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Child Health Information Project
Children's Defense Fund
November 20, 2000
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In this issue:
* LOW BIRTHWEIGHT CHILDREN AT GREATER
RISK FROM POLLUTION
* SURVEY EXAMINES TEENS' PERCEPTIONS OF HIV/AIDS RISK
* NATIONAL ASIAN AMERICAN IMMUNIZATION
PROJECT SEEKS GRANT APPLICANTS
* APPLICATION PERIOD FOR FREE EYE CARE EXPANDED BY VISION USA 2001
* ADDENDUM: FURTHER INFORMATION ON EMPACT GRANT PROGRAMS
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LOW BIRTHWEIGHT CHILDREN AT GREATER RISK
FROM POLLUTION
New York, November 14 - Several studies have shown that low birthweight may raise a person's asthma risk later in
life. In addition, new research suggests low birthweight may also make asthmatic children more susceptible to the air
pollutant ozone.
Asthmatic children who were underweight at birth seem to be more likely than other asthmatics to have
breathing problems on ozone-heavy days. In a study of more than 800 asthmatic children in U.S. inner-cities,
researchers found that children who weighed less than 5.5 pounds at birth were particularly vulnerable to
ozone. The same was true of children born more than three weeks early.
Previous research has linked low birthweight to poor
lung function and an increased risk of asthma. In this study, researchers looked at whether some asthmatic
children were especially sensitive to ozone, a pollutant known to exacerbate asthmatics' breathing problems.
The researchers found that on days when ozone levels were
high, morning-time asthma symptoms increased significantly among low birthweight and premature
children. In contrast, normal birthweight and full-term children saw only a slight
increase in asthma symptoms.
The lead author of the study said that because growth of
the airways is largely completed before birth, premature children may have underdeveloped airways that
are more sensitive to environmental pollution. Inadequate weight gain in the womb may have the same effect.
The study is published in the November issue of the American
Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Source: Reuters Health Press Release,
www.reutershealth.com
, November 14, 2000.
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SURVEY EXAMINES TEENS' PERCEPTIONS OF HIV/AIDS RISK
The White House Office of National AIDS Policy reports that
half of all new HIV infections in the U.S. occur among people under age 25. In addition, teen girls
(ages 13-19) accounted for 63% of all news HIV/AIDS cases reported in 1999.
To assess the impact HIV/AIDS risk has on teenagers in the U.S., the Kaiser Family Foundation has conducted a survey
measuring teenagers' concerns about and attitudes toward the disease.
Of those surveyed, more than half said they are personally concerned about becoming infected. One in six teens surveyed said they know someone who has AIDS, has died from AIDS, or has tested positive for HIV.
The survey also found that teens get their information about HIV/AIDS from a variety of sources including school, their parents, television and movies, and magazines.
To view the full text of the "National Survey of Teens on HIV/AIDS," go to:
www.kff.org/hiv.
To learn more about how HIV/AIDS is impacting the teen population, read the White House Office of National AIDS
Policy's "Youth and HIV/AIDS 2000: A New American Agenda," at www.whitehouse.gov/ONAP/hot.html
Source: "National Survey of Teens on HIV/AIDS," Kaiser Family Foundation,
www.kff.org/hiv , November 2000.
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NATIONAL ASIAN AMERICAN IMMUNIZATION PROJECT SEEKS GRANT APPLICANTS
Asian American children have 20 times more risk for infection
from the Hepatitis B virus than American children in other comparable groups. In 1995, it was
estimated that 90% of one million 3-13 year old Asian American children born to first generation immigrants had not received the Hepatitis B vaccine. Ensuring
access to life-saving vaccines remains a critical challenge for Asian Americans.
With Promoting Prevention for Healthy Communities, the National
Asian Women's Health Organization (NAWHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) are cooperating to improve immunization coverage levels and the overall health status of Asian Americans. Through an annual application
process, NAWHO funds community-based organizations.
As program partners, these organizations conduct year-long,
ethnic-specific education projects that raise immunization awareness and knowledge, promote positive
health-seeking behaviors, and encourage providers to eliminate missed opportunities in giving immunization information and services to their Asian American
patients.
NAWHO is now accepting applications for the year 2001 funding cycle. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE DECEMBER 1, 2000. You may
download the program description and application guidelines at www.nawho.org/partnership/immunization.html.
For more information, please contact Michelle Yang, Program Coordinator, at 415.989.9747.
Source: NAWHO web site,
www.nawho.org , November 2000.
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APPLICATION PERIOD FOR FREE EYE CARE EXPANDED BY VISION USA 2001 PROGRAM
St. Louis, November 15, 2000 -- Low-income uninsured workers and their families can begin applying now for free eye exams
through a program called VISION USA, now celebrating its 11th anniversary.
VISION USA is a national, non-profit program that matches low-income children and adults with optometrists in their communities who provide free
comprehensive eye exams in their offices. Close to 7,400 optometrists volunteer their services through this program. VISION USA has helped 283,000 people
receive vision care across the country to date. Although eye exams will not be given until March 2001, the American Optometric Association (AOA), which
administers the program through a grant from Vision Service Plan, Inc., is now accepting applications for program recipients.
Application forms are available on the AOA Web site
( www.aoanet.org, under "Meet the AOA"). Applications may also
be obtained from VISION USA, 243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63141. Completed forms must be postmarked by January 22, 2001.
In January, applicants can also be screened for eligibility by phone. The number to call is 1.800.766.4466. Phone lines will be open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (CST). Because phone volume is very heavy, interested persons are encouraged to apply on-line or by mail.
To qualify for free eye care under VISION USA, persons must: have a job or live in a household where there is one working member, have no health insurance that covers eye examinations, have income below an established level based on household size and have had no eye examination within two years. Eligibility thresholds may vary by state.
Nearly nine out of 10 people served by the VISION USA
program had one or more eye health or vision problems.
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ADDENDUM: FURTHER INFORMATION ON EMPACT
GRANT PROGRAM
Last week's listserv included information on an Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) initiative called EMPACT, a grant program encouraging community-based
monitoring of environmental conditions and subsequent information distribution among these communities.
Not included in the summary was the contact information for the EMPACT Metro Grant office. If you have general questions about the EMPACT program,
please call 202.564.3220. If you have specific questions about grant guidelines, please call Dr. Charlotte Cottrill at 202.564.6771,
cottrill.charlotte@epa.gov.
Again, for information about the EMPACT program (Environmental
Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking), visit their web site at:
www.epa.gov/empact/about.htm.
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