From Our Team

Snus: A New Threat from Big Tobacco

As cigarette smoking rates continue to decline, tobacco companies are not taking defeat lying down. RJ Reynolds and Phillip Morris continue to develop new products in order to recruit new users. On February 13th, Dr. Erin Sutfin of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center traveled to El Paso to discuss these products with members of the Paso del Norte regional Smoke Free Network. Dr. Sutfin is a developmental psychologist who researches tobacco use, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Among other topics, she discussed snus (rhymes with “goose”), a new product peddled by big…

Discover more about the region with innovative web site

With all that’s going-on in medical reform, talk of taxing certain foods and drinks, improving regional mass transit, and a changing economy, I have lots of questions like:

How many people in the county have medical insurance? What is the density of fast food restaurants in our region? What is the average travel time to work? How many households are without a vehicle in the county? How many families live below the poverty level?

Fortunately for residents of the Paso del Norte region there is a simple, fast, and free way to get these answers and more. A newly launched website…

Leadership Essential for Advancing Health

Improving the public’s health in the Paso del Norte region is more critical, challenging, and complex than ever. Looking to the future, I foresee dramatic change in how health problems are prevented and treated. Shaping those changes for the benefit of all residents will require extremely capable and collaborative leadership from government, private industry, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, hospitals and clinics, families, and others. Only by the hands of strong, transformational leaders will we succeed in making this region a vibrant and healthy place to…

The Family Table

Its 6:00 p.m. and I’m late for dinner again. As I walk in the door my daughters call out “Dad, you better hurry we’re already starting.” I rush to wash my hands and get to the table. Then as we start eating, my phone rings. My older daughter reminds me of our rule to be “unplugged” at this time. That means, no television, phones, computers, etc. I apologize to all then shut my phone off. Setting aside quality family time in a quiet, distraction free environment takes prioritizing and practice. Barriers to gathering at the family table may seem difficult to overcome. Yet the lasting…

ACA and its Unique Permutations on the U.S.-Mexico Border

While the pros and cons of the the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have been discussed ad nauseam, few have discussed the unique implications for residents of the U.S.-Mexico border region, particularly folks living in Texas.

In 2007, Theresa Byrd (Texas Tech) and I conducted a survey of El Paso County to determine what proportion of residents access health care services in Mexico. We also wanted to learn which services they use, and why they cross for care. We found that 32% of El Paso residents crossed into Mexico for some type of health care service. Of those that crossed, 27% were…

Regional Cooperation for Your Health

I recall, years ago, participating in a teambuilding workshop. We played an activity, with which you may be familiar. Each of us took a single stick and easily broke it; then we bundled the sticks and could not break them. The moral was something like, “we are stronger together than we are apart.”

Like the bundling of sticks, regional agencies are binding together for stronger health and human services. That’s good news for anyone who needs to visit a doctor, or who is trying to eat better, exercise more, quit smoking, or teach a child about healthy relationships. The following are a…

Online Safety Tips

My daughter asks “Dad, what time is dinner?” “In about half an hour, I respond.” This sounds like a common home exchange. One major difference is that today I’m using my smart phone to respond to my daughter’s question even though she is in the next room. As parents it is hard to make decisions on how much access to technology children should have. While we may fear the unknown online world, we must overcome and educate ourselves to maintain a healthful connection with our kids. School groups, band and athletic programs, even the National Honor Society all have connections through social…

Preventing isolation for mental and emotional well-being

As the holiday season moves into full swing, shifting focus to family and helping your neighbor can be emotionally beneficial. However, for some the hype, commercialization, and nostalgia of the holiday season brings added stress which can lead to problems with anxiety and depression. These are times when family and community support can make a huge difference.

Children, youth and adults all experience life events that can create symptoms of mental illness such as anxiety or depression. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 1 in 5 American…

The Importance of Sleep

Two weeks ago, my wife and I are celebrated the birth of our son. Two weeks into parenthood and I’ve had much opportunity to ponder the value of sleep. Apparently, I’m not alone. Many El Pasoans do not get enough sleep on a regular basis. A 2008 study conducted by the Texas Department of State Health Services found that 45% of El Paso adults did not get enough sleep on five or more nights in the last month.

It is easy to take for granted the many benefits sleep contributes to our health and well-being. Sleep affects our mood and ability to cope with stress and frustration. Adequate sleep…

Avoiding the Mental Illness Stigma

We talk about mental health and physical health as if they were two different parts of the human body. The truth is physical health is interconnected and cannot be separated from the body’s mental health. When we have a cold or cut, we tend to seek advice from family, friends, or healthcare providers. Unfortunately, mental illness is not as willingly discussed. Stigma, or the perception that having mental illness is socially unacceptable, is one major reason people avoid talking about mental illness. The burden of mental illness in the United States is among the highest of all diseases….