Urges Illinoisans to take precautions, check on elderly

SPRINGFIELD - June 7, 2011. As temperatures rise, Governor Pat Quinn today announced services available to protect people from the near-record heat, and asked people across Illinois to look out for those most vulnerable to the high temperatures, including the elderly and children. 

"We must all be aware of the health risks that accompany rising temperatures, as well as the resources that are available to assist everyone in Illinois. The state is here to help people stay cool-- providing cooling centers in more than 120 locations." said Governor Quinn. "We must all do what we can to ensure people are safe and healthy, especially by checking on elderly friends, neighbors, and relatives.

To combat high temperatures, the state is providing services to help ensure the health and safety of the public.

The Illinois Department of Human Services has established cooling centers and more than 120 state facilities, to help those without air conditioning escape the heat. The cooling centers are located at Illinois Department of Human Services offices throughout the state, as well as the seven Illinois Tollway Oases in the Chicago area. They are open to the public during regular business hours. For more information about Cooling Centers call (800) 843-6154. For a list of participating centers and oases, visit the website atwww.keepcool.illinois.gov.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) encourages people across Illinois to take steps to protect against heat-related health problems. To stay cool, IDPH recommends increasing fluid intake, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and sugar, decreasing activities, wearing appropriate clothing and, remaining in an air conditioned environment whenever possible. For more information on summer activity safety and summer health risks, visit the website at http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/books/summtoc.htm to find the "Summer? No Sweat" Survival Guide.

The Illinois Department on Aging encourages relatives and friends to make daily visits or calls to senior citizens living alone. When temperatures and humidity are extremely high, seniors and people with chronic health conditions must be watchful for dehydration and other effects of extreme heat. Additionally, seniors should eat lighter meals, take longer and more frequent rests, and drink plenty of fluids.

For information about preparedness, visit the Ready Illinois website at www.Ready.Illinois.gov.

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During the summer months, blood donations often drop to low levels.The American Red Cross encourages donors to rev up their engines and head out to a nearby blood drive or donation center.

From May 25 through Sept. 14, presenting donors (age 18 and older) can register online at redcrossracing.com to enter the Red Cross Racing "Summer Drive Sweepstakes." Enter for a chance to win a new, fuel-efficient 2012 Ford Fiesta SE. One winner will be selected by random drawing no later than Sept. 19.

Red Cross Racing participants also get points for activities like giving blood and recruiting blood donors. Points can be redeemed at any time for fun racing-themed prizes or donated to support the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces.

The American Red Cross is celebrating the fourth year of its Red Cross Racing partnership with 3M and Roush Fenway Racing. For more information, or to schedule your summer blood donation appointment, please visit redcrossracing.com or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

How to Donate Blood
Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visitredcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information.

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver's license, or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are generally in good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

About the American Red Cross
Governed by volunteers and supported by giving individuals and communities, the American Red Cross is the single largest supplier of blood products to hospitals throughout the United States. While local hospital needs are always met first, the Red Cross also helps ensure no patient goes without blood no matter where or when they need it. In addition to providing nearly half of the nation's blood supply, the Red Cross provides relief to victims of disaster, trains millions in lifesaving skills, serves as a communication link between U.S. military members and their families, and assists victims of international disasters or conflicts.

Fast Facts
Approximately every two seconds someone in the U.S.needs blood.
More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day.
Only 38% of the U.S.population is eligible to donate blood.
Just 8% of those eligible actually donate.
One out of every 10 people admitted to the hospital needs blood.
One donation can help save the lives of up to three people.
The number one reason donors say they give blood is because they "want to help others."
The American Red Cross supplies approximately 40% of the nation's blood supply.

Blood Donation Opportunities June 16-30, 2011
WHITESIDE COUNTY
6/21/11
1:00 pm- 5:15 pm
Old Fulton Fire
912 4th Street
Fulton

6/22/11
10:00 am- 2:00 pm
Rock Falls Blood Donation Center
112 W. Second St.
Rock Falls

6/23/11
4:00 pm- 7:00 pm
Rock Falls Blood Donation Center
112 W. Second St.
Rock Falls

6/28/11 
1:00 pm-5:15 pm
Old Fulton Fire Station
912 4th Street
Fulton
Get a chance to win a portable GPS unit when you present to donate between June 27th & July 6th, 2011!

6/29/11
2:00 pm-6:00 pm
Rock Falls Blood Donation Center
112 W. Second St.
Rock Falls
Get a chance to win a portable GPS unit when you present to donate between June 27th & July 6th, 2011!

CLINTON COUNTY
6/16/11
10:00 am- 4:00 pm
Lyondell Chemical Company
3400 Anamosa Road
Clinton

6/19/11
8:00 am-12:00 pm
Assumption Catholic Church
147 Broadway Street
Charlotte

CARROLL COUNTY
6/16/11
1:00 pm-6:00 pm
Milledgeville First Brethren Church
521 N. Main Ave
Milledgeville
All presenting donors will be eligible to win a set of 2 free Chicago White Sox regular season home game tickets.

6/17/11
12:00 pm-6:00 pm
United Methodist Church
405 E.Locust
Lanark
All presenting donors will be eligible to win a set of 2 free Chicago White Sox regular season home game tickets.

6/22/11
12:00 pm-6:00 pm
Big Meadows Nursing Home
1000 Longmoor Ave
Savanna
All presenting donors will be eligible to win a set of 2 free Chicago White Sox regular season home game tickets.

Congress Urged to Include Legislation as Part of Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA)

(Silver Spring - June 1, 2011) - The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) applauds U.S. Representative David Loebsack (D-IA) on the reintroduction of the Reducing Barriers to Learning Act. This legislation would provide the leadership to ensure every student receives the critical supports necessary for school success.

"We have to give every student the opportunity to succeed, and for some children that means providing services to address their safety, health, and wellbeing in addition to meeting academic needs. This legislation will help schools and teachers better serve their students and comprehensively address their needs," said bill sponsor Loebsack.

The bill (H.R. 1995) will enable the U.S. Department of Education to establish the Office of Specialized Instructional Support to provide leadership, guidance, and technical assistance to State education agencies and local school districts in providing specialized instructional support services in schools. This effort will also improve cross-agency coordination of services and programs supporting students who face barriers to learning.

"School nurses see firsthand the need for state agencies to have a vehicle which can build their capacity to recruit and retain coordinators of specialized instructional supports at the local and state levels," said NASN President Sandra Delack.  "In addition, leadership at the federal level would greatly assist state and local levels enhance and streamline health and other services needed to help students meet academic and behavioral challenges."

NASN
The National Association of School Nurses is a non-profit specialty nursing organization, organized in 1968 and incorporated in 1977, representing school nurses exclusively. NASN has over 15,000 members and 51 affiliates, including the District of Columbia and overseas.  The mission of the NASN is to improve the health and educational success of children and youth by developing and providing leadership to advance the school nursing practice.  To learn more about NASN, please visit us on the Web at www.nasn.org or call 866-627-6767.

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Study: High-risk minority groups not being screened for diabetes

Even for patients with insurance, screening is below desired levels

 MADISON, Wis. -- Although people from certain ethnic groups are at high risk for getting diabetes and should be screened, a new study suggests that such screenings are not being done as often as they should.

Dr. Ann Sheehy, a hospitalist and clinical assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, was lead author of the findings, which will appear in the June edition of Diabetes Care.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says that African-Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, and Pacific Islanders should be screened through fasting blood tests. The research gathered data from more than 15,000 patients between 2003 and 2007.  All patients were insured and eligible for diabetes screening based on a number of ADA risk factors: 45 years or older, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, polycystic ovarian syndrome, obesity, heart disease, history of pre-diabetes, and ethnicity.

Sheehy and her colleagues at the University of Wisconsin Health Innovation Program say according to information obtained from the doctor visits of those in the study, more than 40 percent of minority patients should have been screened for diabetes based on their ethnic background, but were not.

"I believe there is a lack of awareness that minority status is an independent risk factor not only for having diabetes, but for complications with diabetes," she said.  "Minorities get diabetes more often and tend to do worse when they have diabetes.  I don't think providers are necessarily aware of this.  There has also not been enough public and provider education about the increased risks minority patients face not only in getting diabetes but also to have complications with the disease. We hope the information learned in this study will help us care for these patients better."

Sheehy said the research proves that increased screening efforts are needed for minority populations.

"Studies have previously shown that minority preventive care is less optimal due to a lack of health care insurance or lack of clinic visits," she said.  "In this study, we wanted to look at the effect of minority status alone without the confounding effects of lack of insurance or lack of visits.  That's why we only included patients with insurance and mandated at least one visit per year.  So, we were really able to focus on the fact that insurance status and access to care were not factors in our findings. In fact, the minority patients in this study actually had significantly more primary-care visits than our non- minority patients, so access to health care was clearly not a factor in our findings."

Sheehy said it is possible primary-care providers recommended diabetes screening for minorities, but those patients did not follow through on what needed to be done.

"Although we were unable to test for this possibility in the current study, it may be that minorities had unique barriers that prevented them from being able to return for fasting labs as frequently as other patients," she said.  "Historically, a patient would come to clinic, the doctor ordered lab work to be done, and since diabetes screening used to require fasting, the patient would have to return another day after an overnight fast to get this done."

Sheehy says new standards endorsed last year by the ADA that allow a non-fasting test to be done at the same time as the clinic visit may lead to increased diabetes screenings for minorities.

For more information on diabetes programs offered at UW Health, visit www.uwhealth.org/diabetes

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