The Washington Post on Tuesday published several articles about the "pivotal role" women play in health care as patients and as primary caregivers (Washington Post, 5/13). Summaries appear below.
Elderly care: Rita Zeidner, a frequent contributor to the Post, writes about her experience caring for her aging parents. She discusses the emotional toll of putting her parents in a retirement home and her concerns about having other people take care of her parents (Zeidner, Washington Post, 5/13). The Post also published an article by Zeidner's mother, Sylvia, about her experience moving from independent living into a retirement community (Zeidner, Washington Post, 5/13).
Preventive care: The Post profiles Elmer Huerta, president of the American Cancer Society and a former oncologist in Peru, who is working in the Hispanic community to encourage women to receive preventive care and become more educated about their overall health. Huerta hosts weekly television and radio programs and does daily radio spots about health promotion and disease prevention -- all in Spanish (Moreno, Washington Post, 5/13).
Nursing mothers: Despite a law in Washington, D.C., and the federal Child's Right to Nurse Act that require employers to provide female workers a private, clean space outside a restroom to pump breast milk, some employers with limited space are having a difficult time complying with the law, the Post reports. The laws were created to encourage mothers to breastfeed until their children are one year old, which reduces their risk of infant death by 21% and could reduce the risk of other problems, including diabetes, asthma and cancer (Adams, Washington Post, 5/13).
Online discussions: Patients are using online forums, including DC Urban Moms and Dads, to discuss their experiences with physicians and inform others about possible concerns about care they provide, the Post reports. The article examined efforts by some parents to expose concerns about a local pediatric dentist who performed unnecessary procedures, according to a state regulatory board that temporarily suspended the dentist's license (Otto, Washington Post, 5/13).
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