HJNO Jul/Aug 2021
36 JUL / AUG 2021 I HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Healthcare Briefs change health disparities moves us closer to our goal of creating a healthier state for our entire community.” Louisiana has consistently ranked at or near the bottom of the country for nearly a decade, plac- ing 49th in 2020 by America’s Health Rankings. Clinical, behavioral, environmental, and social fac- tors are analyzed to determine a state’s health rankings. Key challenges facing the state include a high percentage of children in poverty, people who smoke, prevalence of obesity, low birth weights, and higher rates of cardiovascular and cancer deaths. Louisiana’s population also has some of the country’s highest rates of chronic condi- tions including diabetes, high blood pressure and COPD. These challenges became even more apparent as COVID-19 impacted areas across Louisiana. New Orleans emerged as one of the country’s first and hardest hit COVID-19 hotspots in 2020 and continues to face high positivity and fatality rates. ”Healthcare disparities are a critically impor- tant issue that will take time, collaboration, resources and dedication to solve. Our goal is to work toward healthcare equity for every per- son in every community. This requires removing obstacles such as poverty, discrimination, and their consequences. No single organization can do it alone, which is why we are so thrilled to part- ner with Xavier, and grateful to the W.K. Kellogg Foundation their support in achieving our goals for the people we serve,” said Eboni Price-Hay- wood, MD, medical director, OXIHER. Health inequity, whether due to race, ethnic- ity, gender, or low socioeconomic status, con- tributes to poor health and is a complex issue that requires careful investigation and novel solu- tions. OXIHER will focus on five key strategies to address health inequity in Louisiana: 1. Outcomes and health service research. 2. Education, which includes workforce devel- opment to create a diverse and inclusive pipeline of healthcare providers and train- ing so that all healthcare providers under- stand the importance of diversity, inclusion, and health equity. 3. Population health initiatives that focus on healthcare access and ambulatory care quality metrics and connecting patients with community resources they need out- side of healthcare. 4. Community engagement, with the Center hosting events such as health fairs, com- munity clinics and workforce development opportunities. 5. Advocacy to work with our government leaders to improve public policy around health. “We sincerely thank the Kellogg Foundation for generously supporting the Ochsner Xavier Institute for Health Equity and Research,” said Reynold Verret, president of Xavier University of Louisiana. “The work being completed by our collaborative efforts is of the utmost importance to eliminating barriers to healthcare, investing in the next generation of ‘healthcare heroes’, understanding health disparities, and advanc- ing equity.” WKKF has supported Ochsner in the past, including support to establish the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Louisiana at Ochsner Baptist, a campus of Ochsner Medical Center. The milk bank accepts donated human milk, which provides life-saving nutrients to vulnerable newborns and reduces the rate of necrotizing enterocolitis, a deadly intesti- nal infection that affects low birth weight infants. WKKF’s grant will be gifted over a period of three years, beginning in 2021. Free HIV Support Group Gives Hope to Long-Term Survivors This past June marked the 40th anniversary of the first identification of HIV/AIDS, and SAGE New Orleans is offering a free HIV support group to help people who are aging with HIV, an increas- ingly forgotten generation who lived through the most devastating years of the epidemic. The Aging Positively HIV support group is meeting through December. Meetings will ini- tially take place on Zoom, and will eventually move to in-person gatherings. Licensed mar- riage and family therapist and founder of Mai- son Vie New Orleans, Susan Harrington, will facil- itate the group. More than half of all people living with HIV in the United States are aged 50 and older. Many of these individuals may be dealing with feelings of grief and trauma, and are at high risk of inad- equate medical and psychosocial support. They may also be reluctant to get the care and support they need, and some fear that disclosing their HIV status could result in further stigma. “This is a crisis that most people aren’t talking about, and it needs to be addressed. That’s what we aim to do here,” said JimMeadows, executive director of SAGE New Orleans. “This free group will provide the support and resources needed for a large segment of the population who are feeling left behind. If you are out there and feel- ing cut off or forgotten, please know you are not alone, and we are here for you.” On June 5, 1981, the first cases of an illness subsequently defined as acquired immunodefi- ciency syndrome (AIDS) were reported by health- care providers in California and the CDC. Those interested in this free HIV support group can sign up at HIVNOLA.org. n
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