Health-care summit for gays, lesbians will be Saturday

Talking comfortably and honestly with a doctor can lead to better health care.

But achieving that level of communication can be difficult for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people, said Russ Hemphill, organizer of a free conference taking place in Spokane on Saturday.

“Being forthright is very important in health care,” said Hemphill, a community health educator at Spokane AIDS Network. “If someone is not able to fully disclose everything about their life, their health care is in jeopardy.”

Increasing understanding and sensitivity among health-care professionals is one goal of the Inland Northwest Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Health Summit on Saturday.

“We want to begin working with health-care providers in this area to have them build more inclusive practices,” Hemphill said. An intake form at a clinic, for example, could include a space where a patient could indicate they have a same-sex partner, instead of just “married” or “single” choices.

Hemphill heard about a local woman who went to her doctor’s office and wrote on her intake form that she was sexually active and had a female partner. Nevertheless, the woman was informed about the importance of birth control.

“It was one of those awkward moments,” Hemphill said.

The patient took the opportunity to raise awareness about lesbian health issues with her health-care provider, Hemphill said.

That leads to the second goal of the summit: teaching health-care consumers to be their own best advocates.

The health summit will be held at the Washington State University/Eastern Washington University Riverpoint campus Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The event is free. Organizers hope to draw up to 120 participants, including health-care professionals, students and consumers.

The Friend to Friend HIV Prevention program at Spokane AIDS Network is organizing the event.

Organizers are getting help from the Spokane Regional Health District, Associated Students of Washington State University Spokane, Planned Parenthood of the Inland Northwest, Intercollegiate College of Nursing and the Spokane Gender Center. Partial funding from Spokane-Kootenai Pride helped support the summit.

The keynote speaker will be Melynda Huskey, director of WSU’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Allies Program since 1996. She also co-chairs the Palouse HIV Coalition. She will speak on health-care access and education.

Other presenters will speak on addiction and recovery, assisted reproductive technology, depression, quitting tobacco and eating disorders.

New WSU degree

Washington State University Spokane has a new bachelor’s degree that integrates exercise science and nutrition.

Students pursuing the bachelor of science in exercise physiology and metabolism may begin their studies at WSU Pullman, with the final two years at WSU Spokane. Or they may enroll in their freshman and sophomore years at another university or community college and transfer to WSU Spokane.

The university is seeking accreditation from the American Dietetic Association and the American College of Sports Medicine. The double accreditation will make the program unique in the nation, said Linda Massey, professor of human nutrition and a lead faculty member in the program.

Some who have looked at the program have said it seems hard, Massey said.

“But for the kind of people we’re looking for, hard isn’t a problem,” Massey said.

For more information, contact Massey by e-mail at massey@wsu.edu or phone (509) 358-7621.

Live bodies needed

Spokane’s public television station is looking for a studio audience for a program about threats to the U.S. health-care system.

The program will feature Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler and administrators from local hospitals and health-care agencies.

The show airs live on KSPS-TV Oct. 13 from 8 to 9 p.m., following the third presidential debate.

To be part of live studio audience, call KSPS at (509) 354-7800 and ask for a reservation for the Oct. 13 segment of “Health Matters.” Reservations are required. Audience members should be at the station, 3911 S. Regal St., by 7:30 p.m.

Director to speak

Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, the man who lived on fast food for a month, will speak on Washington State University’s Pullman campus tonight. The Associated Students of WSU Student Entertainment Board is the sponsor.

Spurlock will discuss his movie “Super Size Me,” which documents his all-McDonald’s diet while exploring the fast food industry and American obesity, at 8 p.m. in the Compton Union Building Ballroom in Pullman. Tickets are on sale in the CUB front entrance. It’s $7 for WSU students and $10 for everyone else.