Project CONNECT: The Bridge to
Healthy Communities Through
Research
Volume 3, Issue 4
Volume 3, Issue 4
December 2007
Message from the Project Director
Inside this issue:
Upcoming Events
Family Health
Portraits
1
2
Importance of Dental 3
Care
The Sister Study
Happy Holidays!
As we prepare for 2008
we remain committed to
raising awareness of the
importance of diverse
representation in health
research. This year Project CONNECT has had
the opportunity to attend many health fairs
and community events,
and we encourage you to
continue sharing health information with your
family and friends.
Thank you for your continued participation in the
Project CONNECT registry . If you have any
questions or comments or are interested in updating your contact information, you may visit our
secure website at www.connect.unc.edu or email
us at [email protected] or call toll-free at 1-866849-1579.
Sincerely,
Giselle Corbie-Smith, MD, MSc
This issue features tips to help you maintain your
weight during the holiday season.
3
Tips for Healthy
Holiday Eating
4
Sweet Potato
Custard
4
We also highlight Family Health Portraits, a helpful tool used to organize and share your family’s
medical history. Additionally, Ashley Blacktree, a
current UNC School of Dentistry student, discusses the importance of dental health.
Finally, in this issues’ healthful recipe section you
will find sweet potato custard.
Upcoming Events
⇒ 29th Annual Minority Health Conference: The Impact of Poverty, Culture, and Environment on Minority Health. February 29, 2008, The Friday Center, Chapel Hill, NC. Presented by the UNC-CH School of Public Health Minority Student Caucus. For more information, call (919) 966-2089 or go to: www.minority.unc.edu.
⇒ 9th Annual Women’s Health Research Day, April 1-2, 2008, The Friday Center, Chapel
Hill, NC. Sponsored by The Center for Women’s Health Research at UNC. Free registration
is required. Register online at www.cwhr.unc.edu. Deadline for registration is March 28, 2008.
For information, call (919) 966-7521.
Funding for this project is
provided by NCMHD (National
Center on Minority Health and
Health Disparities).
⇒ Carolina Community Network Cancer Grants for Community Partners, Spring 2008.
Stay tuned for future announcements about this opportunity to submit proposals that target
cancer education, dissemination of evidence-based cancer interventions, or development of
community-initiated cancer research projects. For more information please contact Michelle
Man ni ng a t m man ni n g@ sc h sr .u nc .e d u or ( 919) 9 66-43 71 or vi sit
www.carolinacommunitynetwork.org.
Page 2
Project CONNECT: The Bridge to Healthy Communities Through Research
Volume 3, Issue 4
Family Health Portraits
By Melissa Green, Project CONNECT Coordinator
Tina was 36, when she found out that her 38 year old brother had Type 2 HOW TO CREATE A FAMILY HEALTH PORTRAIT
diabetes. Soon afterwards she was surprised to learn that her grandmother and
This
storyprovider,
can fit 150-200
your newsletter
is to
uncle also had diabetes. Talking with her
health
Tina learned how tent
Freetotemplates
to print
or build Family Health Portraits online can
words.
develop and write your own
often she should have her blood glucose (sugar) tested and how maintaining a be found at https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/. Step-by-step details for
articles, or include a calendar
healthy weight, balanced eating habits, and
keeping
physically
during, and after your talks with family members are proOne
benefit
of usingactive
yourcould pre- ofbefore,
upcoming events or a special
as a promotional
vent a diabetes diagnosis. She also learnednewsletter
that these same
behaviors could help offer
vided.
that promotes a new
that founds
you can
reuse
conher family members control their diabetes. tool
Her isfamily
ways
to get
health- product.
tent from other marketing
ier together.
It may be difficult to complete the information for relatives who
materials, such as press reYou
also research
havecanpassed
or are articles
far away. Do what you can. An incomplete
leases,
market
studies,
and
or
find
“filler”
articles
by acThe holidays are a time to enjoy family, reflect on family traditions, health portrait is better
than no portrait at all.
reports.gathering consider taking cessing the World Wide Web.
and make new ones. At a future family
You can write about a variety
some time to create a family health portrait.
While your main goal of disWHAT TO DO WITH A FAMILY PORTRAIT
tributing a newsletter might be
to sell yourPORTRAIT?
product or service,
WHAT IS A FAMILY HEALTH
the key to a successful newsletter is makingbyit useful
to your
A family health portrait is a tool developed
the U.S.
Surgeon
General, Dr. Richard Carmona, to readers.
organize and display your fam-
of topics but try to keep your
articles short.
Caption describing
picture or graphic.
After you collect the health information about your family history,
Much
theask
content
you questions
put in
use itofto
specific
about your health risks with your
your
newsletter
can
also
be
health professional. Share information with your siblings, parents,
used
for your
Web site. Microchildren.
Remember
to keep the information updated. Updating
soft
Publisher
offers
a simple
ily’s health history. Family historyAisgreat
an important
factor
your family’s information
can become a new family tradition!
way to addrisk
useful
con- for way
to convert your newslet-
some diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. A
recent survey found that 96% of Americans believe that knowing
family history is important. However, less than a third of Americans have ever tried to gather their family’s health history.
WHY CREATE A FAMILY HEALTH PORTRAIT?
Families share genes, their environment, and some lifestyle habits.
These factors can predict some health conditions. However, everyone’s health history is different. Knowing your family health history can help you and your health professional determine your risk
for developing certain conditions and what changes can be made to
reduce your risk. Based on what is learned from your family health
portrait, health screening tests and/or healthier behaviors may be
recommended.
“To catch the reader's attention, place
an interesting sentence or quote from
the story here.”
Learning Your Family History is as
easy as 1, 2, 3…
The U.S. Surgeon General’s Family History
Initiative
The Project CONNECT staff would like to thank the following students for their contributions to the newsletter: Megan Christopher, Bita Emrani, Sarah O’Brien.
Volume 3, Issue 4
Project CONNECT: The Bridge to Healthy Communities Through Research
How Important Is It to Get Dental Care?
By Ashley Blacktree, 3rd year student, UNC School of Dentistry
Many of us know someone who has avoided dental care because of fear of pain or fear of the bill.
Unmet dental needs are among the most important and most often reported need of children.1
On February 25, 2007, Deamonte Driver died
from health complications of a rotten tooth,
something that could have been prevented with
proper dental care. Deamonte and his family did
not have dental insurance. The family’s Medicaid
coverage had lapsed. Without treatment, the
decay led to a dental abscess, a collection of infected material at the center of the tooth. The
bacteria in the abscess entered into his bloodstream and spread to his brain. Doctors performed two surgeries in an unsuccessful attempt
to save Deamonte’s life.
Currently over 75 clinics in North Carolina are
committed to providing dental care to those with
low incomes. To access these clinics visit
http://www.communityhealth.dhhs.state.nc.us/d
ental/safety_net_clinics.htm, or contact your local
health department to determine if dental care is
provided. Some health departments limit care to
children.
Another alternative is to seek treatment at the
University Of North Carolina School Of Den1
tistry. To learn more information about becoming a patient at the dental school call (919) 9661161or
visit
the
website
at
http://www.dent.unc.edu/patient/new.htm.
The UNC Chapter of the Student National Dental Association provided dental screenings and
information to prevent dental decay at area health
fairs like Asbury Temple UMC this fall. Some of
the recommended oral hygiene tips to improve
one’s oral health include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Get a cleaning twice a year.
Brush twice a day with fluoridated tooth
paste for two minutes and floss once a
day.
Chew sugar free gum, preferably with
Xylitol, an ingredient that helps prevent
cavities.
Eat crunchy snacks like carrots instead of
chewy snacks like raisins that will get
stuck in the pits and fissures of one’s
teeth.
Try drinking water throughout the day
instead of soda and sweet tea.
Buy bottled water with fluoride.
Mouradian WE, Wehr E, Crall JJ. Disparities in children’s oral health and access to dental care. JAMA. 2000;284:2625–2631
Page 3
Project CONNECT
Cecil G. Sheps Center for HSR
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
725 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Campus Box 7590
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7590
Project CONNECT
Cecil G. Sheps Center
for Health Services Research
University of North CarolinaChapel Hill
Giselle Corbie-Smith, MD, MSc
Director
Melissa Green, MPH
Coordinator
Michelle Hayes
Research Assistant
Phone: 919-966-7107
Toll Free: 866-849-1579
Fax: 919-966-3811
Email: [email protected]
Project CONNECT
The Bridge to Healthy
Communities Through
Research
The Project CONNECT
Newsletter is a publication of
the Carolina-Shaw Partnership
for the Elimination of Health
Disparities, which is based at
the Cecil G. Sheps Center for
Health Services Research at
UNC-Chapel and at the Shaw
University Divinity School.
Designed by:
Audrina J. Bunton, MA
Co-Edited by:
Joi Bland, MPH
Melissa Green, MPH
Michelle Hayes
Making the Feast Healthier
When making your traditional holiday feasts this year, try and make
them healthier. There are four principles to guide you in the
kitchen.
•
Modify - Use a healthier cooking method. Broiling, grilling
and baking are better options than frying.
•
Reduce - You can use smaller amounts of fat, sugar and salt
than most recipes call for.
•
Eliminate - Sometimes you can leave out an unhealthy ingredient. Salt is an easy one to omit.
•
Substitute - Look for healthier ingredients to replace those
high in calories, fat, sodium, sugar or cholesterol.
Source: Eat Smart Move More...Maintain Don’t Gain Holiday
Challenge, http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com
Sweet Potato Custard
Ingredients (Makes 6 servings)
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
1/2 mashed banana (about 2 small)
1 cup evaporated skim milk
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 beaten egg yolks (or 1/3 cup egg substitute)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Nonstick spray coating
Preparation
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium bowl stir together sweet potato and
banana. Add milk, blending well. Add brown
sugar, egg yolks, and salt, mixing thoroughly.
Combine raisins, sugar, and cinnamon; sprinkle over
top of sweet potato mixture. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out
clean.
Per Serving
Calories: 144
Total fat: 2 g
Saturated fat: 0.7 g
Cholesterol: 92 mg
Sodium: 235 mg
Dietary fiber: 1.4 g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Protein: 6g
Source: Down Home Health: Family Recipes of
Spray a 1-quart casserole with nonstick spray coat- Black American Chefs, National Institutes of
Health, National Cancer Institute
ing. Transfer sweet potato mixture to casserole.