Reflections: Weeks 15 and 16

Hey Bloggers! Well this is farewell for now. I had so much fun throughout this course and feel that we all worked very hard throughout the semester. Everyone brought so much to the table and exhibited themselves very positively. As I'm writing about weeks 15 and 16, I am very sad to say this course is coming to an end. This class has been by far my favorite class throughout my whole college experience. I am very thankful for all of my classmates and for Dr.V most of all!

Week 15 and 16
During Week 15, we were very fortunate to meet Sue Whitney author and founder of JUNKMARKET. I loved all the ideas she gave us and was very thankful for the free book she distributed to our class. I've been reading it like crazy getting new ideas for those good ole' summer rummage sales. I loved how she explained her childhood to correlate with what she presented. She told us that she didn't have many possessions when she was young and thought of getting something in a store brand new as a huge gift. I definitely take for granted how fortunate I've been to all the things I own. Throughout the class period, various students shared their experiences with their "junk" and how they refurbished it as well. Kathy and Brenda came up with a few neat ideas with junk they found. I never will look at a rain gutter the same after seeing how they created a yarn holder... very creative by the way! I really enjoyed this experience since I am very interested in making my own decorations already. I really hope to use her ideas to eliminate my wastes even more. And of course the subway was perfect! Thank you again Dr.V for making all of this possible!

Our last class was a very inspiring experience. Dr. V was presented with her picture frame gift that had many interesting artifacts attached to it. Each student had the opportunity to reflect on their item's purpose. Each of us had the chance to reflect on the whole semester and what we had learned throughout the way. I really feel like we were the perfect class! I had so much fun throughout the semester and met a lot of really cool people. I really believe that we were placed in the class for a reason. I would like to thank Dr. V first and foremost. She taught us many life long lessons in a very laid back fashion. She made it really fun to learn and let us express ourselves in a humorous fashion.I would also like to thank my classmates. You all worked really hard and really made the class an enjoyable experience. I hope that we all take the lessons learned and apply it to our lives. I really have learned a lot through this experience and plan on being an advocate of going green!! I will miss you all!!

Share and Voice: Award!

Hey Bloggers, I just received an award from Sara H for my post on my Share and Voice on the ESG Highway Cleanup!. Thank you very much Sara! I am passing my award onto Katie Kares for the Environment for her share and voice about Fast Food Nation. I think you had a lot of statistics which made it a very interesting post and also gave us an inside look on the business of fast foods.. Great Job... Follow the Award instructions below to pass on the award!!

1. Leave a comment below so that I know you "picked up" the award.
2. Create a Share and Voice post that says you've received the award and indicate who the award is from (be sure to hyperlink).
3. Also indicate to whom you are going to pass on the award and why. Be sure to hyperlink the blogger (use main blog URL) and the blog title (use the specific URL for that blog post).
4. Copy and paste these instructions at the bottom of your post.
5. Publish the post.
6. Visit each blogger you've awarded and leave a comment telling them they've won.
7. Continue the process...

Eye Opener: Online Learning Activities

Steve's Learning Activity

Name that Phobia

Section 1:

1. Pteromerhanophobia - The fear of flying
2. Tachophobia - The fear of speed
3. Wiccaphobia - The fear of witches/witchcraft
4. Autophobia - The fear of being alone
5. Bathmophobia - The fear of stairs/steep slopes
6. Glossophobia - The fear of speaking in public
7. Chronomentrophobia - The fear of clocks
8. Cacophobia - The fear of ugliness
9. Leukophobia - The fear of color white
10. Mysophobia - The fear of dirt and germs

Section 2:
1.Fear of Cooking-Mageirocophobia
2 Fear of Birds-Ornithophobia
3 Fear of houses-Domatophobia
4 Fear of needles and points- Aichmophobia
5 Fear of clowns-Coulrophobia
6 Fear of cats-Elurophobia
7 Fear of the sun-Heliophobia
8 Fear of gaining weight-Obesophobia
9 Fear of strangers/ foreigners-Xenophobia 10 Fear of large things-Megalophobia

I learned a lot through doing this activity. I could not believe all the phobias that actually exist. I was the most surprised by ones such as being afraid of the color white, afraid of cooking, and afraid of houses. Very great activity for us to do!!

Shar's Learning Activity

For this activity we took an adventure through the home and classified whether items in the home contain harmful allergens and other materials.

The Roof

Problem: The roof of the house that has a hole in it is classified as a damage because it can lead to mold growth which is harmful to your health.

Solution: By fixing leaks right away, you can avoid the problems in the future.

Bathroom:

Problem: The cleaning products on the floor release harmful chemicals in the air that are damaging to your health if exposed for a long period of time.

Solution: Put the items away when not using, use ceiling fans to circulate the air in the surrounding area, and read the manufacturer's instructions when using any chemical products to know their effects.

Bedroom:

Problem: If the plants in a bedroom do not have any fresh are and are surrounded by humidity, they may grow mold and cause allergy problems for some people. Also, the paint in the bedroom needs to be dealt with since they can give off harmful gases. Solution:

It is important to find the source of the humidity causing the mold to accumulate. The solution for the paint and varnish would be to put away the materials when finished with task and make sure you are surrounded in a ventilated area.

Kitchen:

Problem: Gas stoves can produce nitrogen dioxide, which irritates the lungs and contaminates indoor air.

Solution: When using a gas stove, it is important to have a range hood for venting air pollutants to the outside.

Living Room:

Problem: Cigarettes are the main source of indoor pollution in homes. Another problem would be the wood fireplace. Wood smoke releases many harmful substances.

Solution: Have people smoke outside if they must and not inside the house. For the fireplace, keep up with the maintenance of it to reduce accidents.

Garage:

Problem: Exhaust gases from vehicles contain carbon monoxide, a toxic gas. When a car is idling in the garage, carbon monoxide can penetrate into the house.

Solution: Don't leave your car idling in the garage.

Basement:

Problem: Mold growth in a house may cause respiratory problems and allergic reactions in some occupants. Another problem in the basement is the lack of maintaining, combustion appliances, like your furnace, which can release pollutants such as carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas.

Solution: Find the source of the humidity and make changes to it. The solution for the combustion appliance is to make sure you get yearly checkups by a specialist to make sure it's working well.

Laundry Room:

Problem: Steam from a dryer not vented to the outside can create excessive humidity, which can promote mold growth.

Solution: Dryers must be vented to the outside.

The ones that surprised me the most would have to be the plant in the home causing mold. I knew that plants need fresh air and sunlight, but didn't know they would create mold.

Kaileigh's Learning Activity

I really liked this website. I didn't realize that Medicare does not cover long-term health care. I think that long-term care should be more affordable for the individuals receiving the care as well. Like the link said, we don't know what kind of shape we'll be in in the future. Some of the policies are known as "indemnity" or "expense incurred" policies. This means that the indemnity policy pays up to a fixed benefit amount regardless of what you spend. With an expense-incurred policy, you choose the benefit amount when you buy the policy and you are reimbursed for actual expenses for services received up to a fixed dollar amount per day, week, or month.

I also learned the national average costs.

• Examples: age 65 = 1,337, age 79= 5,330


• Premiums generally remain the same throughout the years

I thought this was a very good activity because health insurance is becoming an issue for people to afford which decreases as the economy weakens. I did my advocacy project on health insurance which made this topic easier to understand.

Kathy's Learning Activity

DOWN
1. Along with the other effects of lead poisoning,__Fetal____development is effected even with extremely low levels of lead.
3. Pick one: "OLDER" homes or "NEWER" homes may contain lead-based paints. OLDER
4. Lead was banned in this year for residential use. 1978
5. A common misconception or ________ was that the most common form of poisoning was eating leaded paint chips. Myth

ACROSS

2. Other sources that contain lead besides paint is __Gasoline_________.
4. About 2/3 of homes built before this year contain heavily-leaded paint. 1940
6. Lead is found in this item that was put on the walls of houses. Paint
7. Lead also effects reproduction. In men, your count of these little swimmers will go
down. Sperm
8. How many percent of homes in Duluth were built before the 1950's? 80%
9. The most common pathway of childhood lead exposure is through ingestion of small lead particles called__Dust_____.

For the challenge, I had talked to my landlord about the history of our house. She did not have an exact date for when the house was built, but it was definitely before 1950. We had repainted our whole house before we moved in due to the lead paint. I had taken part in painting the house and am glad that we made the adjustments needed.

Heather's Learning Activity I took part in the learning activity "Cost of Care" portion and found a lot of interesting information that I didn't know before. I chose the option of breaking your arm to determine the cost of care for this procedure. These were the results of the medical costs needed (annual). I found this website very interesting since many people are not aware of how much health care costs add up. This definitely showed me how important health insurance is to help you with these expenses.

Broken Arm

Condition Cost Data (annual)

Median Typical Range

Total without pharmacy $1,545 $ 915- 2,710

Total with pharmacy $1545 $915- 2,745 Detailed Treatment Cost Data
General ER visit $145- 480
Arm Casting $80- 800 Follow-up Office Visit $55- 115 X-Ray of arm $20- 55

Share and Voice: Highway Cleanup

Hey bloggers! Well, this is going to be my proudest share and voice yet! I am currently a member of Eta Sigma Gamma which is a national professional honorary for men and women in health education in case you didn't know. We had the opportunity to participate in the highway cleanup the other day. It was a very interesting experience to say the least. I was suprised to see how many animal bones we had found throughout the cleanup. We found a large group of deer bodies along with a dead duck and skunk. I'm not going to lie, I got scared a couple times as I grabbed for a piece of garbage and saw a dead animal right in front of me. Haha!! I'm sure people in a 1 mile radius could've heard me scream! and Here are some of the pictures....











I thought this was a very great activity for us to do since we're learning about the environment around us so much in this course. I feel like everyone should take part in cleaning up highways and other areas in their community to improve the appearance and well being.

Share and Voice: Tips for Going Green

Hey Bloggers! Since this school year is soon to be over, many of you are probably considering moving to another house or apartment. It can be quite a stressful event going through all your "junk." I have become a huge pack rat this last year since I have an interest in refurbishing my old junk and making into something useful. Spring cleaning is one of the most irritating things to do especially in a house of 6 people (my house). We all are planning on working as a team to get the job done. That's when I realized all the alternatives you can use instead of using harmful chemicals.


Home cleaning supplies
Baking soda and hot water can get your house sparkling clean at an affordable price. The chemicals in something such as Windex glass cleaner are very harmful to your respiratory system when breathed in. It's a better idea to use cloth material to clean verses paper towels as well.When going through things such as magazines and clothes, there are many alternatives to dealing with them. You can recycle, donate, sell, or reuse them instead of throwing them away.

Click on PLANETGREEN to get more tips around the house! This website is amazing and offers other alternatives for topics such as: Ways to green your fridge, keeping paper towels out of your house, how to go green spring break, eating green, and also offer news articles about people going green. I really like this website and plan on looking at it on a regular basis to improve my ability to go green!

Advocacy Project:

Hey Bloggers!
Well, since my topic discusses Health Insurance, I found it difficult to find an interactive way for you to participate. I hope you like what I've come up with. I found a clip for you to view and let me know how you feel about making health insurance more affordable. I just wanted to refresh you on what I've been doing my Advocacy Project on....

Overview of Issue:
The issue in my advocacy project is to increase the amount of people with health insurance. Many lower class individuals are faced with problems affording the proper health insurance for their families. Health insurance is a often offered through employment but not all the time. What about families that have no job? Not only the parents, but the children are greatly affected. How can we make health insurance more affordable for these individuals?

There are currently 44 million Americans are living without health insurance. There are many consequences involved if people continue to live without health insurance. Many individuals with health conditions will begin to avoid going to the doctor if they cannot afford the care necessary creating more severe problems in the future.Uninsured children are more likely than insured children to not receive medical care for common conditions like ear infections- illnesses that if left untreated can lead to more serious health problems. If children are left untreated, more problems may arise causing life-long conditions.I have the freedom to go to the doctor if I have any concerns regarding my health while people have to live with their health conditions due to financial reasons.

Instructions:
Click on this link to tell me what you felt about the Health Insurance Game shown. What do you think about the way the video was demonstrated? Do you think they portrayed the information bias or equal? If you have any additional information to add that you felt the video should have been presented, please feel free to do so.

Additional Information:
The information below was provided on the link above
This humorous video was written by supporters of HR 676, the single payer national health care bill in Congress (John Conyers - Michigan). All other industrialized countries have universal national health care. They spend half as much as we do in the United States on medical care but their health outcomes are as good or better. Americans have seen their health insurance premiums increase by 87% from 2000 to 2006 while their earnings only increased by 20% and the average rate of overall inflation was 18% during the same time period (Kaiser Family Foundation). Why does your health care cost so much? 30%-35% of each dollar of your premium goes to pay for: executive salaries, administration, lobbying, marketing and other non-health care related costs. It's time to eliminate the for-profit private health plans who take up to 1/3 of each premium dollar but add no value to our health care delivery system. It's time for HR 676.

Why is this important?
Many of us are currently covered by our parent's health insurance. I don't think we really know how important it is that we are covered. If you didn't have health insurance, would you go into the doctor for any injuries or illnesses you may have? Would you get your yearly checkups? It is known that people who are uncovered are less likely to go to the doctor or local physician. That's why I believe that health insurance should be more affordable for everyone so that we are not faced with these issues in the future.

Sources:
Source 1: Healthcarenow.org
Source 2: Health Crisis
Source 3: Esurance

Share and Voice: Super One Foods

Hey Everyone! I'd like to take this time to thank Dr.V and SuperOne Foods for getting us these awesome new bags. I've always wanted one, but never got around to getting it. I have definitely used it since we've received them. Thanks again!!!

Share and Voice: Disney's Earth

Hey bloggers!! You may have seen commercials advertising the new Disney movie Earth which just came out this month. The movie shows the challenges and experiences animals face on Earth. It shows how they raise their young, deal with predators, and adjust to the changes people are making to their environment. Check out this link to see the movie trailer. You'll fall in love with the animals presented in this clip. I sure did!!





After each ticket is sold, Disney has agreed to plant a tree in your honor! I think this movie also will get a better insight as to how they affect the environment around us. It's not just affecting people, it's affecting the animals, plants, and natural resources around us.

Reflections: Weeks 13 and 14

Hey Bloggers!! Well I don't know about you, but I think that the last two weeks have definetly been my favorite so far. I mean, getting out of part 2 on our advocacy project by the moans and groans of the class is awesome!



Week 13
We began week 13 by watching The Story of Stuff which was designed apon environmental literacy, operational literacy, and functional literacy. It really shocked me to see the chain reaction of being a nation of consumers. How can we avoid buying so many things? We are constantly being targeted by advertisements which on average see about 3,000 a day. It really made me double think some of the items I buy on average such as bottled pop.



Next on my checklist of things we completed, we headed to Bagley Nature Walk. To be honest with you, I've never used a compass so this was quite an experience. My goup memmbers and I followed the directions and successfully made it through the course with limited amounts of animal droppings on our shoes. I have another confession... I had never been to Bagley Nature Park before this opportunity. I really had a great time walking through the trees and admiring the environment around me.

Week 14
Week 14 began by us having the opportunity for Brian to come and talk about his experience majoring in environmental health. I found it very interesting how passionate he is about what he's currently doing. Followed by Brian speaking we moved on to talk about our letter to a local representative. I found this very difficult since I've never had to write such a formal letter.
Now for the finale of the past two weeks.. drum roll please...... the Junk Competition!!! Calling this an interesting experience would definetly not fufill the description of this exercise. Dr. V gave our class a variety of different "junk" items to incorporate into something useful. Well, I have to say that Group 1 came up with the funniest/most creative items yet. Kathy had me laughing throughout the whole activity as she suggested the titty covers for show girls in Las Vegas.. haha I put this picture up just for you Kathy! Can you imagine our creation in Vegas on showgirls? Hahaha.. maybe after some deep sterilization...





After brainstorming, we found various items to share such as a ship in a bottle, a fingernail holder for manicures, ninja stars, and even bike baskets. We had a lot of fun through this activity as people got the opportunity to show their creative side.

Overview
I loved the activities we've taken part of in the last weeks. I love to refurnish items in my bedroom as well and absolutely love rummage sales and bargain shopping to create my own decorations. I am so glad that Dr.V has stressed the point that someone's junk may be someone's treasure! Thank you all!!

Advocacy Project: Letter to Public Official

April 28, 2009

Senator Amy Klobuchar
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Klobuchar,
It has been an arising issue that individuals and families cannot afford reliable health insurance.
By signing this bill we can take a step in the right direction in
making health insurance more affordable for individuals and families that
are not covered.
H.CON.RES.48 expresses the sense of Congress that national health care reform should ensure that the health care needs of women and of all individuals in the United States are met. A majority of people are offered health insurance, but what about the jobs that do not provide this benefit? Also for people who are unemployed are not able to pay for proper health insurance for themselves or their families.

There are many consequences involved if people continue to live without health insurance. Many individuals with health conditions will begin to avoid going to the doctor if they cannot afford the care necessary creating more severe problems in the future.Uninsured children are more likely than insured children to not receive medical care for common conditions like ear infections- illnesses that if left untreated can lead to more serious health problems. If children are left untreated, more problems may arise causing life-long conditions.I have the freedom to go to the doctor if I have any concerns regarding my health while people have to live with their health conditions due to financial reasons.

I understand that tax payers will be paying more money if this bill is passed, but it's all for a good cause. By paying more for taxes, they may feel at ease to know that they're potentially saving peoples' lives. It is known that 44 million Americans living without health insurance. By signing this bill, we may decrease this number significantly and avoid more preventative deaths or conditions. The baby boom generation is also greatly affected by this issue. If they cannot afford health insurance, they'll be faced with financial challenges with the economy the way it is.

As a health educator, I know I'll be faced with families who may or may not be covered by health insurance. That's when I began to ask myself if health insurance is a privilege or a right? You can be the judge when you decide on signing this bill to make health insurance more available for people.

Thank you very much for taking the time to review my request. I will be awaiting your response in the near future and willing to answer any questions if you wish.

Christen B
1830 Orchid Lane
Cherry Blossom, MN 55874

Please let me know if you have any suggestions to make my letter better. Thank you!

Advocacy Project:Issue Overview

I chose bill H.CON.RES.48 to defend my case dealing with health insurance. This bill's title includes: Expressing the sense of Congress that national health care reform should ensure that the health care needs of women and of all individuals in the United States are met.

What is the Issue?
The issue in my advocacy project is to increase the amount of people with health insurance. Many lower class individuals are faced with problems affording the proper health insurance for their families. Health insurance is a often offered through employment but not all the time. What about families that have no job? Not only the parents, but the children are greatly affected. How can we make health insurance more affordable for these individuals?

Who is affected by this issue?
It is known that 44 million Americans are living without health insurance. My target population was previously at 100%. Health insurance affects everyone!
Health insurance affects access to health care as well as the financial well being of families. It is more likely that if parents do not have health insurance, their children do not as well. I may be bias to this issue since I have always had health insurance under my parents name and just thought of it as the norm. The truth is that many people do not have this advantage which makes it hard to afford for themselves or for families.

What are the consequences of the issue?

I found a variety of consequences dealing with uninsured individuals and families..
-Many uninsured individuals skip recommended medical tests or treatments since they cannot pay for the care needed.
-Uninsured children are more likely than insured children to not receive medical care for common conditions like ear infections- illnesses that if left untreated can lead to more serious health problems.
-Uninsured individuals are much less likely to receive preventative care which delays treatment or even not receiving the care.


What is the social impact of the issue?
If people cannot afford the prices of health insurance, we are going to have a lot of problems in the future.A survey taken in 2007 indicated that 340,000 people in Minnesota are uninsured. That is a very large amount! The social impact of this issue may be more apparent than other bills since it deals with access to care. We may see more ill people undergoing health issues that are not getting treated due to their financial status. If worse comes to worse, people uninsured will not live as long as people who are insured since they are not getting the physical exams needed to determine any health disparities.


What are the barriers?
Without health insurance, the prices of care for individuals or families is very expensive creating barriers for individuals to get the help they need. They may avoid care which may lead to more damaging effects if untreated. Since a vast majority of uninsured are homeless, they're even less likely to obtain health care practices. Many people cannot afford health insurance and even a roof over their heads. With our economy the way it is, it's hard enough affording all the changes going on around us.


What are the resources?
The most important resource necessary for health insurance are money. As we have previously learned, money means power. If you have the money to afford health insurance you have more opportunities to get the health care you need at a more affordable price. If taxpayers are willing to pay higher taxes, this resource will be crucial as well.


Economical Impacts of issue:
Taxpayers will be affected by this if the bill is passed which may cause some room for debate. Taxpayers may ask, why do we need to pay more taxes for people who cannot afford health insurance? If each taxpayers would pay a small addition to their taxes, they could potentially save other people's lives in the long run.


What is the history of this issue?
I actually found quite a bit of information regarding the history of health insurance. It all began in 1861-1865 when the first insurance plan began during the civil war. The earliest ones only offered coverage against accidents related from travel by rail or steamboat. This health insurance plan eventually paved the way for covering all illnesses and injuries. The first group policy giving comprehensive benefits was offered by Massachusetts Health Insurance of Boston in 1847.

While Preisident Clinton was in office in 1993, he created a plan in which guaranteed health insurance for all Americans. This plan was opposed by leaders since it was too expensive. This was never reached even though alternatives were made.Congress had passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in 1996. This protected individuals from losing their health insurance when they moved from one job to another or became self-employed. Unfortunately, it did not ensure the overall quality or comprehensiveness of insurance offered by employers.


Allies and Opponents
Currently, President Barack Obama has plans to improve health care for our country. He says he will make health insurance affordable and accessible to all, and to build upon the preexisting healthcare systems. He would also like to lower the cost of health care about 2,500 per family by investing in health information technology, prevention and care coordination. People who currently cannot afford health insurance will also be very supportive of this bill since it will offer them opportunities they did not have before. It's obvious that some tax payers will be opposed to this bill since it will increase the price they pay in taxes.



I hope that after reading my request that you will vote YES for more affordable in health insurance creating access to care for individuals and families.

Resources:
Uninsured in America
Health Insurance Center
History of Health Insurance in the United States
Organizing for America

Share and Voice: Jon and Kate Plus Eight Go Green

If you haven't had the experience to watch the television show Jon and Kate Plus 8, this share and voice may interest you to see what it's all about. I found this show to be very addicting to watch. It combines humor and education while juggling a family of 8 kids. They all work as a team to make it all possible.


To see the Jon and Kate Plus Eight Music Video about Going Green click here

Make sure you see the episode on April 19, 2009 about the family going the extra mile to go green. This family goes to show, no matter what the size, you can still recycle, buy organic foods, and reduce the amount of chemicals used.

Reflections: Weeks 11 and 12

Hey bloggers,
Wow, only a few more weeks to go!! I cannot believe how fast this semester has gone. Well weeks 11 and 12 have definetly been keeping us busy.....


Week 11:
During week 11, we watched a movie entitled Unnatural Causes which showed us how money creates power. It showed us that we are ranked 30 in life expectancy. I cannot believe those results. I always thought the United States would've been ranked better than that. This documentary also showed how stress relates to high blood pressure making systems to work overtime and creating cortisol. We also had the change to overview the THOMAS and Healthy People 2010 in order to collect enough data for our research project.

Week 12:
We had the opportunity to chose our own topic to do research for including the links above. I chose to do mine with accessibility to health care through insurance. It's a very serious problem that need to be addressed to increase the amounts of people with health insurance. A fun thing we did this week was watch some cartoon movies that I still remembered seeing from when I was a kid. We watched Schoolhouse Rock- How a Bill Becomes a Law if you must see this again! Another video that we found humorous was the Conjunction Junction video! We also saw a sneak peak of Dr.V's Frisbee skills as she tossed our reusable bags to each of us. It was a very nice donation of Super One to give us these bags!



I thin that through these last couple weeks, we've began to learn the political sides of environmental health. I hope that our generation IS known as the generation that has Gone Green just like Sara mentioned in class. Have a great weekend!

Advocacy Project: Healthy People/THOMAS

Hey bloggers,
I chose to do my advocacy project on the Accessibility of Health Care Services because I am familiar with health care facilities and am interested in what is in store for them in the future. We also got an inside look at the THOMAS option which was very neat to investigate.
Through this review, I will provide the goal of this objective in Healthy People 2010, progress tables, disparities, opportunities and challenges, and emerging issues.

Goal for Objective 1-1

-Increase the proportion of persons with health insurance.

Target: 100 percent.

Baseline: 83 percent of persons under age 65 years were covered by health insurance in 1997 (age adjusted to the year 2000 standard population).

Target setting method: Total coverage.

Data source: National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), CDC, NCHS.













Goal:
Improve Access to Comprehensive, High-Quality Health Care Services.

The Progress Table

The progress table demonstrated a wide variety of diversities and showed if they met the targets, moved towards the target, or moved away from the target. It was surprising to see that the Asian or Pacific Islanders made progress towards the target or met many of the requirements targets throughout the whole progress table. I was also surprised to see how low the Hispanic/Latino rates represented. Even though they're working towards the target, they're statistics were rather low in each of the categories.

Disparities:

The chart of race and ethnicity represents the White, non Hispanic group as being the dominant among the health issues. They have a high score in receiving health care compared to the other groups. Following them are the Black non Hispanic group.

Along with race and ethnicity comes the Income, Location, and Disability table. The category that exceeds the rest is the Middle/High income group. The "poor" category is definitely the lowest on the scale. This goes to show that money means power.
The final group represented is the Gender and Education table. Females took control in this representation by scoring the highest in each of the categories represented. As the list goes on, you begin to notice the trend in education patterns. It showed that the less educated individuals were, the lower the rates were of health care trends. As we look at these results, it sends the message that the more educated are, the smarter health decisions you make.

Progress Towards Healthy People 2010 Targets

Even though some of these topics did not meet or exceed their targets, efforts were made in each of these instances. Many of the objectives and subobjectives progressed towards their target. Some examples include:

"HHS agencies support programs to measure and improve the quality of care for persons living with asthma and to prevent hospitalization for uncontrolled asthma."

"Progress toward the targets for persons with sources of ongoing care (1-4), persons with a usual primary care provider (1-5), and difficulties or delays in obtaining needed health care (1-6) may in part be attributed to the expansion of HRSA's community health center program across the country. The program now serves approximately 14 million people."

Opportunities and Challenges:

A staggering amount of 18,000 deaths have occurred due to the lack of health care insurance according to the Institute of Medicine. It's very difficult to measure since 45 million people are uninsured. This is a very big issue. If people do not have the resources needed to help assist medical bills, they are going to remain untreated. Long term consequences involve the services of home health, adult day care, assisted living, and nursing home care. There are demands that go along with health care facilities, but have to realize that it creates more challenges in meeting the overall target.


Emerging Issues
Issues such as workforce, insurance, and consumer-directed services are up for discussion. The demand for LTC is up for discussion since the baby boom generation has higher rates for disabilities. With the prices of health care, many people are having a hard time affording the cost of health care the way it is. This may create jobs for people in the health care field, but may use up many of their retirement funds to receive hands on care.
Bill:


H.CON.RES.48
Title: Expressing the sense of Congress that national health care reform should ensure that the health care needs of women and of all individuals in the United States are met.

Sponsor: Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] (introduced 2/11/2009) Cosponsors (37)

Latest Major Action: 2/11/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Recommendation: Vote _____ (indicate yes or no) for H.CON.RES.48 Expressing the sense of Congress that national health care reform should ensure that the health care needs of women and of all individuals in the United States are met.

My Political Representative: Amy Klobuchar
Contact Information:
Washington, DC
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
phone: 202-224-3244
fax: 202-228-2186
Email: http://klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm

My Thoughts:
I believe that this issue is very important to be debated since many people are uninsured and undergoing serious medical conditions. I feel that since I am interested in nursing in my future, that I am passionate about health care for everybody. I live in a very small community where the nearest health care facility is about 45 minutes away which is not as accessible than in a large city. I found the issue of medical insurance is a very important topic to research. I hope you enjoyed my review!!

Reflections: Weeks 9 and 10

Wow bloggers! Look how far we've come. Spring break is over and it's time to get back in the school mode. It's been tough for me to readjust back into the school mode. So without further adieu I'll discuss what weeks 9 and 10 have entailed.



Weeks 9:
Throughout week 9, we began talking about our upcoming advocacy project we will be working on through the remainder of the year. I found this a great opportunity for us to research our environment in order to demonstrate what we've learned. We also learned about the ethics of photography which I thought were interesting. I never think about angles and the rules of 3 while I take pictures.

We were also assigned to research our political representatives. I am actually glad we got this assignment otherwise I would not know this important information. I think that by knowing these people, it will push us to contact them with our concerns about environmental issues.


Week 10:
Since Dr. V has been gone this week, we've been responsible for working on our photo essay. I initially wanted to do my project on the neighborhood streets and offer alternatives, but the snow storm made that hard to achieve. I got a few pictures of my neighborhood and also showing items within my house that would cut down on electrical usage. I offered suggestions such as unplugging appliances when not using them, charging batteries rather than disposing and buying new ones, and using reusable containers instead of throwing them away. I also offered the suggestion of buying reusable bags to carry groceries or anything else in.





I've found that the past couple weeks have been very informative and eye opening.

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

Hey Everyone!
I am proud to say that the photo essay definitely opened my eyes to things in my environment I'm not always aware of. Things as simple as unplugging a blow dryer when you're not using it is a step in the right direction. I took pictures in my personal environment that I'm exposed to everyday and came up with some alternatives as well to these behaviors! Enjoy!

This sign was very significant in my story since it shows a stop sign near a recycling area. To me it represents stop littering, and start recycling.

While I was on a walk the other day, I noticed a significant amount of garbage along the road which was once covered by the snow. It's almost as if the snow was a cover up of our dirty habits.


A very simple way of reducing plastic bag use is to invest in reusable bags.










These are sold anywhere from grocery stores to thrift stores. They are becoming very popular and really help cut down the amount of plastic bags used.












Walking, Carpooling, or taking the bus instead of driving everywhere!


















Then I decided to focus on things within my home. I thought of some alternatives to reduce the amount of electricity I use in my everyday life.Unplug appliances when you're not using them!




Use reusable products verses paper and plastic. This will save you a lot of money and help you limit your resources. I use reusable water bottles and a sandwich holder which is a lot more convenient and cheaper than buying sandwiches and drinks at the school.

















Use rechargeable batteries instead of buying new sets every time you run out.














Verses







I love decorating my room and other crafts around the house. I found that if you save items, they may come in handy in the future if you're making something. I made this mirror by using leftover items at home. Things that people might throw away, I try to reuse for something useful.




Looking all around us, it's so plain to see
It only takes one person to make a difference, that person could be me!
By showing all of these projects, I hope that people (including myself) will make these small changes in order to conserve and GO GREEN!

Advocacy Project: My Political Representatives

President: Barack Obama (Democrat)

Contact information:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500
Email:http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/
President Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible administration in American history. To send questions, comments, concerns, or well-wishes to the President or his staff, please click here!


Mayor of Duluth: Don Ness

Contact Information:
Don Ness:
Mayor's Office
Email:dness@duluthmn.gov
Room 402, 411 West First Street
Duluth, MN 55802
Phone: (218) 730-5230
Fax: (218) 730-5904
Something I found very interesting is that Don Ness has facebook as well to communicate!
Don Ness Home Page



Governor of Minnesota: Tim Pawlenty (Republican)

Contact Information:
Mailing Address:
Office of the Governor
130 State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155

Other ways to reach the office:
Telephone: (651) 296-3391
Toll Free: (800) 657-3717
Facsimile: (651) 296-2089
E-mail: tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us

^^^^^ The following information found here
Tim Pawlenty's home page


Congresspersons:


Senate: Senator Amy Klobuchar (Democrat)
Contact Information:
Washington, DC
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
phone: 202-224-3244
fax: 202-228-2186
Email: http://klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm
Amy Klobuchar's Webpage here



House: James Oberstar (Democrat)

Contact Information:
James Oberstar
United States House of Representatives
2365 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-2308

Email: http://wwwc.house.gov/oberstar/zipauth.htm">http://wwwc.house.gov/oberstar/zipauth.htm
Webpage here

State Legislatures:

State Representative: Thomas Huntley (Democrat)
Contact Information:
585 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
Phone: 651-296-2228

Email: rep.thomas.huntley@house.mn
Website here




Senator: Yvonne Prettner Solon (Democrat)
Contact Information:
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room G-9
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
Phone: 651-296-4188

Email: http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1061&ls=86
website here

County Board Commissioner: Peg Sweeney

Contact Information:
Peg Sweeney
826 Almac Drive
Proctor, MN 55810
218-628-3598
peg@pegsweeney.com
Website here

Reflections: Weeks 7 and 8

Hey Bloggers!!!
Wow, we sure have covered a lot of information the last couple weeks. Hopefully everyone's keeping up! I feel like I've learned so much the last couple weeks. I am beginning to put the pieces together in order to change my lifestyle and the way I view my environment.
Week 7
The coolest thing that we did this week was the Environmental Group activity. This activity required us to research a daily product we use and to see how harmful the chemicals involved are. I chose Herbal Essences Hairspray which turned out to be a level 6. I was shocked! I know hairspray is not the most environmentally friendly, but I did not expect a level 6. It informed me that this product has been linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, and also tested on animals. After knowing this information I have cut down my usage of this product. I don't plan on quitting it anytime soon, but am willing to try other products.

We also watched a movie called "Green" which was a student created film showing the effects of factories' pollution in Louisiana. It's known as "Cancer Alley" which is really frightening. The movie began interviewing families of the community who were physically effected from their cities' conditions. A woman told her story how she is a cancer survivor. Another story told of a woman who's children are developing asthma through the pollutants in the air. I was very shocked to see this film, but then began to think what these companies are actually contributing to. We are all unintentional contributors to these companies. Everything we use on a daily basis has been created through these corporations.

Week 8
During week 8, we watched a movie called "Thirst," which showed us the political side of privatizing water.

Since water is scarce, crime rates have increased along with death. The people of these communities are shouting, "Water for Life, Not for Profit!" That is exactly right! These companies try to make profit on everything possible. Everything is about money, money, money. Pretty soon the air we breathe will cost money at the rate we're going. I really take my water supply for granted. I can't imagine paying for water like fuel prices. Many people are dying due to lack of water.

That's when I began to think. What if Duluth was going through these problems? Would I be holding up signs and protesting like the people in the picture above? I actually don't know what I would do. I don't think that we should sit back and prop up our feet waiting for this problem to affect us. Would you protest against water prioritization? What if we run out of our water resources as a whole? We need to be aware of the fact that we have limited resources.

I believe that these movies have taught us a lot of information that will be useful in the future. Since many of us are in progress of being health educators, these are topics you may introduce to your communities. I never even knew these issues were being discussed since I took this course. I feel that we're all uninformed of these issues that are to be known. So take a stand, make a difference, and tell others about water privatization.
Check out this link:
Stop Prioritizing Water