Health News in Brief Joe Wins Seven Awards in Health Communications
Window Rock, AZ – Navajo Division of Health public relations officer George Joe recently won seven journalism and public relations awards for his work with the Navajo Nation Division of Health. In August, Joe won five journalism awards at the Unity: Journalists of Color convention held in Washington, D.C. They included two first place awards for news writing, a second and third place award for feature writing, and a second place award for general excellence. Joe also won a state award from the Arizona Department of Health for his work in developing the NDOH newsletter Ats´íís Baahané and for a special edition last year focusing on the West Nile virus. Joe oversees the editorial direction and production of the publication, and three of his Unity journalism awards were for his work with the newsletter.
	George Joe, Navajo Division of Health Public Relations officer

"The newsletter communicates to people in decision-making positions what is going on in Navajo health care," Joe said. "At the same time, it provides little nuggets of information about health prevention in diabetes, STDs, mental health, West Nile virus, and other health concerns."

Joe also became a recipient of the National Impact Award from the National Indian Health Board for working with daily newspaper reporters in developing five health care stories during the year that ran in hundreds of influential national newspapers such as the Baltimore Sun and the Los Angeles Times, and for a separate story in the Weekend Edition of National Public Radio. Joe was one of six this year from across Indian Country receiving the prestigious award.

"The Navajo Nation is fortunate to have Mr. Joe's expertise and talent," said NDOH Executive Director Anslem Roanhorse, Jr. "He is very good at what he does."

Joe has been with NDOH for two years as senior public relations officer. He has been in communications and journalism for 10 years.

New IHS Website Highlights Importance of CHRs

Washington, D.C. – The Indian Health Service has launched a new national website aimed at supporting the critical role Community Health Representatives (CHRs) play as a link between the IHS and the health care of patients in Indian Country. The CHR program was started in 1968 by the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity and later adopted by IHS. The self-monitoring program encourages the involvement of American Indians and Alaska Natives in identifying and addressing their own health issues and works to improve cross-cultural communication between the Indian community and professional health care providers. As paraprofessional healthcare providers, CHRs also act as advocates to IHS and engage in individual outreach work to patients, aiding health promotion and disease prevention. The website lists information in a wide variety of subject areas related to the work of CHRs, and can be accessed at http://www.ihs.gov/NonMedicalPrograms/chr/mission.cfm

Link Between Diabetes and Soda Consumption

Phoenix, AZ – The Journal of the American Medical Association reports a link between Type 2 diabetes, which affects about 17 million Americans, and an increase in the consumption of sugary drinks in the United States over the past several decades.

In its August 25 issue, JAMA reports that the prevalence of diabetes and obesity has increased rapidly over the last two decades, coinciding with an increase in soft drink consumption by 61 percent in adults from 1977 to 1997, and a more than doubling of soft drink consumption in children and adolescents. Carbonated soft drinks are the third most-consumed beverage in the world, with individual consumption at about 30 liters annually. In the United States, however, consumption is seven times that, with the United States leading the world in soft drink consumption.

JAMA reports that Indian youth drink enormous amounts of sugary liquids, and that this has resulted in an epidemic of Type 2 diabetes and obesity in Indian Country. Recent studies show that Indian youths drink up to seven colas a day in Southwest Indian Country, such as in the Zuni Pueblo of New Mexico. Since the average can of soda contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar, Zuni Pueblo youth can consume up to 70 teaspoons of sugar a day. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has launched a diabetes awareness campaign among American Indians and Alaska Natives, who are more than twice as likely to develop Type 2 diabetes as non-Hispanic whites.

Some American Indian conventions are now providing alternatives to soda in their meetings, opting for bottled water and fruit juices. In Arizona, where Gila River O'otham diabetes rates are the highest in the world, traditional Native drinks are once again showing up, including herb tea or fresh juice made from saguaro cactus fruit. Diabetes is responsible for 12 percent of deaths nationwide, and the global death toll from diabetes exceeds the 3 million killed annually by AIDS.

IHS Announces Major Reorganization

Washington, D.C. – The Indian Health Service has begun a reorganization of its administrative headquarters that is expected to take place over several months and have a positive impact on IHS field operations and tribal health care programs, according to the agency. The transition began in August after two years of planning and consultation with tribes. The new structure reflects current and emerging priorities of the agency, and will flatten the management structure by eliminating an entire layer of bureaucracy.

"A six to 12-month transition period is under way. The transition is anticipated to be smooth, and provision of health care services to IHS patients and beneficiaries should not be disrupted," said IHS head Dr. Charles W. Grim. "Reorganization does not mean downsizing. Every employee has a place in the new organizational structure. A few positions may shift to a different unit and a few new critical positions may be added to the organization as suggested by tribal leaders during the two-year planning and consultation effort. We look forward to the benefits that this new structure will bring."

The reorganization is aimed at streamlining and reducing the multi-layers of management, enhancing collaboration between IHS and other Health and Human Services programs, establishing closer ties and relationships to field offices and programs, establishing a leadership structure better matched to emerging needs and trends, placing greater emphasis on ensuring access for American Indians and Alaska Natives to non-IHS health care resources and services, focusing less on bureaucratic oversight, and closing the health gap between American Indian/Alaska Natives and other Americans.

The reorganization is expected to cause minimal changes in IHS headquarters work force levels, now at half of its mid-1990s levels. The top leadership structure is not expected to be affected by the reorganization, although a number of positions in top management have been newly filled. The reorganization is set to be completed by the end of January 2005.

Additional information about the IHS headquarters reorganization can be found at http://www.ihs.gov/NonMedicalPrograms/HRG/Index.asp.

AIROS Announces Live Health Show

American Indian Radio on Satellite (AIROS) has added a live show to its programming that focuses on healthy living. The weekly call-in program, American Indian Living, is hosted by Dr. David DeRose, a specialist in internal and preventive medicine who also holds a master's degree in Public Health. Produced by the Native Education and Health Initiative, the show broadcasts live each Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time.

"Our target audience is American Indians, but we invite everyone to listen to American Indian Living," says DeRose. "We want American Indian Living to be responsive to the needs of communities. The call-in format helps to ensure this."

AIROS is a non-profit satellite radio service sponsored by Native American Public Telecommunications, and broadcasts Native American news, music, interviews and discussions of current issues in Indian Country and the world. A listing of AIROS broadcast affiliates can be found at http://www.airos.org

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