A one-minute video that tells about a women’s health issue in Western Pennsylvania — and proposes a nonprofit’s idea for solving it — could bring the agency a $10,000 prize.
The Women’s Health Activist Movement Global is sponsoring its 2017 “Big Idea” Challenge to highlight pressing health issues and offers help from the WHAMGlobal network members to a nonprofit that identifies a strategy to improve women’s health and health equity. The video should feature the nonprofit applicant or a representative of the nonprofit. According to WHAMGlobal, it should be simple and creative but not professionally done.
Categories for the video submissions are mental health or substance abuse; patient and consumer activation (safety, quality, access and equity); social and environmental determinants of health; violence; and women’s health issues. Deadline for video submissions is April 30.
For information about the challenge and how to apply, go to: https://www.whamglobal.org/bigideachallenge.
Swallowing researcher gets award
A University of Pittsburgh engineering professor has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award of $549,139 over five years to further research that promises to help doctors diagnose swallowing disorders and help patients improve swallowing as they eat or drink.
Ervin Sejdic, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, is pursuing the use of high-resolution vibration and sound recordings to screen patients. He began the research at the University of Toronto and a children’s rehab hospital. Vibrations and sound are used as an additional, less invasive method along with endoscopy or fluoroscopy, both now used to evaluate patients after initial screening.
Swallowing disorders, known as dysphagia, affect mostly elderly people and those who have had a stroke or have neurological disease.
In addition to inadequate nutrition, a complication can be breathing in food or fluids, or aspirating them. That can lead to respiratory problems, including pneumonia.
Lymphedema group starts up
The Cancer Caring Center is launching a new monthly support group for female cancer patients with lymphedema, swelling in legs and arms from the buildup of lymph fluid. The first meeting is from 6 to 7:30 p.m. April 27 at the center, 4117 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. Meeting the fourth Thursday of every month, the group will be led by Cheryl Harris and facilitated by physical therapists Judy Schaad, director of Allegheny Health Network oncology rehab, and Randi Marshak, certified lymphedema therapist. The program is free; to register, call 412-622-1212.
First Published: April 11, 2017, 4:00 a.m.
