Stories with related Professional Interests

Prepare for Hurricane Season With Facebook Live Discussion - 08/22/2019

If you want to get a head start on what this year’s hurricane season could bring, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission will hold a Facebook Live talk at 12:15 pm (CT) on Aug. 26.

Texans Not Afraid to Look Up Mental Health Concerns Online - 08/22/2019

Although you as a physician might not spend a lot of time consulting Dr. Google, many of your patients do. So it’s a good idea to know what people are most worried about. Turns out, “phobia” is the most-Googled mental health concern in Texas.

Beware of Scam Email Sent to TMA Members - 08/21/2019

An unauthorized email that claimed to be from the Texas Medical Association recently was sent to some TMA members stating that the individual member’s dues statement and insurance policy update was included. If you received this email, please know that it did not originate from nor was it authorized by TMA or the TMA Insurance Trust, and you should discard it.

TMA Supports Evidence-Based Care for LGBTQ Youth - 08/20/2019

The Texas Medical Association aggressively opposes any "potentially harmful, unproven therapies," such as conversion therapy, that are designed to change the sexual orientation of LGBTQ young people, TMA President David Fleeger, MD, said in prepared testimony to the Texas Medical Board on Friday.

A New Understanding: Improving Care for LGBTQ Patients - 08/19/2019

Like everyone else, LGBTQ patients can face some unusual medical problems. But many of these patients’ biggest challenge is that their health problems can be amplified by hostility from others. Meanwhile, structural problems within the health care system frequently discourage LGBTQ patients from visiting physicians. LGBTQ patients frequently avoid physicians because of previous bad experiences. Many physicians who would like to treat LGBTQ patients often hesitate because they fear they lack the training.

Be on the Lookout for Pulmonary Disease Cases Linked to Vaping - 08/19/2019

Texas health officials are investigating suspected cases of pulmonary disease among people who have reported vaping, according to a health alert posted Friday.

Measles: Updated Information and Resources Available to Fight Rising Cases - 08/16/2019

As measles cases continue to rise in Texas and across the U.S., the Texas Medical Association and Texas Hospital Association have created a document to help physicians and other health care professionals combat the highly contagious respiratory illness. The document provides the latest recommendations for diagnosing and reporting measles, immunizations, infection prevention and control, and post-exposure prophylaxis and exclusion.

“The future” of pain treatment? - 08/15/2019

Some physicians, depending on the situation, are avoiding opioids to every reasonable degree, doing their part to keep patients off the drugs that killed more than 42,000 people in the United States in 2016. Fort Worth anesthesiologist Aaron Shiraz, MD, and his group, Trinity Medical Associates, are taking it to a rarely seen extreme.

A Qualitative Approach to Understanding HIV-Related Stress in Texas - 08/14/2019

Much of the southern United States is characterized by unique social, structural, and political systems that may relate to increased stress and poor health outcomes for those living with HIV. Notably, research indicates that Texas has higher survival rates for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) than general southern trends, which might suggest that Texans living with HIV experience HIV-related stressors and coping strategies influential to health differently than those living elsewhere in the South. This study used grounded theory and semi-structured interviews to increase understanding of HIV-related stress in Texas. Participants (N=20) were 12 people living with HIV in Texas and 8 HIV-care providers in Texas. Results indicated 5 emergent stress-related themes: housing strain, substance use, limited financial abilities, relationship dynamics, and internal pressures and psychosocial resiliency. Results also highlighted some of the potential...

Report Positions TMA Response to Firearms Violence - 08/13/2019

“The physicians of Texas continue to grieve with our fellow Texans over yet another heinous episode of gun violence,” Texas Medical Association President David C. Fleeger, MD, said. “This is more than a public safety problem – this is a public health crisis. Thus, it will require public health type solutions.”

Mobilizing Against Measles: Physicians Face the Worst National Outbreak in Decades - 08/12/2019

Measles – a deadly disease the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared eradicated in America in 2000 – has made an unwelcome return in 2019. The anti-vaccine movement is weakening Texas’ ability to withstand outbreaks, but there are still many things physicians can do to work with patients and communities to improve vaccination rates.

Talk to Patients About: Hib - 08/12/2019

Talk to your patients about Haemophilus influenzae type b – or Hib, which, despite its name, does not cause influenza. However, Hib causes several severe illnesses, particularly meningitis, mostly in children younger than 5.

$18 Million Grants to Help Texas Fight Opioid Abuse - 08/12/2019

More than 70 Texas health institutions have received almost $18 million in federal funds to combat the ongoing nationwide opioid epidemic.

Help Prevent Unwanted Teen Pregnancies in the RGV - 08/06/2019

If you would like training on Nexplanon and IUD counseling, insertion, and removal, the Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is offering a free workshop Aug. 28 in Brownsville. The training will run in conjunction with the South Texas Adolescent Health Summit.

With Your Help, TMA Foundation Improved Health Throughout Texas - 08/02/2019

“Good health is priceless. That’s why your charitable gifts to TMA Foundation are so valuable.” That’s the message from Susan M. Pike, MD, president of the Texas Medical Association Foundation (TMAF), in its 2018 Annual Report.

Talk to Patients About: Tetanus - 08/02/2019

Almost all U.S. tetanus cases occur among people who are unvaccinated or did not receive a booster shot, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Talk to Patients About: Hepatitis B - 08/02/2019

There are six different vaccines for hepatitis B in the United States, so there’s no shortage of tools to prevent it. Yet in 2016, more than 1,698 people in this country – and more than 780,000 worldwide – died from this viral liver infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization.

Talk to Patients About: Meningococcal B - 08/02/2019

Meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine is the new kid on the block for children and adolescents, having won Food and Drug Administration approval in 2014. This presents a problem for physicians: Because there is an older vaccine for the other types of meningococcal bacteria, many patients who’ve had that vaccine wrongly believe they’re also protected against MenB.

What’s Killing Texans? Fixing Texas' System for Tracking Deaths - 08/02/2019

Distorted death statistics inaccurately portray how people are dying, with significant public health implications. System changes and physician education could help.

Keeping Kids Safe in and Around the Water: New AAP Guidelines - 08/02/2019

Drowning is the leading cause of death in children 1-4 years of age, and is the second leading cause of death in children under 14. In the March 2019 issue of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a revised policy statement on “Prevention of Drowning.”

Effectively Counseling Patients Amid the Anti-Vaccination Movement - 08/02/2019

Primary care physicians are at the frontline of the annual battle against influenza. Many patients arrive at their clinician’s office with erroneous information about the vaccine and have already decided to refuse their flu shot before they walk through the clinic doors. In response, practices and providers across the country have amplified their efforts.

Talk to Patients About: Diphtheria - 08/02/2019

Most people know little about diphtheria today thanks to the effectiveness of its vaccine. But fear of this highly contagious bacterial infection – which chokes off patients’ ability to breathe –  was once so strong that it accidentally gave birth to a major sporting event: the Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race.

Talk to Patients About: Hib - 08/02/2019

Despite its name, Haemophilus influenzae type b – or Hib – doesn’t cause influenza. In the 1890s, doctors thought this bacteria might cause flu and – despite later research showing flu is caused by a virus – the name stuck. But Hib does cause several severe illnesses, mostly among children under 5 years old. Meningitis is the most common.

Firearms Safety: A Growing Public Health Threat - 08/02/2019

Michael Bagg was bothered by how his fellow students at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston reacted to the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, which killed 58 people. He started talking with a classmate about ways to address firearms that would improve safety while also respecting the rights of gun owners. Together, they came up with a preclinical curriculum for an elective class on firearms safety that has been taught at the school for the past two years. The course, which more than 100 students have attended, addresses topics such as the treatment of injuries and threat identification.

Build Immunization Awareness During August - 08/01/2019

If you weren’t already aware, August is National Immunization Awareness Month. As a physician, you’re aware of how important vaccines are for public health. But some of your patients might not know or understand the benefits of getting vaccinated. Whether you’re talking to parents of young children, senior citizens, or anyone in between, TMA’s Be Wise – Immunize has some tools you can use.