Experts Available to Discuss Minority Health Issues

Poor health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority groups, including African Americans and Hispanic Americans, are apparent when comparing their health indicators to the rest of the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.

Minority populations generally experience higher rates of illness and death from health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, specific cancers, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, asthma, hepatitis B and obesity. Experts at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center are available to address these minority health issues during National Minority Health Month in April.

Alzheimer’s

Sid O’ Bryant, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Department of Neurology, is studying how Alzheimer’s disease targets Mexican-Americans. O’Bryant is available to discuss why studies like this are needed and why Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias may affect different racial and ethnic groups in different ways.

CONTACT: Suzanna Martinez, suzanna.martinez@ttuhsc.edu, office: (806) 743-2143, cell: (806) 773-4242.

Diabetes

On average, African Americans and Hispanics more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than whites. Christie Hust, M.S., R.D. L.D., C.D.E., director of the TTUHSC Diabetes Education Center, can discuss socioeconomic, clinical, health care and self-management issues that may account for the difference in blood sugar control between diverse racial and ethnic minority groups.

CONTACT: Beth Phillips, beth.phillips@ttuhsc.edu, office: (806) 743-2143, cell: (806) 252-0055.

Son muy importantes los factores genéticos-hereditarios. Joaquin Lado, M.D., endocrinólogo en TTUHSC, dice que la prevalencia de la Diabetes Mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) entre los Hispanos es del 10.4 por ciento, siendo las personas de origen mejicano y puertoriqueño los que presentan mayor número de casos. La probabilidad de que una persona nacida en el año 2000 en EEUU desarrolle DM a lo largo de su vida es del 30-40 por ciento y entre los Hispanos es del 45- 50 por ciento.

CONTACT: Suzanna Martinez, suzanna.martinez@ttuhsc.edu, office: (806) 743-2143, cell: (806) 773-4242.

Pregnancy, Prenatal Care and Parenting

The U.S. has made improvements in infant mortality, but disparities still exist, according to the Office of Minority Health. Lisa Dillard, R.N., B.S.N., nurse supervisor with the Perry School of Nursing Nurse-Family Partnership, can discuss the success rate of the Nurse-Family Partnership, a program that encourages first-time mothers to receive regular prenatal care and develop the skills they need to raise healthy children.

CONTACT: Beth Phillips, beth.phillips@ttuhsc.edu, office: (806) 743-2143, cell: (806) 252-0055.

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