MI women’s health needs begin in adolescence / Public News Service

The need for Michigan women to put their health first doesn’t stop when National Women’s Health Month ends this week.

One expert said it’s time to remind the women in your life how important their health is and not forget the teens.

Dr. Donna O’Shea, an OB/GYN and UnitedHealthcare’s medical director of population health, said health problems often arise during the adolescenceso it’s critical that girls get healthy meals, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and age-appropriate health exams and immunizations.

O’Shea recommended that behavioral health issues like depression and anxiety should be part of the picture, especially since the pandemic.

“There are so many options that can really make treatment more convenient and affordable, because we have virtual care options, like psychologists and psychiatrists,” O’Shea said. “Access has actually improved post-COVID.”

Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates 57% of high school girls have experienced “persistent feelings of sadness” in the past year, which is significantly higher than the 36% reported 10 years ago.

O’Shea suggested that a teen’s pediatrician is a great place to start conversations about behavioral health, since they’ve seen it often over the years and built trust. They can help her recognize things and feelings that are normal parts of development. O’Shea added that more school districts are also becoming resources by making students’ mental health a priority with their counselors.

“A lot of school communities have really embraced that concept,” O’Shea emphasized. “And it’s great for those schools that can offer those services.”

According to the World Health Organization, half of all mental health disorders present in adulthood begin by age 14, but most cases go away. undetected and untreated.

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Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for Utah women.

According to the Utah Women and Leadership Project at Utah State University, Utah is in the top three lowest ranked states in the country for mammography screening rates in women age 40 and older. According to the group, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services was unable to meet its goal of having 76% of Utah women age 40 and older screened for breast cancer by 2020.

Chloe Bhowmick, a clinical psychologist and researcher with the Utah Women and Leadership Project, said many of the challenges inhibiting mammography rates are “financial and systemic.”

“Having no insurance, not having insurance coverage through your job, not being able to get time off,” Bhowmick described. “I think those are all pretty important factors that we found or at least assumed were pretty significant.”

Bhowmick noted that other factors that have negatively affected screening rates include a lack of affordable child care, discrepancies between mammography guidelines and differing levels of health literacy. Only 62.7% of Utah women age 40 and older reported having had a mammogram in the past two years. The national average for American women in the same group was 69%.

Bhowmick stressed that it’s also important not to forget that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, medical centers are still catching up with the backlog of mammogram appointments, which can further delay preventive services.

Bhowmick added that while the Beehive State is currently 6.3% below the national average, steps can be taken by state and local systems to increase detection rates, including having insurance systems that integrate patient notices into electronic record systems. , track how often providers remind people about preventive care and employers who implement initiatives like wellness programs and policies.

“I think by having systems that support women, women will be able to realize that this should be a priority with certain age groups, but they will also have the freedom to go,” Bhowmick explained.

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services has a goal of having 81% of age-eligible women in Utah get a mammogram by 2030. Bhowmick emphasized that education and advocacy from community groups can help the state reach your goal.

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In conclusion Women’s Health Weekdoctors are urging women to take stock of their mental health.

Dr. Sharon Eloranta, chief medical officer for the Washington Health Alliance, said COVID-19 was hard on everyone and led to a decline in health screenings.

Once the worst of the pandemic is over, she said, some women may need to consider how to prioritize their health.

“Women experienced more anxiety and stress during the time of the pandemic,” Eloranta said, “and I think that may have reflected the fact that they not only care about their own health, but also about the health of the people in their lives.” families and others. And that can be a hill to climb if you’re trying to get back to taking good care of yourself.”

For Women’s Health Week, which runs through Saturday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is asking women to schedule regular checkups, exercise, and eat a healthy, balanced diet.

CDC Data Shows a Worrying Trend in mental health, with the rate of young girls saying they attempted suicide twice that of young boys.

Dr. Donna O’Shea, an OB/GYN and medical director of Population Health at UnitedHealthcare, said parents should be on the lookout for symptoms of depression and anxiety in teens.

“Especially after COVID,” O’Shea said. “We found that 57% of high school girls experienced persistent feelings of sadness in the past year. Ten years ago, that number was just 36%.”

Eloranta said it’s important for people to pay attention when they don’t feel normal.

“‘I’m just down, and nothing that usually makes me happy tends to change it.’ So it’s time to reach out and try to find some support,” Eloranta said. “And again, it can be through your employer, it can be through your primary care. You can always call a friend and see if they have any referrals so you can go and get help.”

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Two groups are working to create equal opportunities for Black and Latina women in the trucking industry.

He Truist Foundation has pledged $1.5 million to the Action Opportunities Fund to support the Down Payment Assistance Programwhose goal is to empower minority women by helping them become first-time truck owners and entrepreneurs.

Luz Urrutia, executive director of the Accion Opportunity Fund, said the move is crucial to closing the capital gap for underrepresented groups.

“The United States is in the midst of a business boom with a record number of small businesses, and they are run by women and people of color,” Urrutia said. “At the same time, there is a $130 million funding gap for small businesses that need less than $100,000 in this country.”

Urrutia noted that since 2010, the Accion Opportunity Fund has invested $360 million in the trucking industry, providing crucial support to more than 6,000 first-time truck buyers through loans.

Nicole Ward, president of the Trucking Association of African American Women and a Georgia trucking entrepreneur, has firsthand experience with the challenges women of color face when entering the trucking industry.

Despite encountering setbacks trying to purchase his first truck, Ward persevered and now advocates for others in his community to do the same.

“I thought it would be as easy as buying a car, but I didn’t realize that going into the industry you’re considered a weaker link because it’s a male-dominated industry,” Ward explained. “Instead of jumping into the transportation industry, I had to crawl out because I didn’t have the financial support I needed.”

Ward hopes the Accion Opportunity Fund Program will set a precedent for other financial institutions by ensuring equal access to financing for entrepreneurs of color.

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