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HEALTH NEWS
Black History Month
This month we uplift the achievements of Dr. Helen Octavia Dickens, a pioneer in medicine. One of the first Black female ob-gyns in the U.S., Dr. Dickens was instrumental in introducing pap smears to Black women in the 1950s.
Dr. Dickens was born in 1909. Her father was a former slave and Civil War water boy, and her mother worked as a domestic servant for a wealthy family. Her parents instilled in her the importance of education. In 1934, she graduated with her MD from the University of Illinois, the only black woman in her class. She completed her internship working with TB patients at Provident Hospital, a black hospital in the southside of Chicago, and moved to Philadelphia in 1935 to work at Virginia Alexander’s Aspiranto Health Home. There, Dr. Dickens practiced general medicine and provided gynecologic and obstetric care to patients who often faced extreme poverty and were not otherwise able to access care. These experiences inspired her to obtain additional training in obstetrics and gynecology, and in 1945, she received her master of science from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. She became certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology after completing her residency in 1946.
Dr. Dickens later worked as Director of the Mercy Douglass Hospital Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 1950, she became the first black woman fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Dickens’ work focused on prevention through research, education and empowerment. She was a research leader in areas such as teen pregnancy, founding the teen clinic at the University of Pennsylvania in 1967. She also led research on sexual health, including sexually transmitted infections, and spearheaded projects that brought cancer detection facilities to inner city areas of Philadelphia. She trained 200 doctors to provide pap smears for cervical cancer detection, and offered the test through clinics at Black churches. She advised community members and health officials alike on interventions to lower rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
You can read more about Dr. Dickens from the National Library of Medicine and American College of Surgeons, or watch a short video from the National Library of Medicine.
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HEALTH NEWS
Don’t Delay Subtyping Influenza in Hospitalized Patients
CDC released a Health Alert Network Health Advisory recommending a shortened timeline for subtyping all influenza A specimens among hospitalized patients and increasing efforts at clinical laboratories to identify non-seasonal influenza. While the human risk from avian influenza A(H5) remains low, the CDC continues close monitoring. Click here to read the full alert.
Recommendations for hospitalized patients with suspected or confirmed influenza:
- Assess potential exposure to wild and domestic animals, including pets (e.g., cats) and animal products or recent close contact with a symptomatic person with a probable or confirmed case of A(H5).
- Test using whatever diagnostic test is most readily available for initial diagnosis, ideally within 24 hours of admission. Most public/private insurers cover diagnostic and subtyping services.
- If a test result is positive for influenza A virus but negative for seasonal influenza A virus subtypes [i.e., A(H1) and A(H3)], it might represent a novel influenza A virus, such as influenza A(H5). Prioritize these specimens for shipment to a public health laboratory for additional testing.
- Start hospitalized patients on antiviral treatment with oseltamivir as soon as possible, without waiting for the results of influenza testing.
Novel influenza A, including avian influenza A(H5N1), is a reportable condition—notify Metro Health Epidemiology immediately about suspected, probable, or confirmed cases at 210-207-8876 (24/7 line).
GBS Warning Added to Adult RSV Vaccines
The FDA required new safety labeling for both adult RSV vaccine formulations. This move came after reviewing post-marketing observational studies that indicated increased risk for Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) during the 42 days following vaccination. This step was taken as an extra precaution, based on finding 7 to 9 excess cases per 1 million doses administered.
For older adults weighing whether to get an RSV vaccine, it may be helpful to share that seniors are significantly more likely to be hospitalized from RSV than to acquire GBS from the vaccine. About 100,000–150,000 U.S. adults ages 60 and older in the United States are hospitalized with RSV each year. Among those hospitalized, 17% are admitted to the ICU.
Pulse Ox Concerns Prompt New FDA Guidance
FDA released a draft of its new recommendations, Pulse Oximeters for Medical Purposes - Non-Clinical and Clinical Performance Testing, Labeling, and Premarket Submission Recommendations, on Jan. 7 for public comment. The goal is to address long-standing issues with testing and accuracy of these commonly used devices. Concerns about the accuracy of pulse oximeter readings, especially when used in people with darker skin tones, received heightened awareness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The draft guidance recommends that manufacturers use the Monk Skin Tone scale and “a diversely pigmented group of 150 or more healthy participants.” Previous rules required only 10 subjects, two of whom were to be “darkly pigmented.”
The FDA draft is open for comments until Mar. 10. Comments can be submitted online here or by mail to: Dockets Management, Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm 1061, Rockville, MD, 20852 (docket number: FDA-2023-N-4976).
NEW!! Metro Health STI/HIV Clinic Hours
Beginning 1/20/2025, Metro Health will no longer offer Wednesday evening clinics. Hours will be as follows:
Mon-Thurs 7:45am-4:30pm
Friday: 7:45am-12:00pm
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COVID CORNER
NEW! Data Snapshots Available
1 in 5 U.S. Adults with Long COVID Report Daily Activity Limitations
In a December MMWR, the CDC presented findings from a 2023 survey of noninstitutionalized U.S. adults, showing that 19.8% of those with Long COVID reported significant activity limitations due to their symptoms. In Texas, 16.2% of adults with Long COVID said the symptoms reduced their ability to perform daily activities “a lot,” compared to pre-COVID-19 levels.
Risk factors for developing Long COVID include being female, Hispanic, experiencing a previous severe COVID-19 infection, having underlying health conditions, and not receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
Clinicians, remind patients to protect themselves from severe COVID-19 infection by receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine. Everyone ages 6 months and older is eligible to receive the updated 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine.
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MPOX
STOMP Trial Update
The STOMP trial is no longer enrolling participants. Tecovirimat (TPOXX) is still available through the CDC’s Expanded Access Investigational New Drug (EA-IND) protocol. Providers can learn more and sign up as a site here: https://www.cdc.gov/mpox/hcp/clinical-care/tecovirimat.html
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EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Fetal Infant Morbidity Review on Congenital Syphilis (FIMR-S)
Join the City of San Antonio Metro Health’s Congenital Syphilis team on Feb. 4, 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., for the first FIMR-S of 2025! Participants will review 3 cases focusing on congenital syphilis; following a case review, participants will identify community action items. Your unique background and expertise there is needed.
Location: Urban Ecology Center on 8400 NW Military Hwy, 78231. This workshop will be in-person only, and registration is required. Up to 3.50 hours of free CME/CE available.
Intimate Partner Violence and HIV ECHO
The New England AIDS Education and Training Center continues its series on sexual violence and HIV risk with a session on the intersection of intimate partner violence and HIV, Feb. 5, 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. CST. Click here to register.
Medical Minute Series
The Texas NAACP Health Committee presents “Medical Minute,” a bi-monthly virtual series beginning Feb. 6, at 6:00 p.m. This series will include presentations from medical professionals on health topics impacting Black and Brown communities. Registration is required.
Alamo Area Resource Center (AARC) Health Equity Symposium
AARC invites you to their first annual Health Equity Symposium, an event dedicated to fostering collaboration and advancing equitable healthcare practices within our community, Feb. 7, 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at the Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection. Register here. Free CEUs provided.
AIDS Seminar: ChemSex
Listen in on a virtual session covering the phenomenon of chemsex and its unique association with HIV and behaviors associated with HIV acquisition. Learn how to develop a treatment plan using sex-positive language in patients who engage in chemsex, regardless of their HIV status, Feb. 10, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CST. Click here to register. 1.00 hour CME/CNE available.
What’s in Your STI Prevention Toolkit?
Grab your lunch and join your Metro Health Clinician Ambassadors Feb. 12, 12 p.m. – 1:00 p.m, for a brand-new Lunch & Learn Webinar with informative updates on STI and HIV prevention. Topics will include HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), DoxyPEP and Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) as effective tools for preventing STIs and HIV in primary care and other healthcare settings. Register here. 1.00 hour CME/CNE available.
Sex Ed in Schools: What are the Laws?
Join the South Central AIDS Education and Training Center Program and Project ECHO as they host this virtual education session Feb. 12, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. This is part of their monthly Teen Sexual Health ECHO series. Register here. Questions? Contact ProjectECHO@bcm.edu.1.00 hour CEU available.
Child Psychiatry Access Network (CPAN) 2025 Series
The UT System’s CPAN is hosting a virtual Lunch & Learn series, with sessions held every other Thursday from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Join them Feb. 6 for Mental Health Emergencies in Primary Care. Register here for this session and the ones below. (CME available.)
Upcoming CPAN sessions:
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Feb. 20 – Risky Behaviors in Adolescents
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Mar. 6 – Eating Disorders
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Mar. 20 – Sleep Disorders
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Apr. 3 – Transitional Age Youth & ADHD
Perinatal Psychiatry Access Network (PeriPAN) 2025 Series
Join Texas Tech University and PeriPAN on Feb. 18, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m., for free lunchtime CME on Eating Disorders and Perinatal Mental Health. Build your skills with PeriPAN psychiatrists and gain practical insights to support your pregnant or postpartum patients. Register here for this session and the ones below.
Upcoming PeriPAN sessions:
- Mar. 18 – Ethics of Treating Mental Health Conditions in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period
- Apr. 15 – Behavioral Strategies and Psychotherapeutic Models of Care for Perinatal Anxiety and Depression
- May 20 – Introduction to Maternal Mental Health Conditions and Their Prevalence
- June 17 – Sleep Disturbances and Hygiene: Impacts on Perinatal Mental Health
- July 15 – Cultural Considerations in Perinatal Mental Health: Socio-Economic Impact on Access to Care
- Aug. 19 – Perinatal Grief and Loss
- Sept. 16 – Assessing Suicide Risk and Implementing Safety Measures in Perinatal Mental Health
- Oct. 21 – Substance Use and Its Impact on Perinatal and Postpartum Mental Health
- Nov. 18 – Paternal Mental Health: Impact on Families and Children
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| SAVE THE DATE
Gender-Affirming Training for Mental Health Professionals
If you're interested in building foundational skills in providing care for Trans and Gender Diverse individuals, join a free, full-day training hosted by Adam A. Sauceda, MA, LPC-S, RPT, from Synchronicity Counseling. The training will take place in person Mar. 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To attend, RSVP by emailing training@fullforcefoundation.org by Feb. 20. CEUs are available.
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SA Kids B.R.E.A.T.H.E.
SA Kids BREATHE (SAKB), Metro Health's asthma education and self-management program, significantly improves children's quality of life and highlights the valuable work of Community Health Workers. Since its launch, SAKB has received 1,711 referrals, enrolling 678 families (40%), exceeding the 30% average enrollment rate of similar programs. The program's primary goal is achieving well-controlled asthma, (Asthma Control Test (ACT) score >19 on a scale of 5 to 25). While 28% were considered well-controlled at enrollment, 90% met criteria by graduation from the program (a 62% improvement). Additionally, self-reported hospitalizations for asthma decreased by 49% after 12 months in the program.
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| Your Clinician Ambassadors
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Lucinda Lundy Zeinelabdin, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Clinician Ambassador, Family Nurse Practitioner
Lucinda.Zeinelabdin2@sanantonio.gov
210-207-2407
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Diana Morales, BSN, RN
Clinician Ambassador, Public Health Nurse
Diana.Morales1@sanantonio.gov
210-207-5102
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For health alerts from Metro Health text "DOCALERT" to 1-844-824-COSA (2672)
By participating, you consent to receive up to 4 text messages per month from Metro Health. Message and data rates may apply.
SCAN HERE
You can now self-schedule your virtual academic
detailing sessions with the Clinician Ambassador team!
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