Take a loved one for a checkup: national campaign urges blacks to address healthcare disparity.One of the best gifts you can give a loved one is a trip to the doctor. The annual Take a Loved One for a Checkup check·up n. 1. An examination or inspection. 2. A general physical examination. checkup See Yearly checkup. Day is challenging African Americans African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. to take charge of their healthcare needs and turn around some of the disparities in medical treatment. "The program is designed to help people go to the doctor to make sure they are evaluated," says Dr. Olethia Chisolm, a specialist in internal medicine at the Houston-based Kelsey-Seybold Clinic The Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is a large multi-specialty clinic system located in the metro area of Houston. The clinic system is a major provider of healthcare for NASA and a center for healthcare research. , one of the medical facilities participating in the campaign. Hosted by radio personality Tom Joyner Thomas "Tom" Joyner (born November 23, 1949) is an American radio host. His daily program, The Tom Joyner Morning Show, is syndicated across the United States and heard by over ten million radio listeners. He is married to fitness guru Donna Richardson. , Take A Loved One for a Checkup Day is part of a national campaign sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Noun 1. Department of Health and Human Services - the United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with health and welfare; created in 1979 Health and Human Services, HHS that encourages individuals to see a healthcare professional on Sept. 20, 2005. As it stands, there are significant differences between white and African American patients. Compared with whites, African Americans are more likely to be seen by physicians who had less experience (i.e., fewer years since completing training), according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a study titled Patient Race/Ethnicity and Quality of Patient-Physician Communication During Medical Visits. The most glaring glar·ing adj. 1. Shining intensely and blindingly: the glaring noonday sun. 2. Tastelessly showy or bright; garish. 3. finding in the study, however, is that physicians are more likely to dominate the conversation when treating black patients, notes Dr. Rachel L. Johnson, an author of the study. Johnson reported that during an average visit, physicians talked 43% more than black patients and 24% more than white patients. "Patient-centered communication, including greater patient input into the medical dialogue, has been associated with better patient recall of information, treatment adherence, satisfaction with care, and health outcomes," the report concludes, stating that the overall tone of medical visits for African Americans is less positive than it is for whites. Experts are hoping their campaign will change that. "If nothing else, it's a conversation piece to make people aware of their healthcare needs," says Chisolm. |
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