A huge breakthrough has been made in the fight against Sickle Cell Disease. In December 2023, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two cell-based gene therapies for sickle cell disease (SCD), Casgevy from CRISPR/Vertex and Lyfgenia from Bluebird Bio.

These are the first treatments available to individuals with SCD in the United States. This significant milestone is worth celebrating, but medical professionals and other experts caution that more research must be completed.

“Gene therapy is an exciting and potentially curative addition to the treatments available to sickle cell warriors. This is a historic milestone, but everyone may not be eligible for gene therapy. We must continue to move forward with research to ensure a solution for every member of our community.” Regina Hartfield is the president and CEO of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Inc.

The FDA approved Casgevy and Lyfgenia on December 8. Both treatments will be available for SCD patients in 2024. SCD is an inherited red blood cell disorder. According to the CDC, Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen. Healthy red blood cells are round and move through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to all body parts. In someone with SCD, the hemoglobin is abnormal, which causes the red blood cells to become stiff and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle.”

The results of these abnormal cells are cramping and throbbing pain in different body parts that can last from days to weeks. Individuals with SCD can have a normal life. Those people manage their stress and hydration to avoid episodes of pain from SCD.

“My biggest thing to keep the crises away is activity and hydration. I hydrate at least two and a half liters a day,” said Gaston Gregoire, A nurse practitioner who has sickle cell.

“I am very active. I cycle about 100 miles a week and go to the gym at least three times a week. I think, more than anything, growing up with a disease made me into who I am. I’m very disciplined and organized. I do as much as possible to avoid being in the hospital and live a normal life as much as possible,” said Gregoire.

In an official statement from the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, they explain how gene therapy is “potentially curative.” The statement explains that the treatment is so new that more data is required to understand its impact and patient prognosis. Additionally, the word “cure” suggests a simple solution that does not reflect the reality of these therapies. Even after treatment, the FDA recommends 15 years of patient monitoring for health issues.

The statement illustrates how effective gene therapy is. This method significantly reduces acute sickle cell pain episodes within a few years of administration. Gene Therapy will need more years of follow-up to determine whether it will also reduce the organ damage of sickle cell disease and if the stem cells treated continue to produce non-sickling red blood cells for the rest of the person’s life or if the stem cells die off over a certain number of years.

Another concern connected to this news is cost. Gene therapy is estimated to cost 2 million dollars, according to the official statement from the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America.

The statement further explains that the savings in lifelong care may exceed the one-time cost of treatment.

“This new medication, I think, is a game changer if it can effectively reduce the number of complications from sickle cell, but the number being thrown around needs to come down. It seems prohibitive,” said Dr. Gerald Acloque, owner of Florida Concierge Medicine and Wellness.

“Being in research, I know it takes a lot of R&D, money, and years of research to fund, but there must be a way to bring this price point down,” said Dr. Acloque.

The FDA’s approval of gene therapy is remarkable because it begins a new chapter of treatment for sickle cell disease. Until now, the only way to cure sickle cell disease was through a bone marrow transplant, which is not a widely accessible option because it requires a matched bone marrow donor. Gene therapy does not require a donor, and it has the potential to be a more widely available treatment. Casgevy and Lyfgenia have opened the door for other gene therapies to gain approval and help advance research into other potentially curative treatments.

“Medications like these that are on the cutting edge were things I heard about when I was in residency. Now they are coming to fruition as real therapeutic medications are game changers not just for this one disease but any other genetic-based disease,” said Dr. Acloque.

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The church has been an anchor for many people in the Black community. A recent study revealed that religion played a role in one’s health. According to the American Heart Association, Those who believe religion plays a vital role in their health may be more likely to eat fruits and vegetables, be physically active, and have confidence asking questions of healthcare providers than their peers who don’t share that belief. The report was based on a study by Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine students in New Orleans. Their findings reveal that the church’s strong support has led to healthy people in the congregation. 

“The black church has played an important role in their constituents’ spiritual, social, and physical well-being. The more cynical view would be that people are just leaving it up to God. But I think what’s happening here is we’re showing the opposite. It’s actually through the support from church that it can improve your health,” said Farah Allouch, epidemiology PhD student at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Allouch and the team behind the study sent a questionnaire to 300 Black churchgoers in New Orleans. Through the answers, they discovered people who said that religion dramatically influences their health tended to have better health behaviors. The questionnaire also revealed that 70% of participants in the study reported that they had been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and about 50% also reported diabetes. Allouch believes structural racism and the unfortunate legacy of slavery in the United States have played a role in their condition.

The purpose of the study is to provide data to back up a more comprehensive study that would determine if a program that would lower the risk of heart disease in black churches would be effective. Allouch elaborates that the team intended to use the initial study to leverage the support and sense of community people already have within the church and their neighborhoods to try to maintain that program. Allouch has seen similar programs that did not last due to structure.

“I think a lot of the time, what ends up happening in these more community-based programs is the researchers come in, do the program, get the results, publish their papers, and then they’re out. Then, whenever that money goes out of the program, it’s not sustainable. 

In this study, we’re trying to leverage what already exists: this enormous sense of community. The immense feeling of people looking out for each other and trying to integrate that to lower that risk of heart disease,” said Allouch.

Another piece of information the study uncovered is Black churchgoers are aware that their health is in their hands. Dr. LaPrincess Brewer is a cardiologist and assistant professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. She conducted a similar study in August 2022, and her findings uncovered that Black churchgoers are not just relying on faith to be healthy.

“Many of the participants we interact with in our studies have shared their strong faith and belief that God will care for them. However, rather than relying on God alone to heal them, they tend to view their health as something they need to work towards alongside God, strengthening their faith. In many of our focus group discussions, interviews, or participant testimonials, we’ve had individuals share that they feel empowered to improve their heart health to live the life God has intended for them,” said Dr. Brewer.

Dr. Brewer suggests incorporating health messaging in sermons and other worship services for those who want to improve the well-being of their church home and family. Dr.Brewer explains in the report sermons that emphasize unhealthy habits to avoid may provide a strong motive for churchgoers to adopt healthy lifestyles. Another interventional step to apply is blood pressure screenings at the church. Connecting people to primary care services and providing coaching and education programs on healthier eating and physical activities are more ideas to guide the congregation in a healthier direction. 

What’s next for Allouch and her team in the New Orleans study is preparing for a more comprehensive study. The group aims to recruit 1200 participants across 40 churches in New Orleans. With the data from this study, Allocuch and the team can determine what is sustainable and how it can be scaled. Their goal for all this work is to make a difference in the locals’ health.

“We’re trying to make it as easy as possible for folks to monitor their health to make small changes to their lifestyle that, hopefully, in the long term, they can sustain. And they can sustain as part of this larger community at the churches,” said Allouch.

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(CNN) — Today, many people are turning to social media for their fitness routines, with TikTok one of the most popular platforms. Indeed, its fitness category — dubbed FitTok — has some 300 billion views. But are the posted workouts, exercises and challenges really safe and effective?

Recent studies indicate caution. Nearly two-thirds of the top Instagram “fitspiration” accounts did not contain credible information, according to a 2023 study published in BMC Public Health. An analysis of 1,000 TikTok posts relating to food, nutrition and weight loss, published in the journal PLOS One, contained weight-normative content, such as the glorification of weight loss. And while fitness influencers can encourage people to become more physically active, which is a positive, the quality and accuracy of their content is a concern, according to a 2022 review in Frontiers in Public Health.

“There are a lot of unsustainable and unrealistic workouts on TikTok, and even some dangerous advice,” said Jess Brown, a certified personal trainer and founder of The Glute Recruit in Westchester, New York.

What’s more, much of the fitness information on TikTok isn’t backed by science or posted by fitness professionals, said Monica Jones, a certified personal trainer in Washington, DC.

“The workouts are usually generalized to anyone, too, and don’t take into account your health, your family history, your flexibility, your range of motion — the list goes on,” Jones said.

Unfortunately, some of the most popular TikTok videos are among the more problematic. These include the raft of challenges promising that you’ll lose a certain amount of weight or develop a particular physique in a matter of days or weeks.

“If there is a workout that guarantees results in a short amount of time, that’s unrealistic,” Brown said. “And if they’re targeting a specific body part, like the ‘Mom Pouch,’ they’re often targeting people’s insecurities. They’re just click-bait workouts to attract money.”

Beware of some TikTok videos

One of the more popular TikTok fitness trends involves developing your abdominal muscles. These “ab-shred” challenges often depict an influencer doing one exercise or series of movements that, if repeated daily for a week or two, is promised to result in a sexy six-pack.

No way, Brown said. “We’ve proven again and again that spot reduction isn’t a thing,” she said. “And abs are one of the hardest areas to drop body fat, because we have a lot of fat receptors in our abdomen.”

Unfortunately, there will always be trends centered around getting fast results, because those grab people’s attention, Jones said. “But it’s important to look at your fitness and health as a lifelong journey, not something you can achieve within 10 to 90 days.”

“Dry scooping” was a recent TikTok fitness trend that now appears to be blocked from the website. Before your workout, the theory goes, toss a scoop of pre-workout powder into your mouth and down it, rather than mixing it with water and drinking it, as instructed. This practice supposedly turbocharges your workout because your body absorbs the powder’s caffeine and other stimulants more quickly.

But experts say it’s dangerous — and possibly even deadly — as it could lead to respiratory or cardiovascular distress.

“This practice is part of the instant gratification culture we’ve got going on,” Jones said. “And if you want a great cardio workout, it’s actually going to work against you, because any dry powder that goes through your lungs will cause inflammation.”

Finding quality workouts

There is one TikTok workout fad that experts say might not be harmful or ineffective: the 12-3-30. This workout entails walking 3 miles per hour for 30 minutes on a treadmill set to a 12% incline.

“That’s one of the better ones being marketed,” Jones said, while Brown noted it’s a great and accessible way to introduce fitness to a newbie. That being said, the two had some warnings.

Walking on such a steep incline could cause you to hold onto the treadmill’s handles, which means you’re not bracing your abdominal muscles, Jones said. The result can be tension in the lower back. Even if you don’t grasp the handles, a 12% incline can put pressure on your joints, Brown said.

How can you separate quality workouts from dangerous fads? First, check the credentials of the posters. They should be certified fitness professionals who have experience working with people. You also want a coach who emphasizes improving strength and cardiovascular health, not one who focuses on body type, Brown said.

A quality influencer should also take a balanced approach to fitness, encouraging mental well-being, self-care and the importance of listening to your body in addition to physical fitness.

If possible, skip social media and work directly with a personal trainer, experts say. Personal trainers will craft workouts based on your specific body and goals, and they’re available in person or virtually.

“Nothing beats personal guidance,” Jones said. “And you are more than worthy of having a personal coach.”

Melanie Radzicki McManus is a freelance writer who specializes in hiking, travel and fitness.

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(CNN) — The connection that comes from friends, family and partners isn’t just nice to have — it’s crucial.

Nearly 1 in 4 adults across the world have reported feeling very or fairly lonely, a 2023 Meta-Gallup survey has found.

“For too long, loneliness has existed behind the shadows, unseen and underappreciated, driving mental and physical illness,” US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said in November.

Loneliness is a problem when it comes to getting help, and strong relationships are a solution.

Positive social experiences affect not only a person’s stress level and ability to cope but also are markers of physical health, according to a March 2023 study.

It may seem daunting to expand your connections, but here are five meaningful steps you can take to do so in 2024.

1. Start small

Whether making new friends, bringing existing ones closer or embarking on the dating scene, it’s OK to keep from getting overwhelmed and start small, said Adam Smiley Poswolsky, author of “Friendship in the Age of Loneliness,” in a previous CNN article.

Doing so can mean sending a text to check in with someone once a week, meeting one new person a month or planning a regular social outing.

“If you do just one thing, make a list of five people in your life that you care about, and give one of them a phone call,” added Poswolsky, a workplace belonging expert. “The most remarkable friendships often begin with tiniest moments of connection.”

Research shows that it takes 90 hours of time together to consider someone a friend and more than 200 hours to consider them a close friend with whom you have an emotional connection, he said.

“In our busy world, we need to put our friendship on the calendar, and commit to recurring activities,” Poswolsky said.

2. Set boundaries

Believe it or not, better connection with others may require you to set strong boundaries.

“It’s not just about conflict and keeping bad people out. It’s also about keeping the relationships you value in,” said Kami Orange, a boundary coach based in southern Utah, in a previous CNN article.

Boundaries are communications of your needs, wants and expectations, and you may need to set boundaries with your partner about your needs when it comes to personal space or preserve your relationship with parents by setting boundaries on what you expect from them around your children.

“A good boundary is clear and concise,” said Nedra Glover Tawwab, a therapist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. “I think very often we say a lot of words, but we’re still not very clear about what we want.”

Instead of stating a problem such as, “You always pick on me about my kids,” it is important to say what you need, Tawwab said in an earlier article. An invitation to do something in the future would help, she added.

3. Learn about yourself

Do you know how you attach to others? Or how your loved ones are attached to you? The answer to those questions can help strengthen your relationships.

First developed by psychoanalyst John Bowlby in the 1950s, attachment styles describe how people function in relationships when it comes to closeness, intimacy and potential threats.

There are four styles: avoidant, anxious, disorganized and secure. You can learn more about them in a 2023 CNN article.

Knowing about these styles can help in your relationships with friends, family, colleagues and romantic partners, according to research.

4. Learn how to have conflict

Not only does fighting happen, but it can be healthy, according to a previous CNN article.

The key is to fight with those you love in a productive way — meaning one that solves problems and brings you closer together.

Social psychologist David W. Johnson studied conflict and labeled five archetypes of how people tend to handle it: turtles, sharks, teddy bears, foxes and owls.

Turtles, for example, tend to withdraw, while sharks forcefully protect their own goals, and owls view conflict as a problem that needs solving. Foxes tend to compromise, and teddy bears sacrifice to keep the peace.

Knowing your attachment and conflict style can help to understand how you approach a fight with your loved ones, and research suggests that approach can be modified.

5. Express your gratitude

A simple “thank you” can go a long way.

Research from 2023 showed that couples who express gratitude to one another when they feel it increased their time together by more than an hour a day.

The key is to identify gratitude and express it authentically, not sit down and recount nice things your friend, family member or partner did that you could remember.

Your relationship doesn’t need to get stuck in a rut, even as it evolves out of the butterfly stage, said Sara Algoe, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in a previous CNN article. Algoe is founder and director of The Love Consortium, a group of researchers studying data around social connection.

“It may be impossible to recapture the giddy joy of falling in love,” Algoe said, “but it doesn’t take much to rediscover the things we love about our partner and strengthen our relationship in the process.”

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(CNN) — This is not going to be the year that you make big plans to be more active and then burn out a few weeks into 2024.

Exercise is important — even if you aren’t aiming to be a triathlete. Regular movement helps with longevity, makes us happier and fights against disease, studies show.

What’s going to make this year different as you pursue that resolution to incorporate working out into your regular routine is being realistic and working with yourself to get there.

In 2024, you can get more strengthening and exercise in your day by following these simple and practical steps — no matter whether you’re a gym rat or fitness novice.

1. It’s a walk in the park

Yes, getting started on fitness this year could be as simple as one foot in front of the other.

Walking can do more to combat disease and health conditions than pretty much anything else, according to a previous CNN story.

Studies have also shown that the activity can boost your mood, improve memory and lower stress.

And what’s great is that walking takes nothing to get started — no equipment, no gym membership and no experience necessary.

Because walking is something many of us are familiar with, it is less intimidating and has less of a learning curve than other physical activities, said Evan Matthews, associate professor of exercise science and physical education at New Jersey’s Montclair State University, in a previous story.

There are ways to kick it up a notch once you have incorporated walking into your routine and you are ready to build.

Walking backward on a treadmill or elliptical may increase balance, walking pace and cardiopulmonary fitness, according to a March 2021 study.

Or strap on a backpack during your walk to go “rucking” instead. It’s an exercise used by militaries around the world, and the US army tests recruits’ ability to march with about 35 pounds of gear.

But you can start much lighter than that and work your way up as your fitness grows.

2. Maximizing your to-do list

You don’t have to change your whole life to change your fitness level.

The chores already on your to-do list — gardening, lugging boxes of decorations back into their storage spots or giving your home that spring clean — can be part of how you approach getting fitter in 2024.

You can even burn more calories in an hour by raking leaves than a brisk walk or weight training session, said CNN fitness contributor Dana Santas in a previous article.

To get the most fitness from your to-do list, make sure to warm up, make chores manageable to avoid injury, switch the sides of your body putting in the most effort, stay hydrated, and keep good form, Santas said.

Good form means bending your knees and using your legs as the main source of power when lifting, maintain balance and stability by keeping about a hip-distance stance, and rotating from the middle of your back to avoid strain, she added.

Even the routines that don’t feel particularly active can be part of your fitness resolution.

Santas likes to stack existing habits with fitness for an easy way to be consistent — like doing wall sits while brushing her teeth or push-ups while the water for the shower warms up.

“You realize how quickly a minute goes by. It’s not intimidating, and it’s easier and it makes you start to quickly feel healthier because you’re like, ‘I can do it,’” she said in a previous article. “You’re doing it consistently, and it makes you proud of yourself.”

3. Making friends with the gym

Maybe you feel like you’ve gotten a good start on the everyday fitness, and you are ready to up your game with more serious strength training.

But the gym is intimidating.

One way to get more serious is to start doing strength workouts at home.

You can use your body weight at home to get a high-quality workout that incorporates strength, balancing, flexibility and coordination with exercises like push-ups, squats, planks and sit-ups, Santas said in a previous article.

A broomstick, water bottle, towel, chair and full backpack can also help simulate a gym experience at home, she said.

Or you can conquer your fear by making the gym a more fun place to be.

To start, don’t be afraid to shop around, according to a previous CNN article. You might feel more comfortable in a smaller gym, one only for your gender, or one that has lots of options for classes.

Once you are there, going with friends or taking classes may help you feel some direction and support.

Building habits works best when it’s manageable, so don’t push yourself right away and work up slowly.

And after you are done, it is important to recover, so stretch, rest, hydrate and feed your body, according to Santas.

4. Make a plan that fits your fitness

Not every workout plan is the same, and you want one that matches your goals and preferences.

Take CNN’s interactive fitness quiz to get matched to an exercise approach that’s right for you.

The results are based on factors such as where, how and with whom you would like to work out, and offers ways to get started.

5. Keep in touch

A method to stay accountable and a sense of community around exercise were among some of the most important methods of sustainably increasing exercise in a December 2021 study.

Scheduling when you will exercise ahead of time in a regular interval or finding a way to get fit with friends can help you keep going, according to a previous CNN article.

Even if you don’t have a fitness friend, you can sign up for our Life, But Better: Fitness newsletter for consistent information to feed your workout habits all year long.

The post Getting regular exercise in 2024 may actually be attainable with these 3 steps appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

“Delay is deadly. The delay means the tobacco industry can continue to target Black communities and profit from the expense of Blacks and other lives. 45,000 Black Americans each year die, and if Black lives matter, we have to get rid of menthol cigarettes,” said Yolanda Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign of Tobacco-Free Kids.

A message that was echoed by other Black leaders of civic, faith, and health organizations on the White House delay of banning Menthol cigarettes. Adams and other leaders gathered for a virtual press conference on Thursday, December 7, to express their united disappointment in the White House’s decision to delay the final rule prohibiting menthol cigarettes. As promised, the press conference also called on the administration to issue a final rule this year.

“There is no reason to delay. This policy has been studied for over 12 years, overwhelmingly supported by scientific evidence, and will save hundreds and thousands of lives. The White House must stand up to big tobacco and issue this life-saving rule,” said Richardson.

Cigarettes are responsible for killing 480,000 Americans each year, according to the CDC. Forty thousand of that number are Black Americans. In April 2022, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formally proposed a ban on menthol cigarettes to Congress. The original date for this to go into effect was August 2023. There have been several delays before it could happen. The latest one occurred Wednesday, December 6, without proper explanation. This delay raises concern and frustration because it comes two weeks after the tobacco industry and its lobbyists met with top officials at the White House.

“The ban should be instituted immediately. There are no civil rights institutions in support of menthol cigarettes. There are a bunch of people who are being paid to raise arguments that are fake and not in the best interest of the African American Community,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of NAACP.

Menthol cigarettes are more addictive than any other cigarette. Nicotine is the addictive component in cigarettes. According to the Campaign of Tobacco-Free Kids, menthol enhances the effects of nicotine on the brain, which makes it harder to quit. Menthol cigarettes cool and numb the throat. It masks the harshness of tobacco smoke, making it easier for kids to try smoking and eventually become addicted. The campaign also reveals over 60 years, the tobacco industry has intentionally targeted the Black community with marketing for menthol cigarettes. The result of their efforts has led to 85 percent of Black smokers using menthol cigarettes.

“The tobacco industry has targeted Black communities with menthol for tremendous profit by researching and appropriating black culture. From free mental health giveaways and ice cream truck-like vans in the 1960s to saturating urban neighborhoods with mental health advertising with low prices and coupons. Today, the industry has flooded and continues to target Black communities with this minty poison,” said Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, founding director of the Center for Public Theology & Public Policy at Yale Divinity School.

The new target date to finalize the ban on menthol cigarettes is March 2024, according to the agenda released by the Biden administration. Banning Menthol cigarettes would be significant in saving lives in the Black community and closing the racial gap in lung cancer deaths.   

In an official statement from Campaign of Tobacco-Free Kids, The organization will continue to keep pressure on the White House through advertising, op-eds, mobilizing grassroots advocates to contact the White House and other tactics. We are making clear to the White House that Black organizations, elected officials, and other leaders nationwide strongly support a ban on menthol cigarettes. 

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Southside Medical Center and Wellstar Health System will expand preventive and primary care services in East Point without having to leave town.

The pair of healthcare providers will complete the transition of urgent care services from Wellstar East Point Health Center to Southside Medical Center’s East Point clinic. The clinic will begin serving patients on Jan. 12, 2024, according to a release from both companies.

The partnership has been a year in the making after the original announcement having taken place in October 2022.

As part of the transition, Wellstar will invest $5 million over a five-year period, according to a release. The funds will go towards increasing services and expanding the Southside Medical East Point clinic.

The two facilities are less than a three-block or one-minute drive down Cleveland Avenue, and thus will serve the community in a similar fashion as before the transition.

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Georgia ranks in the top five nationally for people living with HIV, according to the Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI). 

In response to the immediate need HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention efforts in the Black community, SHLI and Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) announced the launch of a campaign specifically tailored to reach the Black community in Georgia called “Georgia Thrives”.  

Georgia Thrives aims to address the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS on Black/African American people in this state.  

One in 51 people in Atlanta may be infected with HIV/AIDS at any given time, according to the SHLI Health Equity Tracker. In Georgia, the number of Black males living with HIV is 6.1 times that of White males. In Georgia, the rate of Black females living with an HIV diagnosis is 11.7 times that of White females. 

Dr. Maisha Standifer, Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine director of population health, said the initiative is very important and timely.   

“This initiative is one we hold near and dear in our hearts, not just in our community, but with Black women as well and in general, to talk about health equity in marginalized populations,” she said. “This particular initiative is funded by Gilead Sciences and is called Ending the Epidemic, Examining the health equity implications of health systems policy and data gaps for people living with HIV, particularly focused on the southern U.S.,” she said.  

The importance of the initiative, she said, is because the South has the highest rate of new cases for HIV. Standifer also said while she was presenting data to others, many people asked and was shocked HIV/AIDS were still an issue.  

Additionally, Standifer said the importance is also increasing access to education and the utilization of culturally competent and tailored messaging. 

“No, it’s no longer the issue that it was 40 plus years ago when it was considered a death sentence, but now we know people are thriving and surviving with HIV,” she said. “When we talk about new cases, what does that mean when Black men have the highest rates of cases primarily in Atlanta. Also, knowing Black women are the second growing number of cases, what is really happening? We’re not dying, but there are impacts related to that in your health.” 

Standifer said they want people to gain insight on the disruption of healthcare and focusing on rural health.  

“We are looking at educating and providing more culturally competent and tailored toolkits and educational resources for clinicians to be able to directly provide the services that are needed to be able to talk and to be able to guide those who are HIV possible or even HIV diagnosed. We’re working with communities and community-based organizations in rural areas in Georgia and not just the metropolitan Atlanta area,” she said.  

All in all, Standifer said they are excited to focus on the Georgia Thrives initiative and will also be focusing on HBCUs.  

“We are co-sponsoring a system with the HIV summit that will occur next spring. We really want to connect and start talking about it within the Black community. We’re also highlighting the religious component; we know we cannot be absent within the Black community,” she said. “You cannot really talk about this without the religious community being absent. So, we have connected with our religious roundtable members and connected locally with ITC over in Atlanta University Center, and we are connecting throughout Louisiana with religious leaders that we know are vital, an important part of it.” 

Standiford said they will be having discussions with stakeholders in Atlanta, pastors, and preachers about the umbrella of health equity.  

“We’re talking about HIV the same way you’re talking about transportation as being the issue. We’re talking about housing, nutrition, and access. It’s all related as we talk about social determinants of health,” she said. “You’re not just talking about one aspect of why somebody is not able to gain access to a PREP or certain spaces that we know that oftentimes is related to housing, related to transportation, related to education, related to insurance.” 

For more information, visit https://georgiathrives.org. 

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TeamSmile, a Kansas City-based advocacy group that partners oral health professionals with professional athletic organizations and CareSource, a national public healthcare provider teamed up with the Atlanta Falcons this holiday season to provide local elementary and middle school students free dental care and tips on how to properly care for their oral health.  

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Mercedes Benz Stadium, dozens of kids from several local schools saw dentists for the very first time. For many, going to the dentist can be a frightening experience, which is why the program took place in a fun environment like the Mercedes Benz Stadium. 

Dental Director at CareSource, Dr. Judy Greenlea Taylor said kids were able to get their teeth cleaned as well.  

“We really wanted to give the students some experience in dental care and teach them early on how to take care of their dental hygiene. For some, it’s their first time seeing a dentist, so we really wanted to help get the kids the care they need and get rid of the tooth decay in Atlanta,” she said. “Regardless of their insurance, kids are able to get free care during this event.” 

Volunteer Lori Paschal said she decided to volunteer because she wanted to give back during the holiday season.  

“What better way to start off the holiday season right than to give back to the community in Atlanta and service the young folks to get free dental care and expose them to better hygiene as they get older,” she said. 

John McCarthy, executive director of TeamSmile, said they chose to service elementary and middle school students because “they need help” and want to get them started on dental practice and health early on. 

“We’re genuinely serving children who genuinely have a need for free dental care. We don’t check insurance nor immigration status. We’re a nonprofit and we’re here to help them, if they need a root canal, cavity fillings, their teeth pulled, or an extraction, we got them covered and do it all right here today. 

For more information, visit https://teamsmile.org.  

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Collegiate athletes are some of the healthiest people around. Being a college student and excelling in a sport at a level that rivals professionals would make anyone feel invincible. Among all the challenges they face, one threat to take caution with is Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD). Kim Harmon is a professor at the University of Washington. She and her colleagues have done research on this subject for 20 years. According to Prof Harmon, the odds for this incident are 300 to 1, but with the proper preparation from new data released, everyone can play a part in minimizing this threat.

“Sudden Cardiac Death is the leading cause of non-accidental death in young people.

It happens more often than death from heat illness, death from head injuries, and death from sickle cell trait. This is something that we can potentially prevent,” said Harmon.

The American Heart Association released a report on Sudden Cardiac Death on November 13. The information features data collected by Harmon and other experts. According to the report, SCD happens when an electrical malfunction causes a rapid, irregular heart rhythm that stops the heart. The first cause that led to Harmon and a team of experts starting a 20-year study on this matter was in July 2002. Kayla Bert was a University of Washington women’s basketball team player.  On New Year’s Eve, hanging with her friends, Kayla collapsed because her heart stopped beating from a cardiac arrest, according to The New Yorker. She needed medical attention, and one of her friends performed CPR until the paramedics arrived. The professionals were able to revive her, but the result of that incident led to Kayla getting an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

“I had two questions. One is, what did I miss? And how often does this happen? I started looking into it more seriously at that point. In the United States, there’s no mandatory reporting for sudden cardiac death or arrest of an athlete. We picked the NCAA population one because of the population of interest to me. Still, also they’re high profile athletes for the most part, and we have several different sources where we can find cases,” said Harmon.

The report reveals college male basketball players had the highest incidence rate of SCD. Black male basketball players are three times more likely to experience SCD than white basketball players. Men, in general, are at risk four times higher than women.  Dr. Shelley Miyamoto is a director of the Cardiomyopathy Program at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora. She says some disparities need further study, and genetic testing should be pursued to get the results.

“Genetic testing may potentially provide some answers for why an athlete died suddenly, and it may also provide some insight into whether other family members could be at risk. If we can’t understand the cause of the sudden cardiac death, it is going to be difficult for people to accept and understand how to prevent it in the future.” Dr. Miyamoto said in the report.

The positive news from the study was that the numbers of SCD are down.

Over the 20 years, Harmon and her team looked at 1102 autopsy reports and medical histories of NCAA athletes. Only 143 cases were caused by sudden cardiac death. Harmon credits people being trained in CPR and the ability to recognize cardiac arrest for the drop in numbers. 

“The new thing in this study is that the rate has decreased over the last ten years. We don’t think that’s because this doesn’t occur frequently. We think that it’s probably gone down because we’re better at treating, recognizing, and sudden cardiac death in athletes,” said Harmon.

There are a few signs of a cardiac arrest Harmon recommends to look out for.  

If an athlete feels chest pains, making them stop exercising is one sign. Another sign is if they faint while exercising.  Harmon also encourages getting an expert if an athlete has weird heartbeats that cause them to stop exercising or have them lightheaded. Another preventive step for parents is having their athlete screened with an electric cardiogram (EKG) machine. Most universities have EKG machines to screen their athletes. More information about SCD and other related topics can be found at https://orccastudy.org/

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