*"It doesn't matter if the cat is black or white as long as it catches
mice."*

Deng Hsaio P'ing 1904-1997

This a page for sharing "what works" as seen in the published literature
as well as what is done at sites that care for American Indian/Alaskan
Native children. If you have any suggestions, comments or questions
please contact Steve Holve, MD, Chief Clinical Consultant in Pediatrics
at sholve@tcimc.ihs.gov

IHS Child Health Notes

June 2005

# Quote of the month

*" For knowledge itself is power"*

Francis Bacon 1597

**Articles of Interest**

Lower respiratory tract infections among American Indian and Alaska
Native children and the general population of U.S. Children.\
Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2005 Apr;24(4):342-51.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=pubmed>

**Editorial Comment**

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) account for almost 75% of the
infectious disease hospitalizations in American Indian and Alaska Native
(AI/AN) infants and children. Several studies in the 1990s demonstrated
that the hospitalization rate for bronchiolitis was much higher in AI/AN
children than in the US as a whole.

This study looked at the burden of disease for all LRTI including ICD-9
codes for bronchitis, bronchiolitis, pneumonia, pertussis and influenza.
The rates of disease among AI/AN were much higher with hospitalizations
being twice as high in AI/AN children and the outpatient visit rate was
three times higher than that of US children. Infants had particularly
high rates of LRTIs. The authors point out that the highest disease
burden occurs in Alaska and in the Southwest.

The authors discuss potential strategies to reduce this health disparity
for AI/AN infants and children

# Recent literature on American Indian/Alaskan Native Health

Disparities in indigenous health: a cross-country comparison between New
Zealand and the United States.\
Am J Public Health. 2005 May;95(5):844-50.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=pubmed>

-   Indigenous people in both the US and New Zealand face significant
    health disparities compared to the dominant population

-   In nearly all indicators of health status the Maori fared more
    poorly than AI/AN

-   For AI/AN the only measured health indicator in which there was no
    disparity was in immunizations

Measuring the health status gap for American Indians/Alaska natives:
getting closer to the truth.\
Am J Public Health. 2005 May;95(5):838-43.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=Pager&DB=pubmed>

-   Health disparities remain for AI/AN

-   This entire issue of the American Journal of Public Health is
    devoted to problems of AI/AN health disparities and is worth
    reading.

# Meetings of Interest

**Annual ACOG/IHS course on Obstetric, Neonatal and Gynecologic care**. 
This outstanding course focuses on practical approaches to the
recognition, management, consultation, and referral of American Indian
and Alaska Native women and infants.  Led by an excellent faculty this
course provides a great overview of women\'s health to new providers and
nurses, or a review and update for experienced providers. 

 

**Logistics**

The course will be held 6/19-23 in Denver, CO. 

Web site (go to url and then scroll down to June 19 -- 23)

<http://www.ihs.gov/MedicalPrograms/MCH/M/CN01.cfm#June05>

 

Contact Yvonne Malloy at 202-863-2580 to register or to obtain more
information. 

<YMalloy@acog.org>