports that approximately “60% of all youth with HIV do not know they are infected, are not getting treated, and can unknowingly pass the virus on to others.”

Last year, Ed Murray, mayor of the city of Seattle, proclaimed April to be Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Month. In the proclamation, he encouraged “all within Seattle to educate themselves and others of the very real threat HIV/AIDS continues to pose to young people and to contribute their talents to our ongoing fight on behalf of everyone impacted by this disease.”

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In truth, it’s the young people who are responding to this health issue that is still impacting youth and young adults. In Seattle, the youth HIV activists who urged for the city proclamation last year are continuing the awareness with hosting an educational community forum in celebration of National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NYHAAD) held yearly on April 10th. The forum will be held on April 18th Saturday 1PM-3PM inside the Auditorium at the Downtown Central Library which includes an honest dialogue about HIV and AIDS stigma affecting youth communities in 2015 as well as prevention efforts.

This is a great chance to hear from 4 positive youth in Seattle area and PrEP Advocate Panelists. “This event is so important because it’s youth developed, youth led, and youth run,” Manuel Vengas, Seattle NYHAAD Youth Ambassador from Advocates for Youth, recently said.

Everyone can do something. Engage with your community and family at home. Most importantly, we need to have these discussions with our youth – otherwise we are neglecting them valuable information. Even though Seattle recognizes April as Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Month, there’s still much to be done here and throughout the US as we strive to build an AIDS-free Generation. If folks can’t attend the community forum that’s understandable but there’s plenty of other ways to get educated and involved. There’s a list below of youth resources to get you started. Also consider joining Seattle area youth HIV activists, and regional community partners in a live twitter chat TODAY from 3-5PM. Join the Twitter chat by following @HEYOYouth and #PNWYouthHIV.

Let’s talk about this!

The forum is presented in partnership with the #MyHIVMoment campaign, a collaborative effort of Lifelong, BABES-Network YWCA, the Center for Multicultural Health, Entre Hermanos, Gay City Men’s Health, Seattle Counseling Services, and We Are 1.

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Youth Resources

Youth can drop-in for free, confidential HIV testing at Lifelong weekdays from 8:30a.m. to 5:30p.m. For a full list of testing locations, click here.

The Seattle Young People’s Project is a youth-led, adult supported social justice organization that empowers youth (ages 13-18) to express themselves and to take action on the issues that affect their lives. For more information, click here.

Health Education Youth Outreach (HEYO) is Lifelong’s youth education program for youth age 16-24. Through peer-to-peer outreach and education, HEYO reduces stigma around queer issues, promotes healthy sexual choices and makes HIV testing and other resources readily available. For more information, click here.

The Inspire Youth Project (formerly Rise n’ Shine) provides emotional support programs, stability, advocacy and AIDS education for children and teens affected by HIV/AIDS. For more information, click here.

Safe Schools Coalition offers support for LGBTQ youth. For more information, click here.

BABES Network-YWCA offers peer support to women & heterosexual men living with HIV and their families as well as HIV education and resources. For more information, click here.

For information about PrEP and PEP, click here or see the information below.

Harborview Medical Center
M-F regular business hours: (206) 744-4377
M-F outside normal business hours: (206) 726-2619
Or visit the Harborview Emergency Room at 325 9th Ave., Seattle, WA.

For Needle Exchange locations, click here.

For drug and alcohol resources in Seattle & King County, click here.

-Written by Tranisha Arzah, BABES Network Peer Advocate

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by ywcakatie on April 8, 2015  •  Permalink
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Posted by ywcakatie on April 8, 2015

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2015/04/08/youth-leading-to-achieve-an-aids-free-generation/

Co-Pays, Deductibles, and Essential Services – Oh My!!


Are you new to the health insurance system?

Did you recently change plans and are a little apprehensive about using your coverage?

Does the phrase “essential services” mean anything to you?

If you answered yes to the first two questions and are a little fuzzy on the third one, this post is for you! Don’t be embarrassed to admit that the health insurance is a bit confusing.  You are not alone! Think of it as learning a new language and remember the more you use it, the more familiar you will become with it!

On the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) site, learn about the benefits to health insurance:

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, health insurance companies and group health plans are required to provide you with an easy-to-understand summary about a health plan’s benefits and coverage…. The Summary of Benefits and Coverage is designed to help you better understand and evaluate your health insurance options.

Also on this site, you can learn about co-pays and deductibles! If your insurance provider offers education on the ins and out of using your insurance coverage, try to attend their workshop or read their materials. These are usually effective ways to help you get the most out of your health benefits.

Now let’s get started using your health insurance plan. Here are some helpful actions you can take:

  • Find a doctor who accepts your plan.
  • Figure out which health screenings, immunizations or essential services you are in need of. To do this, search the complete list provided on the website of HHS’s Office of Women’s Health.
  • Make the appointment! Ask if you will need to fast or not eat prior to the visit.
  • Inquire about your co-pay or deductible.
  • Write down your questions for your provider before showing up to the waiting room at the doctor’s office. The newness and nervousness may cause you to forget.
  • If this is a provider you’ve never seen before, be sure you take any prescriptions with you that you currently take.
  • Remember to take your new insurance cards!
  • Don’t be a “no show.” Visiting the doctor for the first time in a long time can be scary, but it is a vital step to take on the road to good health. Set the alarm on your cell phone to help remind you!
  • Arrive early, first visits generally require the completion of paperwork.
  • Remember you are your best advocate. If you are confused by something that came up during your visit or in the statement you received in the mail following the visit, contact your provider or insurance provider.

If you haven’t signed up yet, click this link to see if you qualify to enroll during a Special Enrollment Period.

And remember insurance coverage is not a privilege, it is a right! Take care of yourself. The world needs you!!

by marilynwho on March 19, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by marilynwho on March 19, 2015

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2015/03/19/co-pays-deductibles-and-essential-services-oh-my/

Honoring Women & Girls at Fred Hutch on March 10th


Join us on Tuesday, March 10th, to honor National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day!

hutch event

Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Time: 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Where: Weintraub Building, Pelton Auditorium

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

1100 Fairview Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98109

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is an annual observance to help raise awareness of the continuing need to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and shed light on the impact that HIV/AIDS has on women and girls. The event will feature a panel discussion with local women who have made a significant difference in the field of HIV. Representing the areas of policy, medicine, research, social services, and faith communities, panelists include:

  • The Reverend Mary Diggs-Hobson from AARTH
  • Dr. Lara Strick from the University of Washington and the Washington Department of Corrections
  • Dr. Connie Celum from the University of Washington
  • Dr. Kathy Brown from Group Health Cooperative
  • Nicole Price from BABES Network-YWCA

We hope to see you there!

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by ywcakatie on February 26, 2015  •  Permalink
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Posted by ywcakatie on February 26, 2015

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/honoring-women-girls-at-fred-hutch-on-march-10th/

Don’t forget to enroll by February 15th!


Since last November, thousands have been enrolling in health coverage for 2015. Don’t miss your chance to sign up for a health plan through Washington HealthPlanFinder. Enrollment ends on February 15th!

Visit Washington HealthPlanFinder to learn more about your options and to enroll in a plan. And if you’d like help signing up for coverage, reach out to a Navigator who can walk you through the steps of signing up.

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by ywcakatie on January 26, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in BABES Network, Community Mental Health, Health Care Access, Healthy Birth Outcomes, Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on January 26, 2015

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2015/01/26/dont-forget-to-enroll-by-february-15th/

Know Your Rights


As we begin the new year and consider how we want to live in 2015, it’s a great idea to consider how you want your health to be and any new health care changes coming your way. Maybe you would like to speak with a counselor about stress in your life, are expecting a new baby in the family, or are due for your first mammogram this year.

We meet with medical professionals for help and trust their expertise. But it’s also important to know your rights when it comes to your health care. HealthCare.gov shares information with us about new rights and protections we all have, thanks to the Affordable Care Act.

How the health care law protects you

Here some additional rights and benefits, and information on how to protect yourself from fraud when you apply for insurance:

On top of what HealthCare.gov outlines as protections in the Affordable Care Act, there are protections and rights that directly support people who identify as LGBTQ. In 2014, LGBT HealthLink partnered with PROMO Missouri and lawyer Corey Prachniak to create the Healthcare Bill of Rights – a short document summarizing LGBTQ rights in the healthcare world now.

The creators of the Healthcare Bill of Rights write:

Your personal life and relationships affect your health more than you realize, so your doctor and other providers need to know your story.

We should all feel safe talking about our sexual partners, sex lives, sexual orientation, HIV status, and gender identity.

  • Learn how to file a complaint if you’ve faced discrimination.
  • See how you can find a medical provider who will respect your rights and identity.
  • Read how you can plan for your future care with a healthcare power of attorney.

Read the Healthcare Bill of Rights here:

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Learn more about the Healthcare Bill of Rights and its history here. And if you want your very own copy of the Healthcare Bill of Rights, check out the different versions available here.

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by ywcakatie on January 9, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in BABES Network, Community Mental Health, Health Care Access, Healthy Birth Outcomes, Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on January 9, 2015

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2015/01/09/know-your-rights/

Cervical Cancer is Preventable


This month is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s a great time for us to educate ourselves about cervical cancer and the importance of screening.

Due to the availability of screening, few women get cervical cancer. However, many women are still not getting screened. Most deaths from cervical cancer can be prevented if more women had tests to find cervical cancer early. No woman should die of cervical cancer in our state.

There is good news:

  • Cervical cancer can often be prevented with regular screening tests (called Pap tests) and follow-up care. A Pap test can catch cervical cancer early, when it’s easier to treat.
  • HPV causes most cervical cancers. The HPV vaccine significantly reduces the risk of cervical cancer. Doctors recommend that both girls and boys get the HPV vaccine at age 11 or 12.
  • Under the Affordable Care Act, nearly all health insurance plans cover cervical cancer screening tests at no cost.
  • Women under 40 can contact one of these family planning clinics to ask about free or low cost screenings.
  • Refer low-income, uninsured or underinsured women ages 40-64 to the Breast, Cervical and Colon Health Program (BCCHP).

Who should get screened for Cervical Cancer?

  • Women ages 21 to 65 should get the Pap test every 3 years.
  • Women 30 to 65 may choose to have the Pap test every 5 years if done with an HPV test. When these tests are performed together, it is called co-testing.
  • Women who have had the HPV vaccination should continue to get screened because the vaccine does not prevent all types of cervical cancer.
  • Women who have had a hysterectomy due to cervical cancer.

Educational materials you can use in your community:

Cervical-Infographic

Questions? Contact Kendria Dickson at kendria.dickson@doh.wa.gov or 360-236-3598.

Thanks to Public Health – Seattle & King County for the content of this blog post.

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by ywcakatie on January 2, 2015  •  Permalink
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Posted by ywcakatie on January 2, 2015

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/cervical-cancer-is-preventable/

Stress Strategies


From coping with the holidays, to dealing with the darker and shorter winter days, to the ongoing stress that results from care-giving, many of us experience stress on a regular basis and have different ways to cope with it.

Today, the Office on Women’s Health and National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine hosted a live conversation on Twitter about stress – they called it a #stresschat. Want to catch up on the conversation? Go here. Many different people and organizations have been participating in today’s conversation on Twitter. Here are some resources people shared that I am finding helpful.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) helps us understand what stress actually is:

Stress is a physical and emotional reaction that people experience as they encounter changes in life. Stress is a normal feeling. However, long-term stress may contribute to or worsen a range of health problems including digestive disorders, headaches, sleep disorders, and other symptoms. Stress may worsen asthma and has been linked to depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.

NCCAM also talks about relaxation techniques we can all use to reduce tension and address the stress we are experiencing. Different techniques include deep breathing, guided imagery and meditation. Want to learn more? Check out these five things to know about relaxation techniques for stress.

The Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health says, “If you’re alive, you experience stress.” How true that is.

A little bit of stress is ok, but chronic stress can have long-lasting impacts on our health. Dr. Susan Lord, a Kripalu Healthy Living faculty member and expert in mind-body medicine, says we can “transform stress by intentionally activating the relaxation response, which increases blood flow to the brain and releases chemicals that make your organs slow down.” And that’ a good thing.

There are seven steps she suggests to activating our relaxation response and increase our mindful living:

  1. Develop self-awareness via yoga and meditation.
  2. Express yourself creatively.
  3. Be here now. Live in the present moment – not too much in the past or the future.
  4. Find community.
  5. Identify stressful thoughts and beliefs. Eavesdrop on your internal dialogue. Just noticing will prepare you to start shifting stressful thoughts and beliefs to more positive ones.
  6. Do experiments: “Identify one concern you have about your life or health, and come up with a new way to deal with it.”
  7. Avoid judgment. Notice when you start to criticize yourself and others, and be kind instead.

These are all great tips that you can use to care for yourself. But what about when you have someone else to care for, as well? AARP talks about when caregivers experience a lot of stress – and what to do to take care of yourself and the other person you’re caring for.

AARP has their own list of 10 tips. Here are just a few!

  • Put your physical needs first. If you’re not caring for yourself (eating well, getting enough sleep, getting regular medical check-ups…), you wont’ be in any shape to care for others.
  • Ask for help.
  • Get organized. Develop a system with calendars and to-do lists to help you stay on top of it all.
  • Take a break. You deserve it. Really.

We all experience significant stress at some point in our lives. It is so important that we take care of ourselves, model self-care to others, and be there for others who may be going through a tough time. What are some strategies that work for you? What is one new thing you plan to try to manage the stress in your life?

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by ywcakatie on December 17, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in BABES Network, Community Mental Health, Health Care Access, Healthy Birth Outcomes, Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on December 17, 2014

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/stress-strategies/

Join us at tonight’s World AIDS Day concert!


Every year, December 1st is World AIDS Day – a day when all us around the world unite together in the fight against HIV, show our support for people living with HIV and commemorate those who have died. Learn more about World AIDS Day and how you can get involved here.

Tonight, BABES Network-YWCA will be attending Wo’Pop World AIDS Day Concert – a free KEXP concert – at the EMP Museum. From 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, join Wo’ Pop host Darek Mazzone for this free, all ages event complete with art, snacks, education, culture, and music provided by Chimurenga Rennaissance, and Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited.

We hope you will join us! RSVP here.

wopop

Participating Wo’ Pop World AIDS Day partners: Lifelong, EMP Museum, East African Community Services, Fred Hutchinson, One Vibe Africa, BABES Network YWCA, Theo Chocolates, and with generous support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

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by ywcakatie on December 1, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by ywcakatie on December 1, 2014

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/join-us-at-world-aids-day-concert-tonight/

A Time of Thanks!


It is really early in the morning and once again the phone alarm clock is ringing. It has been cold lately and your warm bed with fluffy pillows probably feel quite nice. You would love to snuggle deep under the covers and go back to sleep. Yet like many of us, you have to go to work!

Have you ever taken time to stop and consider how many lives the work you do really affect? Come on, pause for a minute and think about it!

As I prepared to write this post, I instinctively thought of Thanksgiving. No, I didn’t think of the meal I would eat or whether or not the Seattle Seahawks will beat the San Francisco 49ers this week! My mind drifted to the women we serve through Women’s Health Outreach at the YWCA!

Between July 2013 and June 2014, our team of three  provided 7,658 individuals – mostly women – with educational information and materials  regarding breast cancer and the importance of cancer screenings! Of this number, 445 women attended one of our monthly community mobile mammogram events in King County and had a mammogram. As a result of these mammogram events, breast cancer was found and treated in two women! Imagine the sighs of relief and the depths of appreciation from these women and their families.

Even though the people represented above entrusted Women’s Health Outreach with their health care and health education, we could never have done any of it without the Breast, Cervical, and Colon Health Program of Washington State, the Puget Sound Susan G. Komen Foundation, Swedish Medical Center, or the many donors who contribute dollars to help offset the cost of services provided.

In addition, we are grateful for the churches, schools, mosques, temples, stores, businesses and community centers that allow us to use space in their facilities to work with our patrons. And of course we can never forget our volunteers: Mrs. Etta, Mom Emma Guiterrez, Agnes, Gabby, Jenn and Letitia for supporting the cause, our work and the women we serve.

Finally, we would like to thank our co-workers at the YWCA,  friends, and families for everything done to give our careers a sense of purpose!

Although Women’s Health Outreach is a small program of Health Access within the YWCA of Seattle, we are grateful this Thanksgiving! Please take a few moments and share the things you are thankful for with us and others.

Happy Thanksgiving.

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by marilynwho on November 24, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by marilynwho on November 24, 2014

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/a-time-of-thanks/

Breast Cancer Awareness Year-Round!


Another Breast Cancer Awareness Month has come and gone, now my questions as a health educator are these!

How many women over 40 actually went to have a mammogram or scheduled an appointment this month?

How many actually perform self-breast exams?

How many encouraged other women to do these things?

How many talked with their teen daughter about the importance of regular mammography screenings once they’re 40?

How many women encourage the men in their lives to perform self-chest and testicular exams?

With the American Cancer Society predicting 232,670 new cases of invasive breast cancer this year and 40,000 of those findings ending in death, the fact remains there are risk factors that cannot be changed. Many YWCAs and other organizations across the country spend their time and talents educating women about the importance of being screened. Those of us working in YWCA Women’s Health Outreach in Seattle also encourage people to be screened and know your personal risk factors.

The American Cancer Society says,

A risk factor is anything that affects your chance of getting a disease, such as cancer.

Watch this video and see how one woman and her family are addressing their risk factors!

After you have learned what your personal risk factors are, take charge of your health, learn everything you can about the impact of the risk factor on your chance of getting breast cancer and become involve in finding a cure!

Volunteer with an organization working to eradicate the disease, participate in research, consider financial contributions, manage the risk factors you can control and communicate with others in your social networks on the topic of breast cancer – not just in October!  If you need to schedule a mammogram or connect with a speaker for your women’s group, book club, community event or church gathering – contact me at 206-461-4489. I can assist you throughout the year!

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by marilynwho on November 3, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by marilynwho on November 3, 2014

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2014/11/03/breast-cancer-awareness-year-round/

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