Primary Care Physicians Link Social Barriers to Poor Health
Health Leaders Media, John Commins, 12/08/2011

This report listed above is from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation Newsletter.  The content of this report  should not be a surprise to anyone.  We applaud RWJF for commissioning it, but the facts provided have long been known.  It has always been evident to anyone who wished to see it that those who are disenfranchised tend to have poorer health status than those who are affluent, educated and have access to health care.  As a society we have chosen not to see the severe impact that social barriers play in the lives of those less fortunate.   In fact, there are those in America who are vested in a permanent underclass.  This is why every caring American — and particularly those who have been entrusted with political leadership — should be ashamed and be aggrieved that in this land of plenty, this place that so many of us are proud of, there are so many homeless, so many uneducated, so many abused and discarded (particularly children and the elderly) and so many without access to health care.   Those without health care are often referred to as irresponsible.

Many people in third world countries would be stunned, shocked, if they were to come to America and see our discarded people.  The fact that the Tea Partiers and the Republican Party have fought so hard against health care for everyone, and the fact that President Obama felt he had to give up on a public option so as to get a watered down health care bill pass the Congress is indeed a sad commentary on America as a nation.  Now there are those who are fighting to discard even that watered down version of health care that we got.  That Bill has already saved thousands of lives.  It has made it possible for some of us to be able to go to the doctor.   It has been a relief to hundreds of thousands of Americans.  Yet there are those who are opposing it under the malicious guise  that it in interferring in people’s lives.  This was the same uproar we heard when Medicare was before the Congress in 1965.   In fact, Ronald Reagan, as governor of California campaigned against Medicare. Today, in 2011, Medicare  is one of the BEST programs America offers to its seniors.

People who are educated, hardworking and dedicated citizens who have worked for decades in America can end up losing their homes and most of what they own due to medical bills.  It is frightening.  Large and smaller corporations (utility  companies, manufacturers, health conglomerates, small health corporations and private practitioners) function essentially as bullies, to oppress and intimidate the average citizen; as a result many people lose services and end up in dire straights.  This happens daily across America and there seems to be no respite for such people unless they can come together with others in similar circumstances and find good hearted, humane  attorneys, or a legal advocacy group to help them to form coalitions and become strong advocates for themselves.  OneWorld strongly advocates for such coalitions and for poor people not to give up.  If America is to truly function as a democracy poor people will have to learn to FIGHT for themselves.  We need to engage; we need to become informed and use information to empower ourselves.  It is daunting yes, but it can be done especially when we join hands with others.

“Primary care physicians say pervasive and stubborn social barriers such as a lack of access to adequate housing, transportation, and nutritious, affordable food may impact patient health as much as access to direct medical care, a survey shows.”

“The online survey of 1,000 primary care physicians, including 310 pediatricians, was conducted in September and October on behalf of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  We have to think about how do we help physicians connect their patients to other providers or to services that are going to have as much impact on their health outcomes as the physician visit will have?” 

Can you believe that in 2011 this is news?   Yet, it is better late than never.  We hope they find an answer; the fact that they are asking this question in 2011, while the problem has been evident for at least 50 years is another statement about the American social, political and economic systems.  Here are some of the key findings from the physicians’ survey:

• 85% of physicians say unmet social needs are directly leading to worse health for all Americans.
•  85% of physicians say patients’ social needs are as important to address as their medical conditions. This is especially true for physicians (or 95%) serving patients in low-income, urban communities. 
•  76% of physicians want the healthcare system to cover the costs associated with connecting patients to services that meet their social needs if a physician deems it important for overall health.
•  Only 20% of physicians feel confident or very confident in their ability to address their patients’ unmet social needs. 
•  Physicians said that if they had the power to write prescriptions to address social needs, these would represent 1 out of every 7 prescriptions they write— or an average of 26 additional prescriptions per week.

Although we have known for over 50 years that unmet social needs are directly leading to worse health for poor Americans, it is news in 2011 because it is now applied to all Americans.  This means not just Blacks and Hispanics; it is now also affecting “regular whites” and therefore it is a reason for alarm.  Something now needs to be done.  Blacks, Hispanics and the poor have been dying of deprivation and neglect for decades. We hope that now that the same malady is affecting those considered to be “regular, normal people” and not just those of us who bring these things upon ourselves, not just those of us who are lazy and careless — something WILL BE DONE! 

 Visit our http://www.oneworldpi.org/health/health_videos.html to see some of our health literacy programs; they are all available on DVDs for a very nominal cost.  We wish our visitors good health and full engagement in democracy.

GOP’s horse-race politics  

By REP. ROSA DELAURO
(Published in  Politico  Dec. 14, 2011)  All highlights below were inserted by N. Shani

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) is ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies.  © 2011 POLITICO LLC

GET ENGAGED PEOPLE – Democracy is NOT a spectator sport.  Become really informed.  Neither RIGHT WING nor LEFT WING presents all of the FACTS.   However, there are some powerful (and checked) facts in this article by Congresswoman DeLauro.  We need to become involved to restore prosperity to our country.  We should NOT be held economic hostage so that the super rich can benefit from Republican draconian fiscal policies and practices.  It is morally reprehensible. N. S.S.

Republicans in Congress, despite their affinity for tax cuts, last week blocked a critical extension and expansion of the payroll tax cut in the Senate that would save the average American family roughly $1,500 a year. They are again showing that they will go to absurd lengths to oppose President Barack Obama and serve the interests of their wealthiest donors. Even if that means hurting middle-class working families.

We have seen no meaningful attempts to create and retain jobs this year. However, we have seen plenty of brinkmanship, budget crises and bad faith arguments from the GOP. This is because, at the bottom of it all, Republicans in Congress are only focused on the 2012 horse race. 

They would rather see the president hamstrung in next year’s election than have the economy recover. As Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said, “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.”
By opposing whatever Obama supports, no matter what, Republicans have steered Congress into gridlock, during a year that desperately demanded bold action to address the jobs crisis.
But with the Democratic call for an extension and expansion of the payroll tax cut, Republicans now face a dilemma. They can support a tax cut for the average American family or they can oppose the president. This time, they cannot do both.

To square this circle, congressional Republicans have fallen back on one of their other central tenets — offering their own payroll tax offsets. Instead of providing a tax cut for 160 million people by raising taxes on 350,000 millionaires, as Senate Democrats proposed, their plan would slash the federal workforce, raise Medicare premiums and curtail the social safety net.
In other words, instead of having the wealthiest families pay their fair share of taxes, Republicans are demanding this tax cut be offset by more lost public jobs and less support for low-income and middle-class families. Remember that the GOP mantra in the past has always been that tax cuts never need to be offset. A year ago, when the same question came up, they said the same of a payroll tax cut.

Even after a year of similar Republican behavior, it’s still sometimes shocking to witness how far congressional conservatives will bend all of their other principles to protect the interests of the wealthy. But, in fact, this has been their standard operating procedure for some time.

To take just one particularly egregious example, even though McConnell has continually preached fiscal austerity to millions of families struggling in this jobs crisis, he worked behind the scenes in the last Farm Bill to include a special subsidy for millionaires who own racing horses..
This subsidy, likely to cost Americans almost $500 million over 10 years, is a boon to millionaires, allowing them to recover the cost of their horse purchases. But it does little to put ordinary Americans back to work or restore our economic prosperity.

At a November horse sale, Breeders’ Cup winner Royal Delta sold for $8.5 million as part of the dispersal of the estate of the late Saudi prince Saud bin Khaled.  Khaled’s dispersal also provided three other seven-figure horses. They were among 22 horses that sold for $1 million or more, compared with eight in 2010. In last month’s session alone, 138 horses sold for $51,405,000.
All the millionaires who bought these horses benefited from the McConnell taxpayer subsidy. In effect, even as he calls for more budget cuts, McConnell used the Farm Bill to transfer wealth from ordinary taxpayers to the coffers of wealthy racing interests in his state.
 U.S.  families deserve better leadership than this. Right now, Congress should be doing everything in its power to create jobs, rebuild our schools and infrastructure, support our small businesses and get our economy moving again.
That includes passing this much-needed payroll tax extension without draconian offsets that sacrifice the well-being draconian offsets,of working and middle-class families to protect the wealthy. And it means Republicans coming to the table in good faith and working with Democrats to get our economy moving again.

It’s time for Republicans in Congress to drop the horse-race politics and address the needs of the vast majority of American families.

OPINION | December 11, 2011
Opinion: Black, Female and Single
By ANGELA STANLEY
(Ms Stanley is a researcher at the Kirwan Institute on Race and Ethnicity)
OneWorld strongly recommends reading this article.

The notion that black women are doomed to stay single is a myth, and a cruel one.

Read the article linked above and decide for yourself. Are black women really incapable of finding suitable partners? Where have all the suitable black male partners gone? Is the belief that most are in prison fact or fiction?

Article #2 is a sad tale about: Joyce Carol Vincent, a woman whose totally decomposed body — in fact, her skeleton was found almost three years after she had died in her apartment in England. She was beautiful, elegant and missing for almost three years but no one seemed to have missed her. It is an unbelieveable story. You can read it here: Joyce Carol Vincent: how could this young woman lie dead and …www.guardian.co.uk/…/joyce-vincent-death-mystery-documentary

Why We Need More People of Color in Education

 Written by: Jennifer Rokosa; she is an intern with Ethnic Media at American Progress. This article was published by the Center for American Progress. Click the link to learn more about the Center.

The United States is undergoing a significant demographic transformation as communities of color continue to grow throughout the nation. Our public schools will be among the first institutions to change as a result of this increased diversity.  In fact, schools are diversifying at such a rapid rate that within 10 to 12 years no clear racial or ethnic majority will exist in our public K-12 system.  

A recent report from the Center for American Progress, “Teacher Diversity Matters,” highlights the wide gaps in diversity between students and teachers across the nation. Past research shows that students of color enjoy greater rates of academic success when they are taught by teachers of color, which makes it increasingly important for us to fix the teacher workforce’s low diversity as our demography evolves. 

Here we outline the reasons why there is such low diversity in the teaching profession and what steps we can take to recruit and retain more teachers of color in the field. 

The diversity gap
The report reveals that nearly every state experiences a significant disconnect between the diversity of the student body and the diversity of the teaching staff.   California reports the single largest discrepancy. An overwhelming 72 percent of students are of color compared with a mere 29 percent of teachers—a difference of 43 percentage points.

 Unfortunately, this figure is not unusual. In fact, more that 20 states report a difference of 25 percentage points or more, with Nevada, Illinois, Arizona, and New York topping the list.

What causes the gap?
The reasons behind this inequality are complex.  Part of it can be attributed to communities of color’s generally lower rates of academic achievement. Only 58 percent of Latinos and 57 percent of African Americans earn a high school diploma within four years, compared with 78 percent of whites. This educational gap then extends to college, where communities of color experience lower graduation and certification rates. Naturally, it is impossible to become a teacher without a high school diploma and a college degree.

Other factors that contribute to the low rates of representation for teachers of color include the high cost of conventional teacher-certification programs and the expansion of career opportunities for minority college graduates. For most minority graduates, teaching simply does not offer the financial incentive necessary to offset the high costs of a college education, compelling them to seek more lucrative careers.

The paper also found that teachers of color are significantly less likely to report feeling satisfied with their rate of pay and being happy with the administration of their school.  One survey concluded that only 37 percent of African American and 46 percent of Hispanic teachers are happy with their salary, compared to 53 percent of white teachers. Similarly, African American and Hispanic teachers are less likely to feel satisfied with the way that their school is run.  To a certain extent this stems from the fact that teachers of color are statistically more likely to work in low-income and low-performing urban schools. Research also indicates that, on average, teachers of color are paid less than whites.     

A two-pronged approach to bridging the gap :

The teacher diversity gap is widespread and deeply rooted, and achieving an equitable representation for teachers of color will take hard work and dedication. But it is important to better serve our children so that they can be successful and our nation can thrive with an educated workforce. Based on the above findings, the report advises a two-pronged approach.  First, we must expand high-quality recruitment programs to better attract teachers of color. This includes supporting students of color in primary and secondary school so that they may attain the level of education they need to become teachers, as well as spearheading targeted recruitment efforts to attract high-performing students of color, offering federal financial-aid programs to low-income students interested in teaching, and pursuing policies on both the federal and state level that promote diversity.

This also involves giving special attention to alternative routes of teacher certification. Alternative certification programs, such as Teach for America and the New Teacher Project-Fellowship Program, help college graduates and established professionals to transition into teaching without conventional teaching training and preparation.

 These types of programs have proven effective instruments for recruiting promising individuals of color to the teaching profession. In fact, 25 percent of Hispanic and 27 percent of African American teachers were certified through alternative-teacher programs, in contrast to only 11 percent of whites who followed similar paths. 

Second, we must work to improve the professional experience of teachers of color. In order for teachers of color to stay in the classroom and be effective teachers, it is of vital importance that they feel satisfied with both their salary and the management of the school that they are working in. 

As we move toward a more diverse future it is crucial that our nation’s teachers reflect these important demographic changes. Clear and decisive action is needed to ensure a diverse and proficient teacher workforce, as well as a strong and effective school system. 

Learn more about the Center for American Progress at: www.americanprogress.org

OneWorld Progressive Institute, Inc., produces informative television programs and community forums on public access television in CT and on AT&T UVerse, statewide.  We invite you to visit our web site at: http://www.oneworldpi.org/education/education_videos.html  to learn more about OneWorld’s 15 years of making contributions to the greater New Haven and the broader Connecticut community.   We pay special attention to the health literacy, education-at-every level and to the need for civic engagement of the underserved and vulnerable populations.

Breaking the Silence (about Domestic Violence) was sent to OneWorld by – the co-founders of A Call To Men – The entire content of this blog was written by the­ Co-founders of -­ A CALL TO MEN.  Please Visit: www.acalltomen.org  The very informative and enlightening web site created by Ted & Tony. OneWorld applauds Anthony Porter & Ted Bunch for their revolutionary work against Domestic Violence.   Visitors to their site will learn a great deal and learn an enlightened approach to talking about and dealing with the issue of Domestic Violence.  This is a real scourge in our society.

“There’s a code of silence that we don’t dare speak; There’s a wall between and the river’s  deep…” -­- Bruce Springsteen “Code of Silence” 

In the recent tragedy at Penn State it is reported that trusted Coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested on 40 counts related to allegations of sexual abuse of eight young boys over a 15-­year period. This allegedly occurred while other coaches looked on and kept silent about what they saw, what they knew and perhaps even tried to cover up for their colleague and “the program.” 

As men we have a long history invested in collusion with other men and codes of silence. Also known as codes of honor, vows of silence, the blue curtain of silence with names like “the family” or “the brotherhood.” Many of us, in our youth and adulthood, have participated in defining violators of the code of silence as haters, suckers, punks, rats, snitches, weasels, a snake and much worse.

This pervasive silence among men in our culture to protect the status quo, to win at any cost, and never tell on your brother is a glaring example of how destructive the current model and definition of manhood operates to demean, diminish and oppress anyone who is not considered a “real man” in our society. Our fear of being perceived as less than a man or weak, keeps us in line with these codes, regardless of right and wrong. This fear is running rampant and dominating our sense of righteousness. Dare we be a “whistleblower” when most of us as boys have been told “don’t be a tattle tale?”

 This code protects men from confronting or challenging other men about their behavior, no matter how violent or inappropriate. This agreement has at its foundation the belief that men have more value and should receive entitlements and benefits, even if it compromises the rights and humanity of anyone else and therefore should be given priority, protection and the benefit of the doubt in cases of any wrong doing. These social and cultural norms that have been established by men for the benefit of men are steeped in our history, laws and tradition and we continue to pass this belief system down to our sons and boys.

 While all of the perpetrators of the Penn State incident need to be held accountable and dealt with swiftly by the law, it does not let the rest of us off the hook. What happened at Penn State is “a cough in the cold,” a symptom of the illness. While clearly, there are specific individuals involved and responsible, we believe that this is not just an individual ill but a social ill requiring a social response.

As men, we must join the growing movement of men and women, willing to challenge these age old notions and norms defining manhood. We must be willing to escape the fear of being viewed as less than a man and branded an outcast or “traitor” of the unit, the organization, the team. We must be willing to step outside of what we at A CALL TO MEN call “The Man Box”.  We must be willing to break the code of silence which continues to restrict us and compromise our humanity… “We keep pretending that there’s nothing wrong; but there’s a code of silence and it can’t go on” — Bruce Springsteen “Code of Silence”

A CALL TO MEN – Visit this web site and learn more about this remarkable organization:   www.acalltomen.org 

A CALL TO MEN
342 Broadway, Suite 163
New York, New York
10013-3910Phone: 917.922.6738 -  Fax: 917.382.5152
info@acalltomen.org  You can write to A Call To Men at this email address listed.  We ask you to support their work.  Tony Porter has the most enlightened approach to educating about  Domestic Violence that I have experienced.  OneWorld has two remarkable DVD programs on preventing Domestic Violence; they were done with Anthony Porter, Josiah Brown (DVSGNH), Waldemar Gracia (Dir., Institute for Hispanic Family) and Sandra Koorejian, Domestic Violence Services of Greater New Haven.

 N’Zinga Shäni, Executive Director

OneWorld Progressive Institute, Inc

 OneWorld, Inc is a 501©3 community organization that produces educational television programs to benefit the greater New Haven community.  Our programs are available on AT&T U-Verse and on all public access TV stations throughout all of CT.  Our programs are  available on DVDs (for a nominal cost) to anyone who requests them by sending an email to us at: oneworldpi@yahoo.com  TV stations are not permitted to sell OneWorld programs.