Governor Pataki Announces $250,000 for Osteoporosis Resource Centers and Awareness Programs
Albany, November 30, 1998 – Governor George E. Pataki announced today more than $250,000 for osteoporosis prevention and education programs to help thousands of New Yorkers escape the debilitating effects of the disease. The funds support a total of five programs including the establishment of three new regional Osteoporosis Resource Centers. The programs will provide awareness of the risks of osteoporosis and measures that can be taken to prevent the disease.
"Knowing more about osteoporosis will empower individuals, particularly women, to reduce their risk against this disabling bone disorder," said Governor Pataki. "These Resource Centers present enormous potential to improve and protect the health of all New Yorkers."
Osteoporosis is more prevalent among women than men. Women account for eight in ten people diagnosed with the disease. Typically bone loss progresses undetected for decades until severe disability –– commonly resulting in hip fractures. Interventions for osteoporosis and fractures can be designed to prevent the development of the disease, reduce further bone loss, and lessen the risk of fracture. Opportunities for primary prevention occur throughout the life span with programs to promote exercise, avoid smoking, and improve nutrition.
"New York must do all that it can to protect our grandmothers, mothers, sisters and daughters against a disease which is robbing them of their independence and compromising their quality of life," said Governor Pataki.
The three regional Osteoporosis Resource Centers are located at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, the SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse, and the Catholic Health System in Buffalo. The funds will help the organizations establish outreach campaigns, develop and distribute educational materials and provide health care professionals with training in the most current scientific information available on the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Two other centers being funded are the Stony Brook Osteoporosis Center and Clinical Research Program and the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Each will conduct similar activities on a smaller scale.
"I am pleased to see that the Catholic Health system has been named The Western New York/Rochester Regional Osteoporosis Resource Center by the New York State Department of Health," said Senator Mary Lou Rath.
"Their proposal to bring together community health care and service providers, the education community, and a collective group of physician experts in the field of osteoporosis and related specialty areas is a dynamic collaborative effort to address a serious and often overlooked health risk."
The $250,000 were earmarked in legislation that was signed by Governor Pataki earlier in 1998. The legislation created an Osteoporosis Prevention and Education Program within the New York State Department of Health and supports regional osteoporosis Prevention Education centers across the state. The Program focuses on issues relating to the causes, risk factors and nature of the disease, as well as diagnosis prevention and treatment.
The programs being funded include:
| Organization | Amount | Program Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital for Special Surgery East 70th St., New York, NY | $60,000 | Targets Latino communities, work sites and medical professional organizations by establishing prevention committees in each of the five boroughs and on Long Island. The committees will collaborate with community service providers, education facilities, medical institutions and community based organization to conduct outreach and health promotion activities. Ongoing professional education will be provided through a network of professional medical organizations. |
| SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse | $60,000 | Targets females ages 20 to 55, nurses and physicians through a partnership with the local health unit. Three separate components of education will focus on: lay individuals at wellness centers and employee groups; nurses and lay persons at Managed Care Organizations and Local Health Unit clinics; and women in twenties who will receive intensive intervention. |
| Catholic Health System Buffalo, NY | $60,000 | Targets health care professionals, adolescent and peri–menopausal females with community–wide awareness and education through collaborations with academic organizations, fitness facilities, geriatric centers, local health and social services units and community based organizations. A second component offers health care provider forums on osteoporosis treatment and prevention strategies. |
| SUNY Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY | $55,000 | Targets a lay population and dentists by working with community–based organizations such as the Arthritis Foundation, Hadassah and AARP to provide outreach and education. The program will also work with the school of Dentistry and professional dental organizations to provide awareness and education on the symptoms and diagnosis of osteoporosis to the regional dental community. |
| National Osteoporosis Foundation New York, NY | $15,000 | Targets females, ages 20–55, and primary care physicians through awareness campaigns at work sites and the media. Resource guides will be distributed through the NYC Dept. For Aging and the Nassau County DOH. A physician's guide will be distributed through county medical societies. |
11/30/98–115 OPA