From Dr. Victor Miranda, General Manager of Diabetes Juvenil

Given the volume of medical information on the Internet, you might think that reliable and accurate information about diabetes is readily available. While this may be true for online diabetes resources in English, dependable information about diabetes is harder to come by for those around the globe who speak Spanish.  (Dele un clic aquí para leer en español)

This is surprising given the prevalence of diabetes in the Hispanic population. I’ll give you an example from the U.S., where I live. According to the most recent national survey data from the NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) for people ages 20 or older, 10.4% of Hispanics have been diagnosed with diabetes. Among this segment, the rates for Cubans were 8.2%, 11.9% for Mexican Americans and 12.6% for Puerto Ricans. For those who are first and second generation Hispanic-Americans, Spanish is predominately the primary language spoken at home. What is a parent to do when they receive the news that their child has diabetes? Where can they go for information after the 15-20 minute medical visit is over? 

While I found the lack of accessible information in Spanish to be very concerning, our team involved in Children With Diabetes also recognized the importance of helping to foster a community where Spanish-language speakers affected by diabetes could connect. Diabetes Juvenil provides a dynamic place where information can be shared freely and in Spanish, through forums and chats. The interactive forums and chats provide a way for people living with diabetes to discuss topics with other people just like them — people who really identify with what it is to be a patient with diabetes, a caregiver, a parent or grandparent of someone with diabetes. Being able to connect with others around the world who speak the same language is particularly important for families who are experiencing a void of information due to language barriers.

We are also striving to provide links to other groups that are aiming to offer the Spanish- speaking population services similar to other portals available in English, such as links to organizations  capable of providing medications that are either free of charge or at discounted prices, as well as organizations for young adults or the elderly living with diabetes.

We realize there is much more that can be done, but we hope that Diabetes Juvenil is a good start. Let us know if there are other things we can be doing to help patients with diabetes. We’re always looking for ways to help and language shouldn’t be a barrier.

Parents and students have a reason to be extra cautious on their way to and from school. I was surprised to learn from a new Safe Kids study that one out of every six drivers in school zones is distracted. The Safe Kids New Jersey blog issued the following warning to drivers:

Almost one in six drivers in a school zone behaves like a drunk driver. Multitasking while driving can have deadly consequences. Drivers need to shut off their phones and pay attention to the road, especially in areas that are filled with children.

Here are a few points from the study that I found interesting (and alarming):

• Unbelted drivers are 34 percent more likely to be distracted than belted drivers, meaning they are engaging in multiple unsafe driving behaviors.
• Afternoon drivers are 22 percent more likely to be distracted than morning drivers, which is also the time of day when one in three child pedestrian deaths occur (according to Safe Kids New Jersey).
• Women are 21 percent more likely to be distracted than men, mostly by cell phones and grooming while driving.

I wasn’t too surprised when I read that the use of devices like cell phones, PDAs and Smartphones was the leading cause of distraction. In New Jersey, like many other states across the U.S., it is illegal to use a handheld cell phone and text while driving. But, every day on my way to and from work I see my fellow motorists with one hand on the wheel and the other holding a cell phone. I wonder why so many drivers risk their safety, and the safety of other drivers and pedestrians.

Spread the word and ask your friends and family members to turn off the phone and focus on the road while driving.

According to a report from Alzheimer’s Disease International, more than 35 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. While the report notes that many caregivers of people with dementia take pride in their role, they also experience high levels of emotional stress that can impact their own health and well-being. 

In recognition of World Alzheimer’s Day, the Johnson & Johnson health channel is featuring a few videos to acknowledge those who care for Alzheimer’s patients. Caregivers discuss what it means to take care of a family member with Alzheimer’s disease, the challenges they face, and resources available to help support caregivers and patients.

Though I wish I had an iPhone (I have serious app envy), I do have a 3G phone that keeps me well-connected – and that has given the concept of being mobile an entirely new meaning for me. No longer am I chained to my desk in my corporate cave here at Johnson & Johnson, but I can wander wherever, and still feel connected. I know, I know – I’m not alone in that. In fact, according to a recent comScore, Inc. report:

Recognizing this, my colleagues over at McNeil Pediatrics recently created a new mobile web service that people can access from their phones to text for information about ADHD by texting “ADHD” to 87415.

(BTW: It happens that this week is ADHD awareness week as well….)

Once again, it is all about making sure information is available to people when and where they are looking for it – in this case, on their mobile phones.

From Fikry W. Isaac, MD, MPH, Executive Director, Global Health Services, Johnson & Johnson

I was privileged to participate in the Make Health Happen: Promoting Prevention and Wellness in Rural Communities summit at Montana State University in Bozeman. The summit was organized by Senator Max Baucus to bring together local businesses, public health workers, educators, health care providers, and nonprofit organizations interested in learning how to improve health and wellness in rural  communities. Several companies, including Johnson & Johnson, were invited to participate in the conversation.

With magnificent mountains and wide open spaces serving as an energizing backdrop, Montana was a great location to talk about innovative approaches to health and wellness—a beautiful, adventurous landscape that encourages action.

At the summit, I shared the experiences that the company I work for, Johnson & Johnson, has had in the creation of programs that are designed to help our employees improve their health – and, whenever possible, address the risk factors that lead to disease.  We call this wellness and prevention, and over the past 30 years, we’ve learned a lot about the strategies and programs we can put in place to make this work for our company.  As part of the recent discussions about  initiatives that can be put into place to  improve how we manage health in America, I’m often asked about what it takes to create a successful program – either within a community or a company like Johnson & Johnson – that can help people better manage their health.

Depending on who’s asking, I can get into a great deal of detail, but in general, there are a few things that have to be in place for a program – whether run by a company or by a community — to be successful:

• You have to address the health and wellness of the individual as well as the organization – you can help the individual to become healthy, but it will be difficult for them to maintain a healthy lifestyle in an unhealthy environment
• Leaders need to be committed to making such initiatives a success.  Whether you are the president of your company or the parent of a child, you need to lead by example to create lasting change and a healthy environment.
• Programs should address the full spectrum of health needs, from helping people with a chronic illness to keeping the healthy well. You will realize the most value by preventing the onset of risk factors, like obesity, that lead to costly chronic illnesses.

I’m not suggesting that these strategies are easy. Creating a culture of health – that encourages people to maintain healthy lifestyles — in your business, school, and even in your home requires time and effort. However, even small steps can make a big difference.

It’s back to school time, and many kids may find they can no longer see the blackboard as clearly as they did last year. Children that need vision correction and are active, or even those who just want a new look, may be asking their parents if they can wear contact lenses instead of glasses. 

According to a recent survey parents may be the largest barrier to children making the switch to contact lenses. Parents are sometimes concerned that contact lenses may be too difficult for their kids to take care of. Mary Lou French O.D., F.A.A.O., M.Ed. is an eye doctor that specializes in children’s eye care and offered the following tips to parents of children who want to wear contact lenses:

I find that parents do not think that their child is mature enough to wear and care for contact lenses. With the current lens modalities available, such as daily lenses and 2 week lenses, the worry about hygiene is minimized. If they want lenses they will listen to the instruction on the care and cleaning of the lenses.

If your child has an active lifestyle and requires vision correction then contact lenses could be the best choice. Contact lenses improve depth perception and peripheral vision, which is important for sports of all types. Contact lenses do not break, fall off of the face, or need constant adjustment and repair. And they can be worn just for that sport if needed, leaving the glasses at home. 

Recent research supports the fact that kids are successful contact lens wearers, and that has also been my experience caring for children’s eyes for the last 32 years!

Additionally, contact lenses may offer kids benefits beyond vision correction. According to the ACHIEVE study, contact lenses offer both girls and boys greater freedom in sports and other physical activities and may boost confidence in academic performance as well. For girls in particular, the switch from glasses to contact lenses can have a significant impact on improving self-esteem. To see one girl’s view of all this, check out the video that was just uploaded to the corporate website.

Hearing from Dr. French got me to thinking about eye health and kids. Now as you may know, I’m a big fan of Safe Kids, and I found they offer more information about children’s eye health and safety that parents should check out.

Update: This is a great piece about how one mother determined whether her daughter was ready to wear contact lenses.