and private agencies and organizations have initiated multiple activities on dis- tracted driving. The U.S. Department of Transportation developed a public awareness campaign on distracted driv- ing — “Put It Down” — to help drivers understand they have a personal respon- sibility to pay attention while driving. The campaign also encourages legisla- tion and local law enforcement to dis- courage distracted driving. Stephen Pont, MD, medical director
of the Texas Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Obesity, says public health awareness campaigns are effective and could prove influential in curtailing distracted driving. As an example, he cites the “Safe to Sleep” campaign to educate health care professionals, parents, and caregivers on ways to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The campaign began in 1994 and spread the recom- mendation that healthy babies be placed
on their backs to sleep. The National In- stitute of Child Health & Human Devel- opment reports that since the campaign started, the percentage of infants sleep- ing on their backs has increased dra- matically, and overall SIDS rates have declined by more than 50 percent. “By getting involved in campaigns, physicians can help craft the message and be part of the solution,” Dr. Pont said.
Schools also can be instrumental in
reducing the prevalence of distracted driving among adolescents, says Dr. Pont, a member of the Austin Independent School District School Health Advisory Council.
“Schools are a great place to get the message out to kids, and they should hear it in other settings, too. Physicians should talk to patients of all ages about the risks associated with texting and driving and other forms of distraction. If distracted driving is an issue dear to
Now is the ideal time to host a Texas Medical Association Hard Hats for Little Heads helmet giveaway. April is Texas Child Safety Month, and May is Bike Month.
TMA encourages physicians, county medical societies, medical students, and TMA Alliance members to give free hel- mets to children in their communities. With the purchase of 50 helmets at a reduced price of $7.35 each, TMA will provide 50 helmets free of charge. TMA has a list of Hard Hats event
Lock in your processing rates till the end of 2013*
ideas online at
www.texmed.org/Tem plate.aspx?id=460. To learn more, visit
www.texmed.org/Hard_Hats_for_Lit tle_Heads, and contact Tammy Wishard, TMA outreach coordinator, at (800) 880- 1300, ext. 1470, or (512) 370-1470. Hard Hats for Little Heads is made possible by a grant from the TMA Foun- dation thanks to top donors Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Prudential, and two anonymous foundations and gifts from physicians and their families.
a physician, any advocacy group would be happy to have that physician on the team,” Dr. Pont said.
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Women younger than 30 are being screened consistent with newer national recommendations for cervical cancer screening, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency also reported 60 percent of women continue to get Pap tests even after having a total hysterectomy. In 2012, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the American College of Ob-
2/26/13 3:57 PM
More women get Pap tests
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