Lilly Partners With the National Council of La Raza to Fight Chronic Disease
13 July 2008 - 11:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Free pocket-sized health book arms Latinos with tools to lead a
healthy life SAN DIEGO, July 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eli Lilly
and Company has partnered with the National Council of La Raza
(NCLR) to unveil a small tool aimed at battling a big problem --
chronic disease. Lilly is rolling out the free 148-page
pocket-sized health book, Buena Salud, Buena Vida -- Su Guia de
Recursos de Salud, with the support of NCLR during the
organization's 2008 Annual Conference today through Tuesday at the
San Diego Convention Center. NCLR is the largest national Latino
civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. One of
the group's major areas of concern is the health and well being of
Latinos' families. Given Lilly's commitment to helping people, a
partnership between the two organizations was an obvious choice.
"This is a classic a win-win project," said Janet Murguia, NCLR
president and CEO. "Pharmaceutical companies have an interest in
improving patient care, which depends in part on having an informed
consumer. We have an interest in making sure our community has
access to the best information on how to prevent disease, as well
as the highest quality treatment available. This timely and
readable booklet advances both of these goals," said Murguia. Buena
Salud, Buena Vida - Su Guia de Recursos de Salud puts useful tips
and resources in the hands of Hispanic Americans to help them lead
a healthy life and prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease,
cancer and diabetes. The Problem According to the CDC, chronic
diseases account for 70 percent of all deaths in the U.S. -- 1.7
million each year(1). These diseases also cause major limitations
in daily living for almost one out of 10 Americans or about 25
million people(2). While chronic diseases impact all races,
Hispanics are more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions
such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes when compared to
non-Hispanic whites. They are also less likely to receive regular,
continuous care to combat their serious health conditions(3).
Factors that contribute to poor health outcomes among Hispanics
include language and cultural barriers, lack of access to
preventive care and lack of health insurance(4). Guide Book to
Better Health Buena Salud, Buena Vida - Su Guia de Recursos de
Salud is aimed at overcoming some of the health obstacles Hispanic
Americans face by providing useful information and resources in
Spanish. The 148-page book includes an extensive listing of
specific resources in each state where people can access useful
programs and agencies in their area. Several of the resources are
specific to the Hispanic community. The content of the book is also
available online at http://www.lillyforbetterhealth.com/. In
addition, the book will also be made available to NCLR local
affiliates via their national headquarters and at health fairs and
other events around the country. "For the past 130 years, it has
been Lilly's mission to provide 'Answers that Matter'," said Jack
Bailey, a vice president at Lilly. "Whether these answers are in
the form of drugs that treat some of the world's most urgent
medical needs, disease management programs that improve patient
care, or the general health care information found in our book, our
goal is to help people live better lives," Bailey said. Prevention
and Access The CDC emphasizes prevention, indicating that although
chronic diseases are among the most common and costly health
problems, they are also among the most preventable. According to
the CDC, "much of the illness, disability, and death associated
with chronic disease is avoidable through known prevention
measures. Key measures include practicing a healthy lifestyle
(e.g., regular physical activity, healthy eating and avoiding
tobacco use) and the use of early detection practices (e.g.,
screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers, diabetes
and its complications, and depression)(5)." Inside Lilly's free
148-page health resource book, readers will find information on
each one of these key measures and more. Chapters include: Exercise
and Nutrition; Children's Health; Women's Health; Men's Health;
Older Adults; Mental Health; Diabetes; Living Heart Healthy; Cancer
Screening; Substance Abuse/Tobacco Cessation; Veterans Health; and
Patient Assistance Programs. Addressing key prevention measures can
go a long way toward helping people improve their health. A better
state of health not only impacts the life of the individual, it
also has the potential to reverse the current trend of rising
health care costs. "We believe that prevention and management of
chronic diseases are viable options to manage rising health care
costs while maintaining the access Americans have to vital
medications and treatments," said Bailey. About Eli Lilly and
Company Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is
developing a growing portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class
pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its
own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent
scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind.,
Lilly provides answers -- through medicines and information -- for
some of the world's most urgent medical needs. Additional
information about Lilly is available at http://www.lilly.com/.
About NCLR The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) -- the largest
national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the
United States -- works to improve opportunities for Hispanic
Americans. Through its network of nearly 300 affiliated
community-based organizations (CBOs), NCLR reaches millions of
Hispanics each year in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of
Columbia. To achieve its mission, NCLR conducts applied research,
policy analysis, and advocacy, providing a Latino perspective in
five key areas -- assets/investments, civil rights/immigration,
education, employment and economic status, and health. In addition,
it provides capacity-building assistance to its Affiliates who work
at the state and local level to advance opportunities for
individuals and families. 1 - Centers for Disease Control,
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp, accessed January 2008 2 - Ibid 3 -
National Council for La Raza,
http://www.nclr.org/section/hispanic_health_data_indicators/,
accessed June 2008 4 - Centers for Disease Control,
http://www.cdc.gov/omhd/Populations/HL/HL.htm#Disparities, accessed
June 2008 5 - Centers for Disease Control,
http://www.cdc.gov/aging/, accessed January 2008 O-LLY (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080713/CLSU001LOGO ) (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO )
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080713/CLSU001LOGO
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Eli Lilly and Company
CONTACT: Janice Chavers of Eli Lilly and Company, +1-317-612-4974,
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