PORTLAND, Ore. – El Día de la Madre no es el único en el que las mamás deben sentirse especiales. Este año su celebración cae dentro de la National Women's Health Week (Semana Nacional de la Salud de las Mujeres), del día 8 al 15, bajo el lema "Es tu momento".

Los expertos en el cuidado de la salud dicen que las mujeres de cualquier edad debieran volverse, día tras día, una prioridad alta para sí mismas. Son comunes sus mensajes que aconsejan la adecuada alimentación y la actividad física diaria, pero al mismo tiempo tal vez también sean fácilmente ignorados por mujeres que hacen malabares para combinar sus carreras, familias y otras responsabilidades.

Denise Johnson, coordinadora de educación sanitaria de CareOregon, dice que espera que las mujeres de Oregon hagan suyo, corazón adentro, el lema "Es tu momento".

"Creo que cuidar a los demás antes que a sí mismas, como mujeres, resulta muy natural y común. Pero también deben recordar que, para cuidar a los demás al máximo de su capacidad, ellas mismas deben volverse prioridad."

Johnson dice que la salud mental es tan importante como la física, desde dormir lo suficiente hasta aprender a manejar el estrés, y lanza una motivación para que las mujeres inviertan más tiempo en prevenir problemas de salud, con exámenes y diagnósticos oportunos, y evitando conductas que abren las puertas a los problemas, como fumar o no abrocharse el cinturón de seguridad.

Johnson sugiere algunos consejos a las mujeres según su grupo de edad. A las menores de 40 les recomienda que consulten a su médico sobre la necesidad de ácido fólico, una vitamina B que previene los defectos de nacimiento; de los 50 a los 64 años, que se hagan un examen de densidad ósea; a las mayores de 65, una única vacuna contra la neumonía. Y a todas, de cualquier edad, Johnson les aconseja que escriban dos o tres temas o preguntas antes de acudir a una consulta médica.

"A veces la paciente platica con el doctor, luego sale y dice: 'Caray, le hubiera preguntado esto.' Llegar con un plan hace que esos 15 ó 20 minutos beneficien a la paciente y al médico."

La información sobre los eventos de la National Women's Health Week (Semana Nacional de la Salud de las Mujeres) está disponible en internet, visitando www.womenshealth.gov.

El martes hay un mitin a favor de la salud femenina a las 10 de la mañana en la escalinata del Capitolio estatal, en Salem. La Women's Health & Wellness Alliance (Alianza para la Salud y el Bienestar de las Mujer de Oregon) organiza el mitin del martes.

El portal de internet que contiene información sobre los eventos, estado por estado, es www.womenshealth.gov/whw/.


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Toughing it out during spring allergy season is not in your best interest if you want to avoid asthma later in life.

New Mexico has plenty of grass and weed pollens carried by the wind which contribute to itchy, watery eyes, a stuffy nose and sneezing fits this time of year.

Dr. Osman Dokmeci, associate professor of internal medicine at the University of New Mexico, suggested for those who suffer acutely, seek an allergy test and possibly medication to prevent asthma from taking hold.

"One out of 10 has asthma in America," Dokmeci pointed out. "Having seasonal allergies increases your chance of developing asthma at least fivefold."

He recommended treating allergies early and as aggressively as possible. May is "Asthma Awareness Month," which aims to bring attention to the health issue and highlight improvements in care and quality of life. Nationwide, asthma affects more than 25 million Americans, including 4 million children, and disproportionately affects certain racial and ethnic groups.

Allergies do not "cause" asthma but people who have allergies, or have family members who have allergies, are more likely to get asthma than those who do not. Research shows allergy season is starting earlier and lasting longer. A 2022 study from the University of Michigan found pollen count could increase by 200% by the end of the century due to climate change, which is why Dokmeci stressed it is important not to ignore the problem.

"There's no treatment that actually makes your asthma not happen," Dokmeci explained. "But once you develop asthma, there are good treatment options."

The estimated economic impact of asthma is more than $80 billion per year from direct and indirect costs, such as missed school and workdays.

Recent research shows approximately half of people who die by suicide had contact with a health care professional within the month prior to their death.

However, a recent study shows only 8% of hospitals are currently implementing all four recommended suicide prevention practices: safety planning, warm handoffs to outpatient care, patient follow-up and lethal means counseling.

Melissa Tolstyka, director of Behavioral Health Services for Trinity Health Ann Arbor, said a seamless transition from inpatient to outpatient care is critical. At Ann Arbor, she saw a 46% increase in compliance with comprehensive suicide risk assessments and patients discharged on the suicide care pathway now receive a safety plan, which she sees as progress.

"We continue to see a need for really robust programming," Tolstyka explained. "Not just within the behavioral health world, but in the medical world as well. Our organization really wanted to focus on bringing the behavioral health and the medical services together to enhance our safer suicide care practices for our patients."

The initiative is being piloted across various units at Trinity Hospitals in Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids including the emergency department, psychiatric medical and inpatient nursing units. If you or anyone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling or texting 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Casie Sultana, clinical nurse leader for Trinity Health Grand Rapids, prioritizes patient well-being, emphasizing support and improvement over solely managing risks within the facility.

"We want to be someplace that people feel welcome to come to who are dealing with suicide," Sultana emphasized. "You feel so alone. It's a very lonely journey and we want people to come seek help and feel welcomed when they do that."

Susan Burchardt, clinical services manager at Trinity Grand Rapids, advised other hospitals considering a similar program to learn from organizations already using it.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.


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Access to reduced-price medication is a necessity for many rural Missourians with low income.

Rep. Cindy O'Laughlin, R-Shelbina, the Senate Floor Leader, said Big Pharma is trying to confuse legislators with unrelated hot-button topics such as abortion access and illegal immigration in a last-ditch effort to stop the state from joining a program to force drugmakers to sell medicines at a discount.

"Appealing to nuclear topics, which really do not apply in this situation, is a disingenuous way to try to defeat a bill that is actually good for Missouri," O'Laughlin asserted.

O'Laughlin pointed out the program is transparent, and uses the tax money saved to help low-income families deal with chronic conditions such as diabetes.

The drugmakers object to the government forcing them to give significant discounts, arguing hospitals' and for-profit pharmacies' bottom lines, particularly those owned by pharmacy benefits managers, are being exploited. Nationally, 46% of contract pharmacy agreements involve pharmacies linked to the three largest benefits managers.

Rep. Tara Peters, R-Rolla, introduced the 340B contract pharmacy access billand said the lobbying is absurd.

"Federally, 340B program does not allow for abortion drugs," Peters stressed. "Why would any legislation that we're trying to pass in the state allow for that? I mean, the thought of that even being in existence is absolutely ludicrous."

The Missouri Senate passed the bill 27-3 on Monday and it now goes to the House.


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