MEDFORD, Ore. – La Oregon Health Authority (Autoridad de la Salud en Oregon) afirma que los adolescentes son uno de los grupos de edad más sub-atendidos en exámenes y otros cuidados preventivos, y las Community Care Organizations (CCOs, Organizaciones de Cuidados de la Comunidad) del estado están organizando esfuerzos para contactarlos.

Una de las prioridades de Oregon en materia de salud es lograr para más adolescentes la atención regular y preventiva que les ayude a desarrollar hábitos saludables en su edad adulta.

Pero los adolescentes están ocupados – y a algunos hay que convencerlos de que está bien que hablen de sus problemas con un adulto.

Como grupo, los adolescentes frecuentemente parece que no necesitaran atención, pero el Dr. Matt Hough, pediatra y director médico de Jackson Care Connect en Medford, dice que hay bastantes problemas serios en sus vidas, desde depresión y ansiedad hasta drogas, alcohol y sexo antes del matrimonio. Hough dice que un consultorio médico debe ser un lugar seguro para hablar sobre todo esto.

"Se trata realmente de descifrar dónde están y cómo podemos apoyarles. Los adolescentes se enganchan en conductas de riesgo, no importa lo que piensen los padres, así que en verdad es una oportunidad de que otro adulto entre ahí y realmente hable con ellos con el afán de apoyarles y regresarlos al camino correcto."

Hace un año, Jackson Care Connect comenzó dando a pacientes adolescentes un cuestionario para llenar, con el fin de comenzar a conversar sobre temas delicados. Hough dice que se sorprende y se alegra de cuántos jóvenes son cándidos sobre sus problemas, y destaca que los adolescentes también tienen derechos en términos de que su información sea confidencial en manos de los médicos.

En la Organización de Atención Comunitaria en Yamhill (Yamhill Community Care Organization), en McMinnville, una aproximación que está funcionando para que los jóvenes acudan a las clínicas locales es la llamada "Teen Swag Night" – algo así como "Noche de Obsequio Adolescente" – que son citas nocturnas en un ambiente de “open house” con juegos y regalos aportados por los comerciantes locales.

Sean deportes físicos o una inmunización, la Dra. Jackie Eriksen, médica familiar en la Community Care Organization (Organización de Cuidados de la Comunidad) de Yamhill, dice que es una oportunidad de que se pongan al día con sus revisiones – y con sus amigos.

"En nuestra comunidad vimos unos 137 jóvenes esa noche. Dijeron que era muy divertida porque había otros jóvenes, fue como un ambiente agradable. Y también tratamos de hacerla una noche divertida, para que puedan ver la clínica con una óptica un poco diferente."

Las autoridades sanitarias de Oregon han hecho llamados a los adolescentes, una de las medidas cualitativas que usa para detectar qué tan bien las Organizaciones de Atención Comunitaria están satisfaciendo las necesidades de los pacientes del Oregon Health Plan o con Medicaid.


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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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