MCFHC ENewsletter
Volume 3, Issue 5, November 2008
What's in Enews Today? 1. National Health Observances: November – National Prematurity Awareness Month December - National Safe Toys and Gifts Month 2.  Hot Topics: Kaiser Family Foundation Releases New Women’s Health Information 3. MCFH Coalition Updates 4.  Web Resources MCFH Coalition Welcomes New and Returning Members: New – Nursing Specialties, Midwest Maternal Fetal Medicine Returning – DiAnne Mueller, East Central MO AHEC, Louise Flick, Planned Parenthood Visit www.stl-mcfhc.org to learn more about the benefits of membership in the MCFHC.	1. National Health Observances November – National Prematurity Awareness Month: In an average week in the United States, 10,056 babies are born preterm and 1,604 are born very preterm. Additionally, 6,511 are born low birthweight and another 1,188 are born very low birthweight. Unfortunately, the rates of preterm birth have increased by more than 15% between 1995 and 2005. They have increased almost 35 percent between 1981 and 2005! Regrettably, too little is known about the specific causes of preterm birth. Research is pointing to a complex of risk factors and conditions both physical and environmental that pose a threat to a full-term delivery. Some potential risk factors include: previous preterm birth(s), abnormalities in the uterus or cervix, infection, hypertension, diabetes, late or no prenatal care, smoking, drug and/or alcohol use. Because of the need for increased awareness, ongoing research and to test promising interventions, the March of Dimes has led the charge with its Prematurity Campaign. To learn more about the goals of the campaign click this link: http://www.marchofdimes.com/prematurity/21194_5576.asp The Maternal, Child and Family Health Coalition has monitored prematurity in the St. Louis area for a number of years. To see local data on prematurity and fetal/infant death click on this link for the most recent report: http://www.stl-mcfhc.org/images/docs/Infant_Mortality_Surveillance_Report_07.pdf Source: http://www.marchofdimes.com/peristats/pdflib/195/99.pdf December - National Safe Toys and Gifts Month: In recent years, national attention has focused on toy recalls. The holidays are a good time of year for providers to remind families of key toy safety tips. On an annual basis, approximately 217,000 children visit hospital emergency rooms for toy-related injuries. Fifteen children die on an annual basis from toy-related injuries. The most common cause of toy-related deaths is choking. The holidays are also times when injuries occur related to holiday decorations. Often candles and non-fire retardant decorations pose a burn thread to children. Smaller decorations cause choking hazards to small children and babies. Safe Kids Worldwide provides toy safety tips and information for parents in downloadable formats as well as recent recall information. The web site also provides information on safely decorating one’s home for the holidays with children’s safety in mind. Locally, Safe Kids, a program of SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center provides resources, services and materials to keep children safe during this special time of year. See the link in the Resources section. Source: http://sk.convio.net/site/PageNavigator/Campaigns/ToySafety/campaignToySafety 2. Hot Topics Kaiser Family Foundation Releases New Women’s Health Information: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation released updated information on women’s health focusing on access to health insurance and related access to services by insurance coverage. According to the report 39% of women ages 18 to 64 have job-related health insurance in their own name and 25% have job-based where they are carried as a dependent. 18% are uninsured and another 10% have Medicaid. The report indicates that women who lack health insurance are less likely to receive health goods and services such as receiving pap tests, filling prescriptions, completing annual check-ups and obtaining needed services. http://www.kff.org/womenshealth/upload/6000_07.pdf The Foundation also has briefs on women’s health and HIV/AIDS and women’s health and the elections. http://www.kff.org/womenshealth/ One of the key priority areas that came out of the MCFH Coalition’s Mapping a Course initiative was access to health insurance. Locally, participants in the process linked job loss to loss of insurance and having to make the choice between health insurance and other necessities. 3. MCFH Coalition Update National Children’s Study: (Information provided by Board member – Terry Leet, PhD) The goal of the National Children’s Study is to improve the health and well-being of children by examining the effects of environmental and genetic influences on the health and development of 100,000 children across the United States. The study will focus on the nation’s most pressing children health problems, including birth defects, preterm birth, asthma, autism, injuries, obesity, diabetes, schizophrenia, and other developmental disorders. Established in 2007, the Gateway Study Center is one of 39 study centers currently funded by the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development to manage the National Children’s Study. As the lead institution, the Saint Louis University School of Public Health is partnering on the project with the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, Southern Illinois University Center for Rural Health and Social Services Development in Carbondale, Washington University School of Medicine, and St. Louis Battelle Memorial Institute. The St. Louis Study Center will work with community leaders, healthcare professionals, and area scientists to enroll, follow and study 4,000 children from conception through 21 years of age from St. Louis City and Jefferson County in Missouri and from Macoupin County and Johnson-Union-Williamson Counties in Illinois. Children from all four study locations will be part of the national study population to be selected from 105 pre-selected study locations across the United States. The Gateway Study Center expects to enroll 1,000 participants from each study location starting in July 2010 for St. Louis City and Macoupin County and in July 2011 for Jefferson County and Johnson-Union-Williamson Counties. Personnel from the Gateway Study Center will gather data to assess each child’s biological, chemical, and physical exposures by collecting environmental samples from where each child spends more than 30 hours a week. They will gather data to assess each child’s psychosocial environment at home, in school, and from their community. The same personnel will collect, process and store biological samples, including blood, urine, saliva, hair and fingernail samples, from each child and their parents for future studies that will examine the effects of environmental and genetic influences on child health and development. The study findings will be shared with the participating families, communities, general public, researchers, legislators and health policy makers. The study is expected to run through 2034 with continuous funding from the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences. More information about the study can be obtained from the National Children’ Study website (www.nationalchildrensstudy.gov). Kendra Copanas, the Coalition’s Executive Director serves as one of 5 national community representatives for the National Children's Study. The MCFH Coalition, its staff and members congratulate Sandii Leland Handrick on the new opportunity that has come her way as the Division Manager for Health Administration for St. Louis County Department of Health. Sandii’s duties will be focused on policy, planning, and infrastructure. While it is a great opportunity for Sandii, the Coalition is sad to see her go. Through her leadership, Sandii developed the Healthy Start Advisory Council, improved a standardized tool for postpartum depression screening to be more culturally competent and led advocacy efforts at both the state and national level to support Healthy Start and increase services for pregnant women and their families. Sandii’s passion and heart will be missed! Good luck, Sandii! 4. Web Resources 1. March of Dimes Prematurity Page - http://www.marchofdimes.com/prematurity/ 2. Safe Kids Worldwide - http://sk.convio.net/site/PageNavigator/Campaigns/ToySafety/campaignToySafetyTips Toy-related recall email alerts - http://www.cpsc.gov/ Local safe toy information - http://www.cardinalglennon.com/AskDrBob/Pages/Smart%20Santas%20Give%20Safe%20Christmas%20Toys.aspx