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Every month the Salud America! team at the Institute of Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio showcases the latest health news, clinical trials, research study results, and stories impacting the Latino community.
Salud America! is led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez.
“Our mission is to inspire people to drive change for health equity for Latino and all families,” said Ramirez, professor and director of the IHPR at UT Health San Antonio.
June was jam-packed with stories of how social determinants of health affect the health outcomes of Latinos, comment campaigns designed to spark change, and a very special webinar.
Let’s take a deeper dive into some of the topics, news, and stories published in June that are making waves in the Latino community.
1. Latino Labor and Job Inequities
A new report from the AFL-CIO (the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations), the largest federation of unions in the US, revealed that Latino workers die on the job more than any other racial or ethnic group.
Many of these deaths are brought on by hazardous working conditions, such as exposure to harmful solvents, metals, or pesticides, workplace accidents, such as the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, and extreme heat conditions.
As our climate continues to change, so do the scorching temperatures, which puts more people at risk for heat-related illnesses and deaths.
Latinos are particularly vulnerable to the heat as many labor in industries where work is primarily done outdoors such as agriculture, building and ground maintenance, and construction.
Florida recently joined the state of Texas in its ban of guaranteed outdoor worker heat protections, such as paid shade and water breaks, placing thousands of Latino workers in danger.
2. Expanding Health Coverage for DACA Recipients
Recent ruling by federal regulators makes it possible for DACA recipients who meet all other eligibility requirements to enroll in a Qualified Health Plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace and a Basic Health Program.
The ruling also made some technical modifications to the definition of “lawfully present” – essentially opening enrollment in the healthcare marketplace to those in the DACA program, many of whom are Latinos.
3. Webinar: Exploring the Benefits of the All of Us Research Program
The National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program is an unprecedented effort to collect the health data of over one million people in the US in the hopes of speeding up health research designed with all of us in mind.
As part of its efforts to diversify research, All of Us turned to a city with one of the largest Latino populations in the US — San Antonio.
This month, the program’s Alamo City partners, including Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, gave those living in the San Antonio-area a guided look at some of the benefits of participating in All of Us via the webinar, “What Does Your Health Story Say About You? Investing in Personal Health Through All of Us.”
When you consent to join the All of Us Research Program and provide a bio sample, you’ll learn more about your genetic ancestry, genetic traits, and risk for diseases with free genetic ancestry and DNA reports.
Explore everything All of Us has to offer by watching the webinar or join the initiative today!
4. Comment: Influence of Promotoras on Latino Health
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) is seeking public comments on the use of community health workers to increase “cultural competency in educational campaigns on public health vaccines and prevention, including but not limited to influenza and COVID-19.”
We believe that bilingual and bicultural promotoras, which connect people to healthcare and social services, hold the key to closing the gaps in the healthcare system and racial/ethnic health inequities in Latino communities.
Promotoras have proven themselves during COVID-19 by reaching into underserved communities to bring virus prevention education, dispel misinformation, and advocate for the vaccine.
Support the use of promotoras to help promote public health vaccines and prevention by submitting a sample comment today!
5. Shining a Light on PTSD with Grace After Fire
On Texas Women Veterans Day, we honored women veterans by highlighting the work of Grace After Fire.
The organization is dedicated to uplifting and empowering women veterans by giving them the resources and tools they need to succeed in life after the military.
Grace After Fire has helped hundreds of women transitioning from military service and used the bonds of sisterhood to help the healing process for many dealing with PTSD
This includes Latina veteran Olivia Zavala Carridine.
6. From Serving His Country to Serving Others with Low Grade Glioma
Get to know Tony Rentas, a Latino military veteran and family man, and how his life changed after he was diagnosed with low grade glioma.
Inspired by an organization that helped him follow his diagnosis, today Tony is a patient advocate who strives to help others who are going through brain cancer.
Learn more about low grade glioma and how you or someone you know can join the International Low Grade Glioma Registry.
7. Build a Healthier Community
While some of these issues are widespread, you can create change on the community level.
But it can be difficult to know where to start.
To help you find your next community project or initiative, download a free Salud America! Health Equity Report Card.
The Health Equity Report Card is simple to use. Just find your state and county from a dropdown list and it will generate a custom report tailored to your community.
There you’ll find valuable information about where your community stands on issues such as housing inequities, access to transportation, air quality, and more.
Use the visuals and data related to the health of your community to make a case for a community project or charity drive or use it as a plea for change by petitioning your local leaders.
GET YOUR HEALTH EQUITY REPORT CARD!
Explore More:
Health EquityBy The Numbers
25
years
of life expectancy between some U.S. cities.
