RE: FEMA limitations

[Guest guest]

This is in response to Mr. Breitrose.

My response was aimed at general health services to the Hispanic community.

The Katrina disaster just brought focus as to how minorities are

treated by our government. Unfortunately it has brought worldwide

attention once again on how minorities are treated in this country. Of

which

I must admit has brought shame to many of us. My response was aimed more

at migrant health and the perception by non Hispanics as to why there

are so many problems in this system.

Mr. Breitrose, it is important for you to understand that race and racial

discrimination in health services is a documented fact and has been for

many years. When academic researchers are investigating lack of health

services to the Hispanic community, budget and budget cuts have

little to do with the effectiveness of this system. On the contrary, it's a

quick excuse to continue not to service the Hispanic community.

During economic stability, health services to the Hispanic community is

avoided or conveniently channeled into " other services. " Let me

share with you first hand experience.

As a former government representative and someone who works with area

agencies, I attended a health meeting where health services were

discussed with key constituents. At one point discussion was aimed at

influenza injections for the elderly and general public. I brought

up the issue of distribution of health information in Spanish since our

community had over 5000 Hispanics of which 90% are migrant farm workers.

The response I received from the public health official will be one I will

never forget.

At one point in the meeting the public health official, who was a trained

and a certified nurse, held a county position and had an extensive

medical background turned to me and handed me a stack of medical documents

and simply said, " here is the flu information

you can translate it. " This by no means is an isolated experience but

should demonstrate to you the level of disregard for this population.

I do not have a medical degree nor am I a professional medical translator.

Not to mention how unprofessional it was of her to assume that I

was able to coordinate such an effort. She was fully aware of this.

Mr. Breitrose, migrant health researchers need to acknowledge the fact that

there is racial discrimination in health services and that many

lives are impacted by this. My experience is just one grain and may be

considered insignificant by some. But academic researchers need

to acknowledge this to effectively articulate remedies.

Let me present a challenge to you, I have been researching a new disease

that is at epidemic levels among Hispanics and its called pterygium.

Pterygium affects about 70% of Hispanic men and 30% of women. My research

has found that the disease has become genetically aggressive

seriously impacting the vision of these individuals. Contrary to the

information that is on the internet I believe that pterygium has become

a contagion.

So, let me know what you need and I will forward it to you.

Sincerely,

Rene Quintana

Researcher

Adelante Farm Worker Outreach

[Guest guest]

Dear Rene,

I agree why is pterygium so common in this group. I assumed it was a result of UV =outdoor light exposure and irritation from dust, chemicals, pollution. Maybe we need to contact a group that would support a research study of this. The Lions Club is a good national group that supports Vision issues. The state public health department, epidemiology branch or the CDC epidemiology branch might want to study this as well.

I studied in medical school with an ophthalmoogist who was into public health and studied Trachoma among other epidemic eye diseases.

If you aware of any good epdmiological studies on this subject (whether done with Spanish speaking persons or not), please send me your info.

Thanks.

Mark Lessner, M.D.

P.S.: I am sure you can find numerous peer-reviewed studies that confirm that health care in the US is for the "Haves" and the "Have-nots" get the left overs if they are lucky. Now, even the 'Haves" are now finding it difficult to afford routine medical care and companies like Ford and GM are talking about national health insurance. If we do get National health Insurance, how fair will it be? Not very fair if there is not some agreement that many people have been left out of health care for years and need extra help. Back fifty years or more ago, African Americans were generally considered lazy----in fact many were sick with pellagra and severe hookworm disease and had no energy to work. They were stigmatized as lazy when in fact they were sick. Unfortunately there is still pellagra and hookworm disease in some parts of the rural south.

[Guest guest]

Dear Rene,

I am just a lowly physician working in Soledad,Monterey county for the Clinica de Salud del Valle deSalinas. I have training in public health, epidemiology, clinical genetics, etc. but am not in a very good position to instigate a study by myself. But I'd love to participate---there are now some organization that use local docs to do basic primary care research--eg the AAFP has a program. Maybe someone at UC Berkeley School of Public Health? How can I get that Ph.D. paper you mentioned?

Have you ever tried to contact the California Health Dept Epidemiology branch or the CDC's Epidemiologic Intelligence service(EIS) ?? One of my old profs in medical school was in the EIS and his research project was "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome!" The Lions Club does a lot nationally to promote eye health---maybe they'd like to sponsor a study?

Thanks.

Mark Lessner, M.D.

[Guest guest]

Thank

you Mark, me too I’m lowly but I’m not sure in what. Its good to hear from you. Do me a favor and look at your Hispanic patients.

Look

into their eyes. If you see cornea

malformation its pterygium. Its at

epidemic levels. Its affecting Hispanic

men so its being ignored

At

this time. Get back to me,

Rene

Quintana

ALMA

-----Original Message-----

From:

[mailto: ]On Behalf Of Mmlessner@...

Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2005

9:29 PM

To:

Subject: Re:

[ ] FEMA limitations

Dear

Rene,

I am just a lowly physician working in Soledad,Monterey county for the Clinica

de Salud del Valle deSalinas. I have training in public health,

epidemiology, clinical genetics, etc. but am not in a very good position to

instigate a study by myself. But I'd love to participate---there are now

some organization that use local docs to do basic primary care research--eg the

AAFP has a program. Maybe someone at UC Berkeley School of Public

Health? How can I get that Ph.D. paper you mentioned?

Have you ever tried to contact the California Health Dept Epidemiology branch

or the CDC's Epidemiologic Intelligence service(EIS) ?? One of my old

profs in medical school was in the EIS and his research project was

" Chinese Restaurant Syndrome! " The Lions Club does a lot nationally

to promote eye health---maybe they'd like to sponsor a study?

Thanks.

Mark Lessner, M.D.