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Inside this issue:

     After attending a safety awareness event, Gary’s five year-old daughter noticed another child alone in a locked car on a hot day and got help.  After smoking for 28 years, Jane found the power to quit.  What has happened to you?

 

Now, there is a place to share your story: The Utah Health Story Bank, a collection of health-related stories from Utahns who wish to share their experiences with others. We want to use these stories to help put a face on today's health issues.

 

The Center for Multicultural Health hopes many Utahns of minority race and ethnicity will contribute to the Story Bank.  Multicultural Utahns have unique stories that need to be shared—How has culturally responsive (or not so culturally responsive) health care affected your life? Has a qualified medical interpreter (or the lack of one) made a difference for you and your family? Are you new to our country and trying to maintain your health while surrounded by unfamiliar foods, routines and health care systems? 

Too often, health issues are talked about in dollars and cents and the real people affected are forgotten. Real people, and their stories, not only put a face on the issue, but also help simplify complex issues for the public. By submitting a story, you may help increase awareness and promote better health in the community.   Some ways the stories will be used include:

· To meet the request from reporters working on health-related stories who need real people to interview.

· To show the Utah Legislature the importance of health as they prepare Utah's state budget.

· To create health media messages.

· For educational activities such as presentations to community groups, fact sheets and brochures, and on web sites to promote healthy living.

 

When your story meets one of these needs, a health educator will contact you to see if you are willing to speak about your health-related story. Your story will never be shared without your permission, and you will not be asked to participate in any activities that might make you uncomfortable.

To share your story, go to the CMH  homepage (http://health.utah.gov/cmh) and click on the  ‘Story Bank’ icon . Once at the story bank, register your contact information. The website will email you a password after you register so that you can submit stories confidentially.  Be sure to check your “junk” or “spam” email mailbox if you don’t see the message.  You may submit as many stories as you would like about any health or safety-related topic.

                                                                                                                         Information submitted by  April Y. Bennett      CMH Multicultural Specialist

                                           

           

  

                            

June 2008  Issue # 24

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