Opinions
DATE: May 8, 2005
Letters to the Editor
Durham-Herald Sun
[email protected]
Dear Editor:
Sunday, Mothers Day, marked the beginning of National
Women's Health Week. While the day itself presented
an opportunity to recognize the significant and influential
women in our lives, this week provides a platform from
which to address the much greater issue of women's
health and specifically its effect on infant mortality
in our community and across the state.
Women are the heart and soul of our society. They
lead, prepare, provide, guide and nurture. Women are
pillars of the workforce, leaders in the community
and, most often, they are mothers - fostering the development
of a child physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Uniquely, a woman's health is paramount to not only
her survival, but to that of her children. Oftentimes
this critical relationship - between a mother's health
and the survival of her baby - is overlooked. But without
a healthy mother, an infant's development can be jeopardized,
as well as his or her life. With our state's infant
mortality rate consistently ranking near the bottom
nationally, it is essential that this relationship
not be taken for granted. After all, every nine hours
a baby dies in North Carolina.
The leading causes of infant death are prematurity,
low birthweight births and birth defects. Many of the
risk factors that contribute to these causes directly
relate to women's health. Lack of health care, chronic
disease, poor nutrition, stress, tobacco use, and alcohol
or drug abuse are all factors which dramatically affect
the likelihood of a successful birth. So are properly
spacing the time between the birth of one child and
conception of the next and taking a daily multivitamin
containing folic acid to combat potential some birth
defects.
Infant deaths, however, are just part of the problem.
Often times, babies born premature or low birthweight
do manage to survive, but in many cases suffer from
mild to severe health complications. This is often
referred to as infant morbidity and it has a tremendous
affect on families and communities. Parents and families
struggle to cope with potential lifelong physical,
emotional and learning disabilities. In addition, expenses
associated with specialized services for low birthweight
or premature babies, including hospital care, physical
therapy and medical equipment can cost up to half a
million dollars for a baby's first year of life.
Emphasizing a woman's overall health is an essential
next step in the reduction of infant mortality and
morbidity. By proactively living a healthier lifestyle,
women increase their own life expectancy and reduce
the chance of one day experiencing an infant death.
Expanding beyond prenatal care, it is necessary to
promote healthy living for all woman of childbearing
age. This is particularly relevant given that half
of all pregnancies are unintended.
Sample data compiled by the State Center for Health
Statistics revealed the following information about
health status of women in Durham County, which is consistent
with statewide figures.
- 51% are overweight or obese
- 22% have not exercised within the last year
- 15% rate their health as poor or fair
- 15% smoke
- 17% under age 65 are currently without health coverage
- 42% of women ages 18-44 do not take a multivitamin
containing folic acid
*Source: NC State Center for Health Statistics: Behavioral
Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
It appears evident that the overall health of women
in Durham County, and across the state, could be improved.
Ultimately the decision to lead a healthier life is
a very personal one. And in a country where emphasis
is placed more on convenience than personal well-being,
it is often times a difficult decision to make. However,
others - family members, friends and community groups
- are influential and can support a woman's decision
to make deliberate and responsible lifestyle and behavior
changes.
As citizens, we must commit to improve the health
and well-being of our state's female population. We
must strive to draw attention to the importance that
healthy decisions make in a woman's life, as well as
in that of her family and the community in which she
lives. By increasing access to healthcare services,
endorsing programs fostering improved women's health
and promoting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle,
we help ensure the promise of healthier women and positively
impact the lives of the next generation of North Carolina
children.
Charles A. Sanders, M.D.
Immediate Past Chairman
North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation
Back to Opinions list
Back to top
|
