Posts
Kalamazoo County, Mich., will host
its first Health Equity Summit July 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with the
goal of providing better healthcare to its residents. The summit will include a
panel discussion by local leaders; a speech by Von Washington Jr., executive
director of community relations for the Kalamazoo Promise; a presentation of
local health disparity data; and a photo voice presentation using photography
by local youth to increase awareness of how the youth view health treatment and
prevention in their communities. Dr. Adewale Troutman, president of the
American Public Health Association, will give the keynote address.
Linda Vail, director of the
Kalamazoo County Health and Human Service Department, explained that the
summit, especially the panel discussion and presentation of health disparity
data, will provide opportunities to discuss Kalamazoo County’s key health
concerns. Heading the list of concerns is the county’s infant mortality rate,
which is approximately 2 percent higher than the statewide average of 7.7
percent per 1,000 births. The county infant mortality rate increased from 9.5
percent in 2011 to 9.6 percent in 2012. Another key topic of discussion is the
county’s rising rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia. Vail advocated better
education and awareness to reduce the rate of STDs as opposed to treatment
after the individual is infected. Vail also noted a significant difference in
distribution of illness by race in Kalamazoo County.
Registration for the summit is $25,
which includes lunch and parking. For more information or to register for the
summit, visit http://www.kalcounty.com/hcs/che,
or call (269)373–5200.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus.
To learn more about The Friends of
AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
