Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M 61 e greatest health challenges for Montana are those determinants with the worst rankings: the low immunization coverage of children (only 67.1%), high prevalence of excessive drinking (20.8% of our population), and high incidence of pertussis, also known as whooping cough (66.0 per 100,000 people). Montana continues to struggle with 15.3% of our residents lacking health insur- ance, and a low number of primary care physicians at 102.6 per 100,000 people. Also 19.9 percent of our residents still smoke, which is a leading cause of preventable death. A large factor in our health rankings going forward will be driven by demographics. By 2030 more than a quarter of Montana's population will be 65 or older, with more people over 65 than under age 18. is will happen two decades before the rest of the country will see the same demo- graphic shift. Currently Montana has the largest share of Medicare beneficiaries living in rural areas at 77 percent, while nationally only 24 percent of seniors live in rural areas, which can make it dif- ficult to access health care facilities when they are needed. ese factors make Montana unique in what our health needs will be in the future. e Robert Wood Johnson Foundation uses all these statistics to issue "road maps" for each state. eir "Montana Health Gaps Report" advocates for community members to work with public health officials, businesses, educators, philanthro- pists, and investors, non-profit groups, community development efforts, government, and health care to collaborate for the most successful approaches to improving health for each community/county based on their unique needs. By examining these statistics, communities can determine for them- selves which areas need to be addressed locally and perhaps even apply for a Robert Wood Johnson Culture of Health Prize (http://www.county- healthrankings.org/prize). is award, worth $25,000, will "enable everyone, especially those facing the greatest challenges, with the opportu- nity to live well." Ultimately good health comes down to all those little choices each of us makes every day that enhance or harm our health. Living in communi- ties that support good health makes the healthy choices easier. Many of us in Montana consider our health and quality of life to be intimately entwined with the beauty of our natural environ- ment. We are eager to enjoy all Montana has to offer as "e Last Best Place." May Montana continue to make strides in improving the health of all our residents. UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA LEADS WITH NEW BRAIN INJURY CENTER By Cary Shimek I RAQI BATTLEFIELDS AND U.S. FOOTBALL FIELDS OFFER VASTLY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES, but they resulted in similar traumatic brain injuries (TBI) for two UM students. Iraq War veteran Sergej Michaud suffered his TBI in 2007 from a bomb blast. Former UM wide receiver Ryan Burke suffered a seri- ous concussion in 2015 during a Griz football game. Both injuries left lingering symptoms. Enter UM's Neural Injury Center. Formed two years ago, the center of- fers screening services for people with suspected brain injuries. e center also works to bring advances in the lab to individuals who may benefit from them — especially free services to the 600 veterans attending UM. Cindi Laukes, the center's chief operations officer, said that the NIC specializes in advanced technology and an interdisciplinary approach to identify the tiniest changes in the brain from traumatic injuries. Center scientists work together on medical issues affecting those with injuries, including problems with neuropsychological, memory, learning, cogni- tion, balance, and molecular-level changes in brain proteins. UM researcher Alex Santos takes subjects through balance, eye-track- ing, and hand-motion tests. His tests show that TBI patients perform more slowly and with less accuracy than normal. Some of his tests involve using special cameras that track eye movements as patients pursue pro- jected light images on the wall. Sambit Mohapatra, another UM researcher, uses a Transcranial Mag- netic Stimulation device, which pinpoints areas damaged by injury and may improve functions of those areas temporarily. His work may lead to assessment tools and potential interventions. Tom Rau, a neuroscientist, and Sarj Patel, a molecular pharmacologist, track biomarkers in the brain revealed during the TBI recovery process. eir work may lead to a blood test to provide a definitive diagnosis for concussions. "When students have memory, cognition and focus issues, it makes life difficult," Laukes said. "Our Center provides them with the testing to help determine proper diagnosis and start them on the right path to treatment." Doctors Santos, Rau, and Patel at University of Montana Researcher Sambit Mohapatra

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