KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!
The National Library of Medicine (NLM), one of the institutes of the National Institutes of Health, is the world’s largest medical library. NLM maintains and makes available a vast print collection and produces electronic information resources on a wide variety of topics. The Black Women’s Agenda, Inc. (BWA) and the National Library of Medicine are partnering to share valuable information about NLM’s resources with African-American women and their families.
Do you questions about a particular medical condition? Medline Plus, http://medlineplus.gov, is NLM’s consumer health information website, containing information on over a million topics on conditions, diseases and wellness, health videos, health check tools, drug information, patient handouts, lab test information, directories and other resources. Are you concerned about the impact of hazardous substances on your community? Hazardous Substance Data Bank (HSDB), http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov, is a data file that focuses on the toxicology of potentially dangerous chemicals. It contains information on human exposure, industrial hygiene, emergency handling procedures, environmental fate, regulatory requirements, and related areas.
We hope you will think about the NLM’s resources when you have questions about health issues. Students interested in STEM-related career will also find additional information and inspiration exploring these websites.
Each month BWA will highlight one or more NLM websites and the wealth of data that they offer you and your family. You can look for this information on the “Living Your Best Life at Every Age” and “Inform & Inspire” pages of our website. The Black Women’s Agenda hopes that you will use this information in conversations with your physician and to make informed life choices and decisions.
OTHER NEWS
SPOTLIGHT FEATURE ON JACK AND JILL OF AMERICA, INC.
To be valued and loved. To know who you are and that you have the power to make a
difference. These are the aspirations that most mothers have their children. In 1938, in the midst
of the Great Depression, twenty African-American mothers in Philadelphia came together not to
hope or to dream, but to provide the opportunities, experiences, and life lessons that would
enable their children and others to live these truths. Their group became Jack and Jill of
America, Inc. – an organization that’s mission is as relevant today as it was some 80 years ago.
JUNE IS AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC APPRECIATION MONTH
This June, The Black Women’s Agenda, Inc. (BWA) joins our nation in celebrating the 40th Anniversary of African American Music Appreciation Month.
The month-long observance, which was first inducted on June 7, 1979, by President Jimmy Carter was christened as Black Music Month. President Barack Obama renamed the national observance as African-American Music Appreciation Month. The observance was created to recognize and celebrate the historical influence African-Americans have had on the music industry and is intended to pay homage to the many artists, writers, songs and albums that have inspired music lovers and shaped American pop culture.
May Is Lupus Awareness Month
In honor of Lupus Awareness Month, the Lupus Foundation of America released a new survey they recently commissioned which reveals the need for better public understanding of this devastating autoimmune disease and why early diagnosis is so important.
According to the Lupus Foundation of America, “The survey sample was designed to be reflective of the U.S. population’s diverse demographics. Women of color are at two to three times greater risk for developing lupus than Caucasian women. However, over half of respondents (62%) didn’t recognize that minority populations were disproportionately impacted by lupus.
Minority women tend to develop lupus at a younger age, experiencing more serious complications and have higher mortality rates. This was reflected among minority respondents who indicated they were also more worried about developing the disease than others surveyed: 44% compared to 29% of the sample overall.”
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