The Valley Times – April 25, 2018

VOL. I, NO. 40

|

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

|

RGVTIMES.COM

FREE

EDINBURG CISD 3-PEAT

Inside

‘BEST COMMUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION’

STUDY FINDS SHARED DECISION MAKING STILL LACKING IN PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING

SAVE MONEY ON PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES PG.7

P.3

2

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

WWW.RGVTIMES.COM

The Senate Must Confirm Pompeo

By MARC A. THIESSEN WASHINGTON -- For the first time in the history of the republic, it appears increasingly likely that a majority of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will vote against the president’s nominee for secretary of state. If this happens, it would be a black mark not on Mike Pompeo’s record, but on the reputation of this once-storied committee.

There are no instances of a secretary of state nominee ever receiving an unfavorable committee vote since such votes were first publicly recorded in 1925 (before that, the committee voted in closed session).

Democrat John Kerry was approved in a unanimous voice vote, including from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who opposes Pompeo.

Democrat Hillary Clinton was approved 16 to 1, despite concerns about foreign donors to the Clinton Foundation. Madeleine Albright was approved unanimously, with the strong support of my former boss, the committee’s conservative then-chairman, Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., who called Albright “a tough and courageous lady” and voted for her despite saying that she was “sincerely wrong” in some of her foreign

policy views.

Other Democrats, including Warren Christopher and Cyrus Vance, were also approved unanimously in committee, as were Republicans Colin Powell, James Baker and George Shultz. Indeed, no secretary of state going all the way back to Henry Kissinger had ever received more than two negative votes in the Foreign Relations Committee -- until Donald Trump became president.

Last year, all 10 Democrats on the committee voted “no” to Rex Tillerson’s nomination, making him the first secretary of state in history to be approved on a party-line vote. Now, thanks to the opposition from those 10 Democrats and Paul, it appears that Pompeo could soon become the first secretary of state nominee in history to receive a negative recommendation from the committee.

There is simply no excuse for this. There are no ethical questions hanging over Pompeo’s nomination. He has engaged in no disqualifying personal conduct. And no one questions that he is extraordinarily qualified for the job. Indeed, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said that Pompeo “has a clear record of public service to his nation -- in uniform, in Congress, and as the director of the CIA.” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said he believes that Pompeo “will work hard to restore morale at State and work to supplement, not atrophy, the diplomatic tools at the Secretary of State’s disposal.” Yet both are voting against him. Indeed, nine of the committee’s 10 Democrats have already declared their opposition to Pompeo -- including two, Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., -- who voted for him to lead the CIA.

Their opposition comes just as President Trump is preparing for a high-stakes nuclear summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Pompeo recently returned from North Korea, where he met with Kim and laid the groundwork for this historic meeting. Democrats ought to ask themselves how their actions will be seen in Pyongyang. To deliver such an undeserved rebuke to Pompeo at such a critical diplomatic moment would be a shameful abdication of the committee’s responsibilities.

It would also breach two centuries of precedent in which the committee has carefully examined the credentials and qualifications of the president’s nominee for secretary of state but acknowledged that the president should have his choice of who should be his chief diplomatic adviser.

It is one thing for senators to use a nomination as leverage to gain commitments on specific policy matters. (Helms insisted that Albright work with him on his plans to reform the United Nations and reorganize the State Department, which she did.)

Effective senators understand how to use the nomination process to win policy fights.

But for senators to vote down a highly qualified nominee over their disdain for the president is completely unwarranted and, quite frankly, a breach of Senate norms.

A negative vote would hurt the Foreign Relations Committee more than Pompeo.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will bring his nomination to the floor regardless of what the committee does, and it is expected that some Democrats -- such as Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., who has publicly announced her support -- will vote for him. And when Pompeo is confirmed by the full Senate, he would be more than justified in determining that the State Department is best served by working closely with the appropriators and Senate leadership, and bypassing a committee that can’t make policy, can’t legislate and can’t lead.

Follow Marc A. Thiessen on Twitter, @ marcthiessen. (c) 2018, The Washington Post Writers Group

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

WWW.RGVTIMES.COM

3

PSJA’s Special Needs Program Dedicates Sensory Garden To Community Advocate

To see Joel Gonzalez at his son’s sports activities, you might assume he was just another “sports dad.” You would be wrong.

Joel was a dad, but he was more than that.

There are few corners of the Pharr, San Juan and Alamo where Joel did not have an impact, especially when it comes to education.

PSJA ISD’s Pathway Toward Independence (PTI) program hosted a dedication ceremony at their LIFE House on Wednesday, April 18 to honor the memory of former PSJA Education Foundation President Joel A Gonzalez.

A new Sensory Garden was added to the LIFE House’s backyard thanks to a PSJA Education Foundation Mini Grant and other contributing partners. Earlier this year, Mr. Gonzalez, who had served as the PSJA Education Foundation’s first President since its inception in 2013 passed away, leaving behind a legacy of altruism for his community.

“This dedication means a lot to our family,” said his son Justin Gonzalez. “Knowing my father was so involved in the PSJA community and impacted the lives of so many children is a great honor.”

Like his father, Justin is a proud alumnus who graduated from PSJA High School in 2012. He and his twin sister Jenna hope to continue their father’s legacy by remaining

active in the PSJA ISD community.

According to the PSJA PTI Program Director Veronica Quintana the Sensory Garden would not have been possible without the help and support from the PSJA Education Foundation and various community sponsors.

“We are honored to dedicate this beautiful garden in memory of Mr. Gonzalez,” said Quintana. “We thank him for his endless support and dedication to our students.”

The PTI program promotes the continued development of vocational training skills and/or functional independent living skills to assist special needs students in becoming emergent adults in the community.

The LIFE House or Learning in Functional Environments Home, was created for special needs high school students that require functional independent living skills.

ABOUT JOEL A. GONZALEZ Gonzalez loved his PSJA community and through his volunteerism would advocate for the improvement of education and opportunities provided to the youth of PSJA. He was the heart and soul of the PSJA Education Foundation, serving as President since its inception in 2013 and was a long-time member of the Tri-City Business/ Education Coalition, the predecessor to the

The Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District’s Fine Arts Department recently received the distinction of being one of the Best Communities for Music Education for the third consecutive year. The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation honored Edinburg CISD with the designation for its outstanding music education programs.

“We are very excited and honored to receive this prestigious award for a third time. This national recognition demonstrates how strong the music program is in Edinburg,” ECISD Fine Arts Director Nelinda Villarreal said.

“This could not be possible without the support and encouragement from all of our board members, staff, teachers, students and parents.”

According to the NAMM Foundation, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide

music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Edinburg CISD answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs. For more information about the NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.

ECISD Earns Third Consecutive ‘Best Communities For Music Education’ Award

Twins Jenna and Justin Gonzalez sit in front of the plaque dedicated to their father, Joel Gonzalez, a long-time PSJA area civic leader.

PSJA Education Foundation.

Throughout his 30-year banking career, he made an impact in the Rio Grande Valley and the PSJA community he loved through his volunteerism and advocating for improving education and opportunities for the youth of PSJA. He dedicated his life to giving back to his community as a volunteer coach, and a board member in numerous other boards including Nuestra Clinica del Valle, Kiwanis, Pharr Chamber of Commerce and the

Pharr Rotary. He also served as President and Board Member of the Boys & Girls Club of Pharr.

Joey attended PSJA schools and was the 1984 Valedictorian of his senior class.

He received numerous awards during his PSJA years such as All-State Safety his senior year. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Pan American University in 1989 and was a Senior Vice President at Texas Regional Bank.

4

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

WWW.RGVTIMES.COM

HEARING AIDS

OPEN HOUSE APR. 4TH - 30TH

Symptomatic similarities of

ALZHEIMER’S vs. UNTREATED Veterans HEARING LOSS DISEASE

are encouraged to take advantage of education benefits at the South Texas College Expo to be held today at the Weslaco Campus, from 10 am to 1 pm.

• Depression, anxiety, disorientation

• Depression, anxiety, feelings of isolation

• Reduced language comprehension

• Reduced communication ability

• Impaired memory (esp. short-term memory)

• Can’t remember what was not heard

• Inappropriate psychosocial responses

• Inappropriate psychosocial responses

• Loss of ability to recognize (agnosia)

• Reduced mental scores due to not hearing correctly

• Denial, defensiveness, negativity

• Denial, heightened defensiveness, negativity

STC Veterans Expo THE VERY BEST HEARING AIDS SALES ENDSSlated Today In Weslaco AT NEVER BEFORE PRICES! • Distrust and suspicion regarding other’s motives • Distrust and paranoia (e.g., belief that others may be talking about them)

HEARING AIDS

Symptomatic similarities of

ALZHEIMER’S vs. UNTREATED HEARING LOSS DISEASE

• Depression, anxiety, disorientation

• Reduced language comprehension

• Depression, anxiety, feelings of isolation • Reduced communication ability

• Impaired memory (esp. short-term memory)

• Can’t remember what was not heard

• Inappropriate psychosocial responses

• Inappropriate psychosocial responses

• Loss of ability to recognize (agnosia)

• Reduced mental scores due to not hearing correctly

• Denial, defensiveness, negativity

FRIDAY 27THSouth Texas College (STC) student Juan • Denial, heightened defensiveness, negativity

• Distrust and suspicion regarding other’s motives • Distrust and paranoia (e.g., belief that others may be talking about them)

Manuel Hernandez talks about his motivation to return to school despite not being $ a full-time student since he graduated high 50 Batteries school in 1978. for 1 Year! with Hearing Aid Purchase Hernandez, 58, is a veteran and former Let us demonstrate the Best Hearing Aids in aviation the industry! mechanic in the Army from 1978 until 1995. Once he retired from the milBring this ad & receive a Strataitary, 8 Hernandez said he began working at the Evins Juvenile Detention Center in Twin Core Smart Phone Friendly Edinburg where he worked for the next 16 Batteries $50 Retail Price $2495 available on for 1 Year! years. with Hearing Aid Purchase A decision late in life prompted him to Let us demonstrate the Best Hearing Aids in the industry!

Download is FREE! Each return to college to pursue a long time goal of starting his own business. Along the way, Strata 8 Custom he said, he became familiar with numerous designed to assist veterans Aid - No more struggling with batteries Twin CoreHearingorganizations adjusting to civilian life.

Retail Price $1495 Retail Price $2495 - Fully charges in 4 hours “There are many veterans who do not know the benefits that are available to - Adjust volume with cellphone Each Each them.

We provide that information to them Service up to 40db loss Essential Quad Custom - Latest technologies Core Format of 0% INTEREST HearingFOR Aid here,” Hernandez said. “To me, being here 12 MONTHS hearing Custom at South Texas College was a great oppor- Water resistant $ $ Hearing Aid LIMITED NOW!!!

Each APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE. CALL Each tunity.

We have a lot of veterans who come - Volume control easy with phone App! Service up to 40db•loss Free Audiometric Testing Free Hearing Aid Demonstration Retail Price $1495 here, Free Video Ear Inspection • Free Hearing Aid Evaluation and the faculty works with them. We tend to help each other as much as we can.

“A veteran who comes to STC will not be Each Care Credit Service up to 40db loss on his or her own. If a veteran reaches out Patient Plans CALL 956-702-7777 0% INTEREST FOR 12 MONTHS for assistance, he can find it here, especially LIMITED APPOINTMENTS! 24, 36 & 48 Months Available with all the veterans on campus who are American Discount Hearing LIMITED APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE. CALL NOW!!! willing to help out,” Hernandez said.

Free Audiometric Testing • Free HearingAlso Aid Demonstration PHARR - MIKE A. PRUNEDA (956) 702-7777 Free Hearing Aid Evaluation 12•CALL mos.

0% Interest The Office of Veterans Affairs at South 300 E. Interstate 2 - Ste. G Free Video Ear Inspection LIMITED APPOINTMENTS! 2 Years In Subject to Credit Approval.

A Row! Texas College will host the expo today, Hours: Mon-Fri. 9am - 12pm • 1:30pm - 5pm

If you or a loved one has difficulty hearing call HEARING AIDS Free for a FREE consultation SALES ENDS

Bring this ad & receive a

IHOP Gift Card

& American Discount Hearing27TH FRIDAY are giving you the best combo ever!

Free

IHOP Gift Card

995

$

995$499

$

Retail Price $1495

Subject to Credit Approval.

Retail Price $2495

499

995

499

$

American Discount Hearing

We would like to extend our gratitude to the people of the Rio Grande Valley who selected us for the second year in a row as your

We pride ourselves in providing you with the best sound quality in the industry.

Subject to Credit Approval.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the people of the Rio Grande Valley who selected us for the second year in a row as your

2013 PHARR - 2014 Mike Pruneda 300 E. Exp. 83 - Ste. G •

We pride ourselves in providing

Hrs: Mon. - Fri. 9am - 12pm/1:30pm - 5pm

April 25 at the Mid-Valley Campus. Time for the event will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Created as a resource for veterans in the community, the expo will consist of area vendors who will be on hand distributing information of the benefits and services available to them.

Vendors at the expo will assist veterans with applying for grants that can be used towards rent, utilities, daycare for children, tuition assistance and transportation.

Organizations attending will provide a wide range of services including legal aid, mental health care, veterans’ benefit claims assistance, hearing loss, home care, mortgage loans, small business start-up assistance and PTSD therapy assistance.

“The Expo is designed to bring awareness to veterans, especially student veterans and those organizations that provide services to veterans,” said Jessie Luna, Veterans Outreach Coordinator at South Texas College. “This will be valuable not only for veterans, but also their dependents who are looking for assistance as they transition from military service into civilian life.

“This is not only for students, but those veterans in the community who want to stop by,” Luna said.

Those who are seeking more information can call Jessie Luna, Veterans Outreach Coordinator at 956- 872-2606 or email at jluna77@southtexascollege.edu

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

WWW.RGVTIMES.COM

5

History Museum Focuses On Photographs During Celebrating Preservation Week The Museum of South Texas History will celebrate Preservation Week April 22 through April 28 with a variety of activities at the museum and online. Preservation Week is an annual event founded by several national organizations including the Library of Congress. In its fifth year celebrating Preservation Week, MOSTHistory will focus on the preservation of photographs.

“Over the last century, photography had become one of the most powerful tools for humans to record and remember what they value as important. In the lower Rio Grande Valley, MOSTHistory holds one of the largest collections of such photographs in its Margaret H. McAllen Memorial Archives,” said Executive Director Shan Rankin.

“Numerous families, individuals, and businesses have made their photographs available to the public by donating them to the museum,” Rankin adds. “But Preservation Week is not only about what the museum holds, but what we as an entire community hold, our collective identity. Together we can protect that visual legacy, whether the photographs are in acid-free boxes in the museum, in family

albums, or in business file cabinets.”

The museum’s Archivist Kelly Francis-Love said, “In years past, the museum received large collections of photographs, and not all of the people, events, or buildings were identified.

During Preservation Week, we’re asking the public to look at some of our ‘mystery’ photographs online and at the museum to see if they can give us more information about them.”

On Sunday, April 22, the museum posted online the first “mystery” photograph from its collection for help with identification. Additional photographs will be posted online daily through the week. On Monday, April 23, the archives staff shared a video about their brand of detective work to analyze, date and identify historic photographs. On Tuesday, April 24, they shared information about the museum’s photographic holdings. On Wednesday and Thursday, April 25 and April 26, staff will present information about how to care for, organize and display photographs. Friday, April 27, the museum will post additional resources about preserving and identifying photographs, and taking meaningful photographs.

Throughout the week, the public is

Courthouse Project Manager Oscar Garcia, of Jacobs Inc., updated Hidalgo County Commissioners Court last week on the construction of the New Hidalgo County Courthouse, saying that plans are on schedule.

“After a long effort, a complete project team is under contract,” said Garcia.

“HDR with the design, and we have Morganti as Construction Manager-At-Risk moving forward as well.”

He added that boring is visible at the site, which is a part of the geotechnical work being done. In addition, the transition of Closner Blvd. from TXDOT to the county is expected to be finalized on April 26.

A major step will be a true-to-size mockup of a courtroom that will be completed in June. The mockup will provide an accurate layout for judges to gage how it works for them. Suggestions can be discussed and incorporated be-

fore the final design is in place, he said.

“This will allow people to do a walkthrough of the courthouse design,” Garcia said.

Project updates are posted regularly on the county’s website.

Precinct 1 Commissioner David L. Fuentes stressed the importance of keeping the public apprised on access to the courthouse as the work progresses.

“I know there have been a lot of questions raised on how we are going to conduct business once construction begins, so I would encourage you to positively relay that message to not just the users here, but to people reporting for jury duty and others,” Fuentes said.

Part of the current development phase includes looking at long-term solutions during and post construction and, in addition to providing updates on the county website, how best to communicate information to the public.

Do You Know Anyone In This Photo? — This photo of the Edinburg High School Sergeanettes from 1978 lacks names. If you know anyone in this photo, please visit the Museum of South Texas History during April 22 to May 20 to provide information about unidentified photographs.

invited to view – and hopefully identify – additional photographs of people, places and events in the Mystery Gallery on display in the museum’s Classroom. Concluding the week on Saturday, April 28, the public is welcomed to meet the curatorial staff at Coffee with the Curators at the museum between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Visitors can

view the Mystery Gallery and ask museum staff questions about preservation. They can also learn more about the museum’s photographic collection and how it can be used for a variety of personal, business and research purposes. The Mystery Gallery of photographs will remain on view at the museum until May 20.

Project Team Finally In Place For New County Courthouse

Jacobs Project Manager Oscar Garcia updated Hidalgo County Commissioners on the new court house construction work

6

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

WWW.RGVTIMES.COM

Aztectopia – The Adventures of the Aztec Gods

Inspired by Aztec history and Japanese anime, Pedro Larez brings to life the adventures of the Aztec gods through “Aztectopia,” a comic book. Gerald A. Padilla, the translator of the comic book, will present these adventures during the Sunday Speaker Series presentation, “Aztectopia: The Adventures of the Aztec Gods,” April 29 at 2 p.m. at the Museum of South Texas History.

This presentation will include the influence Aztec history and legends have had in South Texas and northeastern Mexico.

Copies of the comic book will be available for purchase in the Museum Store following the presentation. The book is available in Spanish and English versions.

With more than 119,000 followers on facebook, Larez has rapidly become a social media rockstar and one of Mexico’s leading comic strip illustrators. Through his originality and wit, he has been able to put Aztec mythology on the spotlight, creating a world where Aztec deities share their daily life and adventures in a hilarious humanlike fashion.

Some of his popular characters include deities such as: Quetzacoatl, Xochiquet-

zal, Tlaloc, Chalchiuhtlicue, Tonatiuh, and even a Tlacuache (a Possum), as well as many others. His artistic innovation and the Gerald Padilla uncharted nature of his work, provide him with an infinite amount of material and possibilities.

Padilla is a publisher, translator, educator and cultural promoter. He has worked closely with the community of the Rio Grande Valley to promote Latin American Culture and Mesoamerican Culture. He is the co-founder of the Festival Internacional de Poesía Latinoamericana (FeIPoL) in McAllen and the co-founder of Jade Publishing, which distributes “Aztectopia” in the United States. Jade Publishing is a new American publishing company dedicated to the promotion of Latin American literature.

Sunday Speaker Series is included in the fee for regular museum admission.

FRIENDS of the Museum are admitted free as a benefit of FRIENDship.

The Museum of South Texas History is located in downtown Edinburg at 200 North Closner Boulevard on the Hidalgo County Courthouse square. Hours of operation are from 1 p.m.–5 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday. For more information about MOSTHistory, including becoming a FRIEND, visit MOSTHistory.org, like us on Facebook, follow on Twitter, find on Google+ or call (956) 383-6911.

VOL. I, NO. 16

|

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

Preventing Brain Injuries Brain injuries are a significant public health problem in Texas. They can occur in a matter of seconds but can have lasting effects on a person’s life as well as their family. HHS has three programs that work together to prevent brain injuries and help Texans who have them.

The Office of Disability Prevention for Children, the Office of Acquired Brain Injury and Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services educate Texans through public information campaigns and help people find the services they need.

The Office of Disability Prevention for Children works to prevent developmental disabilities before they happen.

“Preventable disabilities, such as brain injury or fetal alcohol syndrome, can happen before and after someone is born,” said Gabi Teal, project manager for ODPC. “We work with other HHS programs and the public to make sure they have the information they need about the causes, frequency and preventability of developmental disabilities.”

A brain injury can require months or years of rehabilitation.

The Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services program can help Texans pay for rehabilitation for traumatic brain or traumatic spinal cord injuries. Services can include inpatient comprehensive rehabilitation services, outpatient rehabilitation services and post-acute brain injury services. The program aims to ensure that consumers receive services to improve their ability to function independently in the home and community.

Primary Prevention (preventing the disability from occurring), Secondary Prevention (detecting disability early and intervening to slow or stop its progression), Tertiary Prevention (interventions that stop or slow the progression of a disability to mitigate its negative consequences). Our goal is to stop disability before it happens and minimize the negative consequences if we cannot.

“The program serves as the payer of last resort for people who don’t have health insurance, people who have Medicaid and people who have private insurance,” said Christine Medeiros, program manager for CRS. “Once CRS consumers complete their services, our staff helps them move back into their community and connects them with further resources such as the Centers for Independent Living that can help them gain independence.”

For those not eligible for CRS services, the Office of Acquired Brain Injury will work with them to find services in their community.

“More people are diagnosed with brain injuries than with Alzheimer’s, breast cancer, HIV and AIDS, prostate cancer, lung cancer and ALS combined,” said Crystal Starkey, program manager for the Office of Acquired Brain Injury. “Our office serves as an educational hub for people living with brain injuries, connecting them with the appropriate resources in their community, raising awareness and increasing education about brain injury.”

|

WWW.GOODHEALTHGUIDETX.COM

FREE

8

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Study Finds Shared Decision Making Still Lacking in Prostate Cancer Screening Fewer than one in five men A new study finds many men receiving prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing do so without a comprehensive shared decision making process, contrary to current guidelines. The American Cancer Society study, appearing in Annals of Family Medicine, finds that in both 2010 and 2015 about 6 in 10 men who reported recent PSA testing said they had received at least one component of shared decision making. Meanwhile, only 1 in 10 with no PSA test reported receiving any component of shared decision making in both 2010 and 2015.

Recommendations for PSA testing have changed in the past several years and vary from organization to organization. But there is widespread consensus that PSA testing should not occur without shared decision making. Previous studies have shown infrequent use of shared decision making for PSA testing. In light of the recommendation modifications increasing the emphasis on shared decision making, researchers led by Stacey Fedewa aimed to identify any changes in shared decision making for PSA testing in recent years.

To find out, they conducted a retrospec-

tive cross-sectional study among men 50 and older participating in the 2010 and 2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). They looked for changes in receipt of shared decision making among more than 9,500 men, measuring whether patients were informed about the advantages only, advantages and disadvantages, or full shared decision making (including advantages, disadvantages, and uncertainties regarding the test).

From 2010 to 2015, the proportion of men who reported a recent PSA test and said they received at least one element of shared decision making rose only slightly, from 58.5% to 62.6%. Being told only about the advantages of PSA testing declined (from 23.9% to 20.9%) and full shared decision making prevalence significantly increased (from 12.2% to 17.4%) in recently tested men. Nonetheless, in 2015 fewer than one in five men with recent PSA testing reported full shared decision, and the most common shared decision making situation was being told only about the advantages of PSA testing.

The authors also found full shared decision making was significantly less common in men without a high school diploma com-

pared to college graduates. For example, among men with recent PSA testing, those without a high school diploma were about one-half as likely as men with a college degree to report full shared decision making.

The authors say their study is limited by its reliance on self-reported components of shared decision making. Compared with previous studies having more comprehensive measures of decision making, the current study observed a lower proportion of men who reported shared decision making.

The authors say variations in shared decision making definitions could account for those differences. They add that it appears, however, that the benefits of PSA testing are more commonly discussed than risks or uncertainties regarding the test across studies and definitions. “New and innovative strategies are needed to achieve more widespread application of shared decision making,� conclude the authors.

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Save Money On Prescription Medicines Only about half of medicines prescribed by health care providers are taken correctly, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Reasons why patients may misuse medications can include forgetting to take them, not understanding the directions, and disliking the side effects. But the FDA also says many people stop taking their medicine, skip doses, or delay filling a prescription to save money.

Not taking medicine as instructed by a doctor or pharmacist can be dangerous.

According to the FDA, it can lead to your disease getting worse, a trip to the hospital, or in the worst cases, even death.

The FDA recommends these strategies to cut down on prescription medicine costs: • Tell your doctor if you have a problem paying for prescription drugs. Ask whether there are generic or over-the-counter options that would work just as well, or another brand of the drug that may cost less.

• Find out whether another insurance option or Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage can benefit you and your family members.

• Check to see whether you are eligible for drug assistance programs in your state.

• Check with the pharmaceutical companies that provide your medicines to find out whether you qualify for assistance programs.

• Shop around your neighborhood or look for legitimate online pharmacies that have better prices on prescription drugs. The FDA recommends purchasing only from state-licensed pharmacies that are located in the United States. Also make sure the pharmacy knows about everything you’re taking – including over-

the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements.

If you are taking more than one prescription or over-the-counter drug, vitamin, or supplement, or caring for someone who is, managing them can be complicated. Here are some tips to make the job easier: • Keep a chart of your daily medication schedule and follow it exactly.

• Take your medication at the same time every day.

• Tie taking your medications with a daily routine such as brushing your teeth.

• Take the exact dosage prescribed. Use a weekly or daily pill organizer to avoid mix-ups.

• Store medications in their original containers.

• Don’t take medication in the dark, or when you’re tired or distracted.

• When traveling, bring extra medication in case your return is delayed. Keep medication in your carry-on baggage in case your luggage is lost.

• If you experience unexpected or unpleasant side effects from your medication, talk to your doctor. Don’t simply stop taking it.

And remember these safety tips: • Don’t drink alcohol with your medications unless your doctor has told you it’s safe.

• Never take medications prescribed for someone else.

• Lock up medications to keep them from children.

• Properly dispose of medications that your doctor has told you to stop taking, or that have expired. If no disposal instructions came with the medication, ask your pharmacist how to do so safely.

9