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Feminize Medical Care

Feminize Medical Care—4-2010

© Richard Grossman MD, 2010

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart;

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace;

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, starvation, war and loss, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy;

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done;

May God bless you with God’s comforting presence now and in your journeys through each day.

Franciscan blessing

Read by Reverend Ginny Brown at Dr. Leanne Jordan’s memorial service

My first year medical school class had 125 students in it; only six were women. Now half of medical students are women.

I did my specialty training at the University of New Mexico and was surprised that several other residents in obstetrics and gynecology came from medical school in Denver. The former chair of the OB-GYN department excluded women from his program. Imagine not letting women learn to care for women! Fortunately that has changed; now only two of thirty-six OB-GYN residents at the University of Colorado are male.

A friend studied the culture of operating rooms for his doctorate in sociology. He noted a huge change from the 1960s to the present. Men initially dominated—both figuratively and literally—and many OR nurses lived in terror of the behavior of surgeons. As more women became surgeons the ethos improved. The OR became a kinder, gentler place, and patients benefited as well as the staff. Worldwide, empowerment of women is one of the most important steps we can take to slow population growth.

Women in medicine often take off time to have children and to raise their family, so female doctors may take longer to finish their training. I am proud of our daughter-in-law, Dr. Stephanie Shrago, for excelling in med school and family practice residency and having two wonderful daughters. Of course, I also have to thank our son Dave who does a lot of our granddaughters’ care.

Another remarkable physician with whom I practiced for almost twelve years just died. Dr. Leanne Jordan’s memorial service was held earlier this month with an overflow crowd of admirers. Speakers at the service recalled Leanne’s talents: an amazing athlete, empathetic friend and an outstanding doctor. When we worked together in the operating room I felt as though I were energized with a second cup of coffee, because she was always so quick—but careful—during surgery.

One friend said that Leanne’s smile would light up a whole room. I knew about many of her accomplishments and numerous athletic skills that were mentioned during the service. I will never forget the story of her skinny-dipping with a friend after rowing practice when some guys moved their clothes away from the river’s bank.

Leanne died of the breast cancer that she fought valiantly for years. I admire her for being the “poster child” for cancer treatment. She did not hide the fact that she was battling the disease. This openness was a source of solace for others with serious illnesses, and an encouragement to get screened for cancer.

Early detection of breast cancer is key to its cure, as with many other diseases. Breast self exam is good, but mammograms can detect disease long before it can be felt.

Mercy has just opened its state-of-the-art Breast Care Center. It has the latest equipment for the diagnosis of breast problems. In addition, it is beautiful. Stunning art, a fireplace and the dragonfly motif help to soften the usual medical atmosphere.

In the past I heard complaints about pain caused by mammograms, but I don’t any more. That may be because the new digital machines are faster. They are safer, too, since they use less radiation.

Regrettably, not all women have health insurance to cover mammography. There are programs to help women older than 40, so finances shouldn’t be a reason to avoid this important test. The criteria are confusing for the different programs, so it is best to call B.J. Boucher at the American Cancer Society local office, 259-3527.

We have benefitted from more women participating in medical care. It is sad that we recently lost one of the finest, Dr. Leanne Jordan.

This article may be copied or published but must remain intact, with attribution to the author. I also request that the words “First published in the Durango Herald” accompany any publication. For more information, please write the author at: richard@population-matters.org.

Categories
Action Durango Herald Environment Hope Media Population

Speak Out on Population

Speak Out on Population

© Richard Grossman MD, 2009

“I do not understand why there is very little discussion, or even acknowledgement, that unless the human population on this planet can be limited to a sustainable number, there will be wars and death over food and water.”

I agree with Rick, a fellow Bayfield resident, who wrote the above sentence several months ago in response to one of my articles. Rick started:

“I read your article in the Herald this past weekend and was encouraged to find some recognition that human population growth is the root cause of this planet’s problems. I find it nauseating to read countless articles written by supposed experts proposing band-aid fixes to the increasing numbers of problems we humans face, when in fact, that will only delay the inevitable”.

I feel rewarded to know that there are others who feel the same way as I do. Thank you, Rick, and all of the others who have written or spoken to me in response to Population Matters! articles. I even appreciate hearing from people who do not agree with me. I count as a friend a man I haven’t met, but we communicate respectfully about abortion—a subject about which we have radically different ideas.

I am amazed that people do not make the connection between environmental issues and the human effect on Earth. After all, it is our profligate consumption and our ever-increasing numbers that are causing pollution, loss of species and global climate change—amongst other crises. Fortunately there are people, like Rick, who do “get it”; they understand the relationship, and are willing to do something about it.

Concern about human population became popular after Paul Ehrlich’s Population Bomb was published in 1968. Shortly afterwards, Zero Population Growth (which espoused reaching a steady state of population) was founded. Interest came to a halt in 1994 when the International Conference on Population and Development shifted the focus from population to “reproductive health.” The assumption was that providing reproductive health care would allow people to have as few children as they wanted.

The other part of that assumption is that economies were improving, and that fertility would decline as peoples’ wellbeing improved. Unfortunately, economic development implies increased consumption, so development is not an unmitigated blessing. Education (especially of girls) is all-around good, since education doesn’t need to increase consumption—but definitely is associated with smaller family size.

There were several reasons that people at ICPD turned away from population and toward RH. This huge conference of the United Nations needed to reach a consensus of the 179 nations attending (including the Holy See or Vatican) and RH was an easier concept for some countries to tolerate than population stabilization. A major reason that limiting population growth went out of favor is the abuses that were perpetrated in its name. In some countries people were coerced to use contraception or to have sterilization operations. China’s one child family policy is famous for being coercive, and there is evidence that some women were even forced to have abortions. We now recognize that the most successful family planning programs are totally voluntary.

So ICPD was a turning point away from concern about population. But how successful has the focus on RH been? In the fifteen years since ICPD the world’s population has increased by more than one billion people and atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased from 358 to 386 parts per million. Furthermore, we are now using the resources of about 1.3 planet earths, whereas in 1994 we only used about 10% more than was sustainable. We have not done well! I feel that attention has been distracted from the real issue.

How could this be? Why do people not pay more attention to population? I recommend a short video by a Harvard professor of psychology. Although it focuses on the related issue of global climate change, much of what it says also pertains to population: www.desmogblog.com/dan-gilbert-on-the-psychology-of-global-warming-video.

An additional reason that population is even more taboo than climate may be more important. Population involves the issues of sexuality and contraception that many people—and religions—feel strongly about.

John Feeney, a Colorado journalist, has created the Global Speak Out on Population at http://gpso.wordpress.com/. The goal of GSOP is to bring the issue of human population back into the public’s consciousness. I suggest that you check out the website, and then sign the pledge of support.

Rick, you are correct; human population growth is the root cause of many of this planet’s problems. Thank you for recognizing this!

Published in the Durango Herald 2-09

The article above may be copied or published but must remain intact, with attribution to the author. I also request that the words “First published in the Durango Herald” accompany any publication. For more information, please write the author at: richard@population-matters.org.