Social Justice: Equality By The Numbers

Equality By The Numbers

Byline: Shannon Mouton

Twitter: ShannonRenee

If a society is judged by its leadership, then what do these numbers say about the us?

How do they speak to our being the "land of the free and the home of the brave?"

51% - 157.2 million women in the United States (as of Oct. 1, 2010)

34% - 3 women sit on the Supreme Court

24% - 1,732 women serve in state legislatures (as of Aug. 29, 2011)

17% - 17 women serve in the Senate

17% - 72 women serve in the House of Representatives

12% - 6 women governors in the US

4% - 18 women CEOs at Fortune 500 companies

These numbers don't add up. 

Be Well: “CDC: Hospitals should do more to encourage breastfeeding”

“CDC: Hospitals should do more to encourage breastfeeding”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding to age 6 months and continued breastfeeding for at least the first year of life. Various studies show that black mothers tend to start breastfeeding less than white mothers. The lower rates are linked to a lack of awareness about how to breastfeed and the importance of breastfeeding.

A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls on America’s hospitals to do more to close the gap. (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5911a2.htm.)

The CDC encourages hospitals to implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding created by the World Health Organization in collaboration with UNICEF. 

Check out the steps:

Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

Every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants should:

1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within half an hour of birth.
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed, and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants.
6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated.
7. Practice rooming-in - that is, allow mothers and infants to remain together - 24 hours a day.
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

Source: Protecting, Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding: The Special Role of Maternity Services, a joint WHO/UNICEF statement published by the World Health Organization.

New Women’s Health Benefit Boon for Breastfeeding

New Women’s Health Benefit Boon for Breastfeeding

In time for World Breastfeeding Week, HHS Secretary Sebelius announced this morning that insurance companies must cover at no additional cost preventive health services.  These services will include birth control, annual well-woman visits, gestational diabetes screening, HPV testing, HIV screening and counseling, breastfeeding support and supplies, and domestic violence screening and counseling. These new guidelines will not only help ensure that women receive the timely care they need to maintain good health but also help to reduce health disparities among women. This is a historic day for women’s health!

IOM: Protecting Women and Wallets?

IOM: Protecting Women and Wallets?

NPR reported that the Institute of Medicine delivered a potentially game-changing announcement today: “it recommends that the federal government consider putting "the full range of Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive methods" on the list of services for women that would be covered by insurers without a copay.”

According to the article, free contraceptives could serve for positive change surrounding the number of unwanted pregnancies in our country (currently about 50 percent), including financial strains on families and infant and mother health between pregnancies.

Detractors argue that government-mandated birth control would violate the religious rights of those whose beliefs forbid contraceptives, and those who hold that some forms of contraceptives act as precursors to abortion.

Click here to read and listen to the full story.

May 8-14 is National Women’s Health Week

May 8-14 is National Women’s Health Week

In line with new safeguards and increased coverage for women provided in the Affordable Care Act, President Obama recently proclaimed  May 8-14 National Women’s Health Week.  Before the act’s passage, insurance companies could deny coverage to women because of previous events such as having had cancer or even having been pregnant. In 2014, it will be illegal for insurance companies to discriminate against anyone with a pre-existing condition, or even charge women higher premiums than they charge men.

Just as the Affordable Care Act gives women greater freedom and control over their health care, it is important to focus not  only on the progress made in protecting women’s health but also on “awareness, prevention, and educational activities that improve the health of all women.”  And not just this week!

For the complete Presidential proclamation, go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/05/06/presidential-proclamation-national-womens-health-week