East Carolina University Health Sciences News

Geography plays role in health disparity

boydd@ecu.edu (Boug Boyd) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Health disparities among demographic groups are a well-researched topic, but disparities among geographic groups may be just as significant.

That was the message of Dr. Brian Smedley, the keynote speaker at the eighth annual Jean Mills Health Symposium, held Friday, Feb. 3, at the Greenville Hilton.

"Often, when it comes to health, your ZIP code is a better predictor than your genetic code," said Smedley, vice president and director of the Health Policy Institute at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, D.C.

Grants to fund health projects in eastern N.C.

boydd@ecu.edu (Boug Boyd) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

From schoolchildren to farm workers, people in eastern North Carolina will benefit from two health programs led by East Carolina University experts and funded by the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust.

Granting a total of more than $519,000, the Winston-Salem-based charitable organization has funded an expansion of MATCH, a program that teaches healthful lifestyles to middle-school students, and AgriSafe-NC, a project to reduce the risk of some chronic diseases among agricultural workers and their families.

Jean Mills Health Symposium will be Feb. 3

boydd@ecu.edu (Boug Boyd) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Presenters will use this year's theme, “Enhancing Community Health in North Carolina: Looking in the Mirror,” to describe the history of health disparities, interventions and research and to critically reflect on progress in those efforts.

ECU to be featured on CNN documentary about sports concussions

boydd@ecu.edu (Boug Boyd) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A successful partnership between East Carolina University and Pitt County Schools will be featured Sunday when CNN airs "Big Hits, Broken Dreams," a documentary about concussions in high school football.

CNN will air the hour-long documentary Sunday at 8 p.m. It will re-air at 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. Monday, then again Feb. 4.

A CNN crew followed the J.H. Rose High School Rampants football team last fall. It was three seasons after Jaquan Waller, who played running back for Rose, died after suffering a blow to the head two days before a game and then another blow during a game. ECU forensic pathologist Dr. M.G.F. Gilliland ruled his cause of death as second impact syndrome. Waller had two concussions within 72 hours.

Accessible, affordable nursing degree

boydd@ecu.edu (Boug Boyd) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Beaufort County, Lenoir, Pitt, and Roanoke-Chowan community colleges are part of the Eastern North Carolina Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses (ENC RIBN) program. Students accepted into the program will be dually enrolled at one of the community colleges and ECU. The intent is to increase the number of nurses with bachelor degrees in North Carolina to care for the complex health care needs of patients and to expand the pool for future faculty and advanced practice nurses.

Rehabilitation counselors to hold annual conference

boydd@ecu.edu (Boug Boyd) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Arnold encourages audience to 'think big'

boydd@ecu.edu (Boug Boyd) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Dr. Jennifer Arnold encouraged a midday audience in the auditorium of the East Carolina Heart Institute at East Carolina University on Tuesday to achieve their goals by thinking big, her motto for overcoming obstacles.

Star of the TLC show "The Little Couple," Arnold is 3 feet 2 inches tall, a neonatologist and medical director of the pediatric simulation center at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. Her short stature is caused by a rare form of skeletal dysplasia, which affects about one in 100,000 people.

She has had more than 30 surgeries that include putting rods in her back for scoliosis, replacing her hip and repairing her knees and ankles, all orthopedic problems from the dysplasia. Dr. Steven Kopits was the pediatric surgeon who did most of her childhood operations, and the inspiration for her medical career.

"If it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't be able to walk...and I might not be here," Arnold said.

Grant aids in cancer research

boydd@ecu.edu (Boug Boyd) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

An East Carolina University researcher is developing a screening test for prostate cancer with help from a $50,000 grant from Triad Golfers Against Cancer.

Dr. Xin-Hua Hu, a professor of physics, is developing a screening test that uses light to gauge the type and grade of cancer cells in a blood sample.

Specifically, Hu's test uses circulating tumor cells detected by diffraction imaging flow cytometer technology, a way to count and examine microscopic particles, such as cells and chromosomes, by suspending them in a stream of fluid and passing them by an electronic detection apparatus.

Dental students volunteer at free clinic

boydd@ecu.edu (Boug Boyd) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

East Carolina University dental students participated in the North Carolina Missions of Mercy dental clinic Friday and Saturday, Jan. 20 and 21, at Garber Ministry Center in New Bern.

Collaboration, quality to be key under health reform

boydd@ecu.edu (Boug Boyd) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Health care professionals and organizations will have to work together, coordinate care and improve quality like never before to survive after 2014, when the national health care reform law starts to take effect.

That was the message of speakers at a health care reform symposium Friday organized by East Carolina University, the Eastern Area Health Education Center and University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina. It was held at the East Carolina Heart Institute at ECU.

"These groups are going to have to interact in a whole different way," said Dr. Thomas G. Irons.