The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 07, 2005, Page 7, Image 7
TRCflTmcnT • connnueD mom 6
why the disparity persists.
When it comes to treatment
for pain, differences between
African-Americans and whites
have been striking.
Last month, a study
published in the Journal of Pain
reported that 86.9 percent of
pharmacies in white ZIP codes
in Michigan stocked sufficient
supplies of the medications
compared to 54.2 percent in
minority ZIP codes in the state.
Other studies have reported
that African-American nursing
home residents were two-thirds
more likely to get no treatment
for pain and that two-thirds of
blacks received ineffective
treatment for cancer pain.
The team of researchers at
St. Louis University School of
Medicine will examine about
500 case records from the
Missouri Division of Workers’
Compensation plus depositions
of people who filed claims. The
four-year, $900,000 grant from
the federal government will
allow the researchers to study
why African-Americans in
Missouri receive less treatment
for lower back pain than
whites. ,
The study follows earlier
work by the researchers in
which they documented
disparities in treatment for
African-Americans and whites.
They concluded that less
money was spent on medical
care for African-Americans
with work-related back pain,
and that blacks received smaller
settlements and fewer
compensated work absences for
their injuries than whites.
Long-term health outcomes
for African-Americans also
were worse.
They interviewed about
1,500 people in St. Louis, St.
Louis County and Jackson
County who reported work
related back injuries and had
claims settled.
The team’s research has been
published in several medical
journals over the last year.
“What became clear was that
people were being treated
differently,” said Raymond
Tait, a professor of psychiatry at
St. Louis University School of
Medicine who has been
studying pain issues since
1978. “We wanted to know
what was going on.”
By understanding the cause
of disparities, researchers hope
to design interventions to
reduce them, Tait said.
The team chose to look at
Workers’ Compensation
records because the system was
designed to address work
related injuries in a
standardized way, unlike health
insurance coverage, which can
vary widely.
In their previous research,
investigators expected to find
disparities, but were surprised
at the extent, Tait said.
“There were huge
differences,” Tait said. As a
result, African-Americans have
suffered disproportionately,
physically, emotionally and
financially, he said.
For example, three times as
much money was spent on
medical care for whites and
four times as much was paid
out in Workers’ Comp
disability settlements. .
“It appears that if you are
Caucasian with a back injury,
you are four times more likely
to undergo surgery,” Tait said.
Researchers studied only
blacks and whites because there
wasn’t enough Workers’ Comp
data available on other groups
to be statistically reliable.
Beware of what lurks within your sheets
Michael LaPorgia
KNIGHT R1DDER NEWSPAPERS
Warning: What you’re about
to read might keep you up at
night.
Or at least keep you away
from your bed for a while.
The reason is dust mites —
those tiny bugs that live in
linen and pillowcases and feed
on your dead skin — and the
problems they can cause when
you press your face into them
for months at a time.
“Taxonomically, they’re
related to spiders, which always
grosses people out,” says Dr.
Michael Bykowsky, a
Columbia allergist.
The Mayo Clinic estimates
the average bed contains
between 100,000 and 10
million dust mites.
“Your bed is especially
inviting to dust mites,” the
clinic’s Web site cautions. “To
them, it’s a warm, cozy, all-you
can-eat buffet that’s restocked
every night with yummy food.”
Bykowsky explains the
critters’ fondness for bed sheets
this way: “They like a warm,
humid environment,” he says.
“When you’re in your bed, it’s
both warm and humid there,
so they thrive.”
An allergy to dust mites, or
to the feces or decaying body
parts they leave behind, can
make life miserable — like
allergy season, only worse.
“The biggest difference is,
pollen is seasonal,” Bykowsky
says. “And you can control
your exposure just by not going
outside.”
Dust mites, however, scurry
over mattresses, bed sheets and
pillows year-round, and they’re
generally more irritating than
other allergens.
Studies have linked dust
mite allergies with seasonal
pollen allergies. Experts
theorize that dust at home
might cause chronic
inflammation, making sufferers
more susceptible when allergy
season rolls around. And in a
home, mjtes are often
everywhere.
“If it’s a fabric or material,
dust mites can live in it,”
Bykowsky says.
So what can you do about it?
A new mattress isn’t
necessarily the answer,
Bykowsky says, as studies have
found mattresses come with
dust mites already living in
them.
The solution is allergen
proof encasements — zippered
cases made of vinyl or tightly
woven fabric that act as
barriers against dust mite
allergens.
“Their pores are so small
that the fecal particles can’t get
through,” Bykowsky says.
“Typically we tell people to put
these on and leave them on,
and you don’t need to take
them off and wash them
regularly.”
Bykowsky recommends
encasing pillows, mattresses
and box springs. He also
encourages people to wash
their linens weekly in hot
water, “and hot is greater than
130 degrees Fahrenheit.”
Doing so, Bykowsky says,
will dramatically cut down on
the effects of dust mite
allergies, a problem many
people don’t even know they
have.
Early Grace
Today
“GAMES OF LOVE AND CHANCE”: 7,
9:15 p.m. Nickelodeon Theatre,
937 Main St. $5.50 with student
ID.
THE BIRDCAGE: DRAG SHOW: 8 p.m.
Russell House Ballroom.
COLUMBIA AFTER DARK: 7 p.m.
Jammin’ Java, 1530 Main St. No
cover.
Tuesday
EARLY GRACE, MERIDIAN &
MAYCOMB, AN EMPTINESS
BEGINNING, SOULS IN THE
SHADOWS: 7 p.m. New
Brookland Tavern, 122 State St.
$8 under 21, $3 over.
SOUL THERAPY POETRY SERIES: 7
p.m. Jammin’ Java.4>3, all ages.
“GAMES OF LOVE AND CHANCE": 7,
9:15 p.m. Nickelodeon Theatre.
$5.50 with student ID.
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Chamber
5 Conks on the
head
9 Dwelling place
14 Shirtsleeves
15 Implore
16 Au naturel
17 Pilot’s tote
19 Stately
20 Avoirdupois unit
21 For what_
worth
22 Put into service
24 Taro dish
25 Uses too much
nose?
27 Dinner hour
29 Presumptuous
31 Cohort of Curly
32 Bring shame
A upon
34 Took in the
sites?
38 _Stanley
Gardner
39 Oft-used abbr.
41 Musical Porter
42 Intercept
unexpectedly
45 Niagara’s
source
_ UUUd uc
Me”
49 Fit to be served
50 Disgraces
54 Made disorderly
57 Big constrictor
58 Cigar residue
59 In honor-of
0 60 La Brea pit fill
61 Flamboyant tie
63 Result
ultimately
66 Make a goal
67 John Doe’s
dog?
68 Fake coin
69 Comforted
70 Actress Harper
71 Swiss chain
DOWN
1 Inflatable boats
2 Wrinkle-free
fabric
3 With menace
4 NYC arena
6 Interrupts rudely
© 2005Tribune Media Services, Inc. 11/07/05
All rights reserved.
6 Spherical
bodies
7 Org. of Toms
and Couples
8 Fluid transition
9 African
American poet
Maya
10 Drinks counter
11 Giraffe’s cousin
12 Religious grp.
13 Dog on “Frasier
18 River horse
23 Waterston and
Wanamaker
26 Laertes’ sister
27 Periwinkles
28 Male hawks
30 Lower digit
32 Morning
moisture
33 Nest-egg $
35 Prevent
beforehand
36 NFLer Manning
37 Actress Sandra
40 Womanizer
43 Flew
Solutions
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44 Desires
46 Geisha’s robes
47 Critic Roger
50 Degrade
51 Puccini opera
52 Tex-Mex order
53 Larceny
55 Enjoy avidly
56 Least desirable »
portion
59 G-men
62 Raw mineral
64 Compete
65 NATO member
Quigmans ♦ By Buddy Hickerson
I
iSrrv» Li*.
“This is my teen daughter, Millicent. She’s going
through a quiet period, except for her
occasional shout-out to Satan.”
Paul ♦ By Billy O’Keefe
SO I'M Off TO MAKS SOME
NEW FKIENOS TOMV.
VOtTRE 60NNA HAVE TO
SHARE ME WITH OTHERS
OH, VERV. I'U. NEVER MEET
ANOTHER PERSON Ll« VOU,^
Af TER ALL.,
HOROSCOPES
ARIES You’re sometimes a Lone
Ranger, but that’s not a good
idea now. It’ll take a dedicated
team to achieve the goals you’ve
set.
TAURUS Conditions become
more complex, requiring more
deliberation. You can use what
you’ve recently learned to further
advance your status.
GEMINI Sort through your money
and figure out how much you can
spend on a treat. Later tonight or
tomorrow will be good for a
musical outing.
CANCER Compromise is
required, but once you’ve done
that your objective is c^par. All
you’ll have to do is go and get it.
LEO It’s very important for you to
be very respectful now. Finish the
job on time.
VIRGO Set your goals, rough out
your plans and get down to work.
The plan will undergo changes,
but that’s to be expected.
LIBRA This evening and
tomorrow are good for
meaningful conversations. Invite
somebody over you’d like to get to
know better.
SCORPIO You’re not getting the
- cooperation you’d like. Don’t
throw a fit. It’s possible that doing
things a different way will save
you money. ^
SAGITTARIUS If you’ve just
decided to do something, and
don’t really know how, don’t fret.
You’ll be in the mood to study
soon. Maybe now.
CAPRICORN It’s time to make
money, but you’d rather be
playing with friends. Therein lies
the challenge.
AQUARIUS Finish a household
improvement by using what you
have. It’s a game that justifies all
that stuff that you’ve been saving.
PISCES Friends can help you get
farther than you ever could on
your own. Let them know where
you want to go.
i