Writing about the border for the Borderbeat website is one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences that the University of Arizona's journalism program has to offer.
Upon arriving for the first day of class the workload looks daunting, but after a few weeks students seem to find their groove and the quality of writing definitely improves.
The first question I get asked when someone hears that I am in border beat is: "How often do you have to goto the border?" The answer is as much or as little as you would like. Writing about border issues doesn't mean that you have to make constant trips to Mexico or Nogales.
In my opinion, the most challenging part of the course is writing good, insightful and on topic blogs about health issues along the border; not because there aren't a lot of news worthy topics, but because you concentrate on your stories throughout the week and when the weekend comes sometimes you scrape together sources and end up with nothing except a blank screen on blogger and a few quotes.
In order to do good blogs a student should work throughout the week on their story and take their time writing it. Also, make sure you take reporting public affairs a different semester than your senior capstone. It is extremely hard to work on three, sometimes four stories in one week. Sources start becoming mixed up and stories seem to mesh together and, of course, the quality of writing suffers.
The professor of borderbeat, Jay Rochlin, does a great job teaching the course and isn't afraid to tell you when the work is good or bad. The website design is easy to navigate and the story list functions make sifting through the stories easy for editors. My favorite part of the course was the All Souls Procession special report. Writing about something that interesting and taking probably the best pictures I have ever shot was a rewarding experience.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Border region lacks health care insurance
The U.S.-Mexico border region has the highest uninsurance rates than any other part of the country. Those in need of health care are increasingly burdened by the hurdles that await them from the United States health care system.
Hospitals and health facilities depend on patient's health insurance coverage to reimburse their medical expenses. Two primary reasons the region lacks coverage are preexisting medical conditions and low incomes.
Major private health insurance companies like Cigna, Blue Cross and Humana require patients to undergo examinations and check potential client's medical history thoroughly before any type of coverage is provided. People suffering from diabetes, obesity and other health ailments are almost always denied.
Those living without insurance risk financial disaster if a health catastrophe occurs with themselves or a child. Medical bankruptcy is a problem affecting more Americans every year.
With no surgery, the cost of major surgery is nearly impossible to afford with the average Hispanics income in the region (roughly $15,000). This leaves those in need with few solutions in a desperate time.
Medical services should be provided to patients, but when do hospitals step in and put finances over providing health services? Billions of dollars are owed to hospitals due to uncompensated care in the United States.
In 2004, more than $40 billion is the estimated cost of uncompensated care. There are a lot of questions and few answers for fixing the U.S. health care system.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2000 nearly 30 percent of inhabitants living in U.S. border counties lacked health insurance.
There are 45 million people, nearly a third of all Americans, living without health insurance, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
A thorough examination of the health problems in the region: United States-Mexico Border Health Access: Challenges and Opportunities
Hospitals and health facilities depend on patient's health insurance coverage to reimburse their medical expenses. Two primary reasons the region lacks coverage are preexisting medical conditions and low incomes.
Major private health insurance companies like Cigna, Blue Cross and Humana require patients to undergo examinations and check potential client's medical history thoroughly before any type of coverage is provided. People suffering from diabetes, obesity and other health ailments are almost always denied.
Those living without insurance risk financial disaster if a health catastrophe occurs with themselves or a child. Medical bankruptcy is a problem affecting more Americans every year.
With no surgery, the cost of major surgery is nearly impossible to afford with the average Hispanics income in the region (roughly $15,000). This leaves those in need with few solutions in a desperate time.
Medical services should be provided to patients, but when do hospitals step in and put finances over providing health services? Billions of dollars are owed to hospitals due to uncompensated care in the United States.
In 2004, more than $40 billion is the estimated cost of uncompensated care. There are a lot of questions and few answers for fixing the U.S. health care system.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2000 nearly 30 percent of inhabitants living in U.S. border counties lacked health insurance.
There are 45 million people, nearly a third of all Americans, living without health insurance, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
A thorough examination of the health problems in the region: United States-Mexico Border Health Access: Challenges and Opportunities
Monday, November 12, 2007
Migrants at increased risk for HIV/AIDS
Low-wage migrant workers who are employed in a host of U.S. industries are at an estimated 10 times the national average of contracting human immunodeficiency virus or AIDS.
Nearly 5 percent of farmworkers are infected with the virus. When compared to the national average of 0.6 percent it is clear that the workforce many take for granted is suffering at a much higher rate.
Not all migrants come from Mexico, others come from Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Asian countries. Because many do not speak English, the language barrier makes it harder to develop and implement effect HIV prevention programs to target the population.
Several of the major risk factors plaguing this population are sexual cultural taboos (not using proper contraception), needle sharing, poverty and racial issues. As well, access to health care is extremely as many migrants work in industries where employers do not offer health insurance.
Some migrants fear contact with government agencies because of deportation worries or past prosecutions. Therefore many do not receive government sponsored health programs such as Medicaid.
Poverty is also a stranglehold on the life of a migrant worker. The average income is roughly $10,500 according to the U.S. Commission of Agricultural Workers.
Here are the raw numbers according to the UNIDOS Network of Capacity Building Assistance Providers: "Hispanics, who comprise 14 percent of the U.S. population, account for 19.8 percent of all HIV/AIDS cases among adult males, 19.2 percent of all cases among adult females and 21.6 percent of all pediatric cases."
Education on ways to prevent the spread and contraction of HIV is the most successful way to the increasing amount of AIDS cases in the migrant population. Due to underfunding and ignorance of the problem the proper programs have not been considered.
This is a population that the nation relies on. Migrants are the backbone of industries like agriculture, meatpacking, landscaping, construction and various others. America depends on migrants and should provide the already underprivileged workers proper HIV prevention programs.
In Arizona there are upwards of 10,000 people living with the AIDS virus.
Nearly 5 percent of farmworkers are infected with the virus. When compared to the national average of 0.6 percent it is clear that the workforce many take for granted is suffering at a much higher rate.
Not all migrants come from Mexico, others come from Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Asian countries. Because many do not speak English, the language barrier makes it harder to develop and implement effect HIV prevention programs to target the population.Several of the major risk factors plaguing this population are sexual cultural taboos (not using proper contraception), needle sharing, poverty and racial issues. As well, access to health care is extremely as many migrants work in industries where employers do not offer health insurance.
Some migrants fear contact with government agencies because of deportation worries or past prosecutions. Therefore many do not receive government sponsored health programs such as Medicaid.
Poverty is also a stranglehold on the life of a migrant worker. The average income is roughly $10,500 according to the U.S. Commission of Agricultural Workers.
Here are the raw numbers according to the UNIDOS Network of Capacity Building Assistance Providers: "Hispanics, who comprise 14 percent of the U.S. population, account for 19.8 percent of all HIV/AIDS cases among adult males, 19.2 percent of all cases among adult females and 21.6 percent of all pediatric cases."
Education on ways to prevent the spread and contraction of HIV is the most successful way to the increasing amount of AIDS cases in the migrant population. Due to underfunding and ignorance of the problem the proper programs have not been considered.
This is a population that the nation relies on. Migrants are the backbone of industries like agriculture, meatpacking, landscaping, construction and various others. America depends on migrants and should provide the already underprivileged workers proper HIV prevention programs.
In Arizona there are upwards of 10,000 people living with the AIDS virus.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
U.S.-Mexico bordertowns: a hub of pharmaceuticals not FDA appoved
Mexican pharmaceuticals are entering the U.S. at a staggering rate that is growing annually. The majority of drugs are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration and could potentially harm those who take them.
A large number of elderly make yearly treks to Mexican border towns, such as Nogales, Sonora, to purchase generic drugs at a discount price. But the larger majority are under the age of 35, according to Dr. Marvin Shepard at the University of Texas College of Pharmacy.
In Nogales, several 'farmacias' line Avenue Alvaro Obregon, the main street, providing ready-to-sell prescription drugs along with hastily written prescriptions to anyone with the money to buy them.
Dangerous drugs like Somas and Vicodin, both considered controlled substances by the FDA and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, line the pharmacies' shelves and are just a two of vast selection.
Mexico is a fun place to visit and my friends and I often go south for an afternoon to have lunch and a few beers at one of the many bars. The food is good, the beers are cheap and the experience is worth the drive. The problem is the annoying drug peddlers on the street.
A man working for the 'veterinarian clinic' located on a second story above Avenue Alvaro Obregon tried to coax us up by asking, "Steroids, steroids? Testosterone?" After saying no several times the man decided to walk next to us down the strip and began showing labels of the steroids he sells. "Only $150 dollars."
This experience is not the first time I have experienced the pressure put on tourist to purchase illegal substances. Popular Mexican spring break locations offer the same drugs. Pharmacists tell U.S. citizens the best ways to get the drugs past the border. They tell you one suggestion is to buy a souvenir and conceal or mail it to a U.S. address for an additional fee.
The 'farmacias' are a major source of revenue for the Mexican economy and the government has failed to provide strict regulation on the booming industry.
Mexican Pharmaceuticals at the Border... OR, Where the Pain Pills AT? is a film made by University of Arizona student about border pharmacies and their clientèle. The film interviews a student who was caught with drugs without a prescription at a border crossing and a Mexican pharmacy owner. It is one of the first documentaries to investigate this rising issue along the U.S.-Mexico border.
A large number of elderly make yearly treks to Mexican border towns, such as Nogales, Sonora, to purchase generic drugs at a discount price. But the larger majority are under the age of 35, according to Dr. Marvin Shepard at the University of Texas College of Pharmacy.
In Nogales, several 'farmacias' line Avenue Alvaro Obregon, the main street, providing ready-to-sell prescription drugs along with hastily written prescriptions to anyone with the money to buy them.
Dangerous drugs like Somas and Vicodin, both considered controlled substances by the FDA and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, line the pharmacies' shelves and are just a two of vast selection.
Mexico is a fun place to visit and my friends and I often go south for an afternoon to have lunch and a few beers at one of the many bars. The food is good, the beers are cheap and the experience is worth the drive. The problem is the annoying drug peddlers on the street.
A man working for the 'veterinarian clinic' located on a second story above Avenue Alvaro Obregon tried to coax us up by asking, "Steroids, steroids? Testosterone?" After saying no several times the man decided to walk next to us down the strip and began showing labels of the steroids he sells. "Only $150 dollars."
This experience is not the first time I have experienced the pressure put on tourist to purchase illegal substances. Popular Mexican spring break locations offer the same drugs. Pharmacists tell U.S. citizens the best ways to get the drugs past the border. They tell you one suggestion is to buy a souvenir and conceal or mail it to a U.S. address for an additional fee.
In 2003, more than 2,000,000 packages of pharmaceuticals made their way into the country through the mail system. Another, perhaps larger number of drugs are smuggled into the country.
Mexican Pharmaceuticals at the Border... OR, Where the Pain Pills AT? is a film made by University of Arizona student about border pharmacies and their clientèle. The film interviews a student who was caught with drugs without a prescription at a border crossing and a Mexican pharmacy owner. It is one of the first documentaries to investigate this rising issue along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
TMC granted zoning rights to start expansion
The Tucson Medical Center plans to expand its hospital on Grant and Craycroft Roads in Tucson, Ariz. got a huge boost from the Tucson City Council's New zoning approval last week.
Currently, the TMC is a maze of hallways and scattered buildings. Nurses have to be carted from building to building and patients experience more time traveling than multi-story medical facilities.
The planned area development for the property will revamp the area into a modern and more efficient medical facility.
"After nearly four years of work, we have successfully passed a major initial hurdle in getting the new Tucson Medical Center built for the community," said the TMC in response to the rezoning approval.
Some neighbors are still concerned the construction will lead to unwanted noise, increased traffic and blocked views.
The medical center is working to quell the concern by working with neighbors on design and agreements in the interest of both parties.
The TMC is the largest health-care facility in Southern Arizona. More than 6,000 babies are born each year, emergency visits total 90,000 and more than 30,000 people are admitted annually, according to the hospital's figures.
The TMC opened in 1943 and has undergone construction throughout the decades. This is the largest reconstruction of the hospital.
Currently, the TMC is a maze of hallways and scattered buildings. Nurses have to be carted from building to building and patients experience more time traveling than multi-story medical facilities.The planned area development for the property will revamp the area into a modern and more efficient medical facility.
"After nearly four years of work, we have successfully passed a major initial hurdle in getting the new Tucson Medical Center built for the community," said the TMC in response to the rezoning approval.
Some neighbors are still concerned the construction will lead to unwanted noise, increased traffic and blocked views.
The medical center is working to quell the concern by working with neighbors on design and agreements in the interest of both parties.
The TMC is the largest health-care facility in Southern Arizona. More than 6,000 babies are born each year, emergency visits total 90,000 and more than 30,000 people are admitted annually, according to the hospital's figures.
The TMC opened in 1943 and has undergone construction throughout the decades. This is the largest reconstruction of the hospital.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Border alliances helping meet future health goals
The U.S.- Mexico border region suffers from a long list of health conditions and unhealthiness. Those who live 62 miles north and south of the line have among the highest rates of blood and cholesterol levels, obesity and diabetes in the U.S. The region's diets are out of control causing cardiovascular disease to be more common in the Hispanic population.
The problems have caught the attention of various health groups who previously worked independently. The U.S. Mexico Border Health Commission and Pfizer, a pharmaceutical company, created alliances between various qualified health centers and organizations to attempt improve the health of the border region.
"The goals are increasing partnerships and creating a network to increase resources," said Laura Reichhardt, Arizona Coordinator for the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Outreach office with the Arizona Department of Health Services. "Many areas of in the region need health improvement."
A few of the organizations working together to achieve health goals include: the Mexico Secretariat of Health and Secretariat of Foreign Affairs, the Health Initiative of Americas, the Pan American Health Organization, the ten U.S.-Mexico border states and the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Association.
Last week the Alliance for a Healthy Border, the name of the partnership, held Border Binational Health Week in the region to recommend lifestyle changes and address public health issues.
There is still a lot of work to be done.
The population of Hispanics is expected to reach 102 million by 2050 and make up nearly 25% of the total U.S. population. Right now, access to care is limited and increases in health conditions are predicted. Latino life expectancy rates are lower along the 2,000 mile border region than any other part of the United States.
To date, the Alliance has helped more than 11,000 people - a number that would have to jump drastically to have any profound impact on the Hispanic population's health, according to a press release. Although, evaluations by the University of Texas Pan-American shows that those who received educational and community outreach lost weight and had lower blood sugar levels.
The problems have caught the attention of various health groups who previously worked independently. The U.S. Mexico Border Health Commission and Pfizer, a pharmaceutical company, created alliances between various qualified health centers and organizations to attempt improve the health of the border region.
"The goals are increasing partnerships and creating a network to increase resources," said Laura Reichhardt, Arizona Coordinator for the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Outreach office with the Arizona Department of Health Services. "Many areas of in the region need health improvement."
A few of the organizations working together to achieve health goals include: the Mexico Secretariat of Health and Secretariat of Foreign Affairs, the Health Initiative of Americas, the Pan American Health Organization, the ten U.S.-Mexico border states and the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Association.
Last week the Alliance for a Healthy Border, the name of the partnership, held Border Binational Health Week in the region to recommend lifestyle changes and address public health issues.
There is still a lot of work to be done.
The population of Hispanics is expected to reach 102 million by 2050 and make up nearly 25% of the total U.S. population. Right now, access to care is limited and increases in health conditions are predicted. Latino life expectancy rates are lower along the 2,000 mile border region than any other part of the United States.
To date, the Alliance has helped more than 11,000 people - a number that would have to jump drastically to have any profound impact on the Hispanic population's health, according to a press release. Although, evaluations by the University of Texas Pan-American shows that those who received educational and community outreach lost weight and had lower blood sugar levels.
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