[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 81 (Friday, April 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 22417]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-9110]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Call for Collaborating Partners for the OWH National Lupus 
Awareness Campaign

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the 
Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office on Women's 
Health.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office 
of Public Health and Science (OPHS), Office on Women's Health (OWH) 
announces the development of a National Lupus Awareness campaign with 
the Advertising Council and invites public and private sector lupus and 
women's health related organizations to participate as collaborating 
partners to provide advice on the development and dissemination of the 
campaign materials.

DATES: Representatives of lupus and women's health organizations should 
submit expressions of interest by May 18, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Expressions of interest, comments, and questions may be 
submitted by electronic mail to [email protected]; or by 
regular mail to Frances E. Ashe-Goins, RN, MPH, Deputy Director, Office 
on Women's Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 200 
Independence Avenue, SW., Room 728E, Washington, DC 20201, or via fax 
to (202) 401-4005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frances E. Ashe-Goins RN, MPH, Office 
on Women's Health, Office of Public Health and Science, Department of 
Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 728E, 
Washington, DC 20201, (202) 690-6373 (telephone), (202) 401-4005 (fax).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OWH was established in 1991 to improve 
the health of American women by advancing and coordinating a 
comprehensive women's health agenda throughout HHS. This program has 
two goals: Development and implementation of model programs on women's 
health; and leading education, collaboration and coordination on 
women's health. The program fulfills its mission through competitive 
contracts and grants to an array of community, academic and other 
organizations at the national and community levels. National 
educational campaigns provide information about the important steps 
women can take to improve and maintain their health.
    OWH has worked on community based lupus awareness projects over the 
years and those activities, though successful, have not met the 
overwhelming critical national need for lupus education.
    Lupus is a chronic (life-long) autoimmune disease that for unknown 
reasons causes the immune system to mistakenly attack the body's own 
healthy cells and tissue as though they were foreign invaders. The 
resulting inflammation causes symptoms of disease. Without 
intervention, the inflammation leads to tissue damage, organ failure, 
disability, and in many cases, premature death.
    Public recognition of lupus is low. A recent survey of 1,000 U.S. 
adults (18+) conducted for the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) 
revealed that 39 percent knew nothing about lupus, and 22 percent had 
never heard of the disease. When probed, only 20 percent could reflect 
even basic information about the disease. An earlier survey showed that 
only 4 out of 10 young adults (18-24) claimed to be familiar with 
lupus. Lack of awareness of lupus symptoms is the underlying reason for 
late diagnosis and increased morbidity.
    A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2002 
revealed that over a 10-year period, deaths attributed to lupus 
increased 60 percent overall; among older African-American women, the 
increase was nearly 70 percent. This report suggests that increased 
awareness of lupus and proactive diagnosis of the disease will reduce 
the number of deaths due to lupus. It is estimated that \1/3\ of deaths 
attributed to lupus occur among women younger than 45 years of age.
    OWH has contracted with the Advertising Council to plan, develop, 
implement, and evaluate a national lupus marketing campaign to increase 
the awareness of symptoms of lupus, its health effects and provide 
information to individuals who may be at risk for lupus to help them 
decide whether to seek medical evaluation. The National Lupus Awareness 
Campaign is intended to generate public attention for lupus and raise 
recognition of the disease as a significant national public health 
problem that disproportionately affects young women of color.
    In order to develop and implement the National Lupus Awareness 
Campaign, OWH is interested in establishing partnerships with private 
and public lupus and women's health related organizations. As partners 
with HHS, these health organizations can bring their ideas and 
expertise, administrative capabilities, and resources, which are 
consistent with the goals of the National Lupus Awareness Campaign.
    Given the National Lupus Awareness Campaign's objectives, entities 
which have similar goals and consistent interests, appropriate 
expertise and resources, and which would like to pursue lupus awareness 
activities in collaboration with OWH are encouraged to reply to this 
notice. Working together, these partnerships will provide innovative 
opportunities to promote an increased national awareness of lupus, with 
the end goal of earlier lupus detection and diagnosis and decreased 
morbidity.

    Dated: April 18, 2008.
Wanda K. Jones,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health (Women's Health).
 [FR Doc. E8-9110 Filed 4-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-33-P