As of June 2020, 14 U.S. states continued to reject Medicaid expansion, leaving many without an affordable healthcare coverage option. Then COVID-19 hit—hardest among low-income, uninsured families, particularly Latinos. In response to surging coronavirus cases, Oklahoma (11.1% Latino), the state with the second-highest uninsured rates, voted to expand Medicaid on July 1, 2020. A month later on Aug. 4, Missouri (4.4% Latino) also voted to expand Medicaid. In these two states alone, roughly 430,000 low-income adults will be eligible for Medicaid. “The American Heart Association supports expanding Medicaid because people living with low incomes are disproportionately affected by heart disease, hypertension, and stroke. Medicaid serves as the coverage backbone for the ...
The coronavirus pandemic has had an overwhelming impact on many, and now the COVID-19 crisis also stands to exacerbate the nation’s sizable affordable housing shortage. With more people losing jobs and suffering other hardships—especially those in communities of color—the question of housing will play a larger role in the overall impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. This is more of a fundamental issue than some might think, according to Roger K. Lewis, a professor emeritus of architecture at the University of Maryland, “Most of us think about roads, bridges, transit systems, and public utilities, along with education and health care," Lewis, writes in a recent Op-Ed in the Washington Post. “But affordable housing is an essential component of infrastructure; an investment ...
On July 27, 2020, the U.S. House unanimously approved a bill authorizing the Smithsonian Institution to build a National American Latino Museum. Introduced by New York Representative José Serrano and co-sponsored by 295 democrats and republicans, the museum will join 11 other Smithsonian museums along the National Mall in Washington D.C., such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Museum of the American Indian. A companion bill for the Latino museum was introduced in the Senate in May 2019. “Spanish was the first non-native language to be spoken in the United States,” said Texas Democratic Rep. and chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Joaquin Castro, according to The Texan. “Latinos have fought in every U.S. war. Food and ...
Coronavirus can affect anyone. But reports continue to show the COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately impacting Latinos and other people of color, and worsening historical inequities. What are the data really showing? Do we have the right data? How can we use that data to improve health amid the pandemic? Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, to tweet about why data matter and the important role of data in ensuring an equitable response to COVID-19! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat “Why Data Matter? The Role of Data for an Equitable COVID-19 Response”
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (12-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020
WHERE: Twitter
HOST: Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio (@SaludAmerica)
CO-HOSTS: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (@CHRankings), ...
Where you live matters for your health. The health of any population is determined by several factors including the physical, emotional, socioeconomic, and environmental circumstances in which they live. For U.S. Latinos, these factors can be daily challenges and cause poor health outcomes, especially for their children. As a result, Latino children have higher rates of obesity and diabetes and lower levels of physical activity than their non-Latino peers. These inequities are worsening amid the COVID-19 pandemic. These children also are at least twice as likely to be uninsured. "To help reverse these outcomes, it is important for Latino children and youth to enroll in health coverage and have access to preventive care. Children who have health coverage are shown to have ...
While the COVID-19 pandemic is making it harder for Latino and other families to get enough food to feed their families— called food insecurity—the new Pandemic Child Hunger Prevention Act could be a big help. The legislation, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 30, would make all students eligible for free school lunch and breakfast during the 2020-2021 school year. Free school meals will be available to students during remote learning through "grab and go" or meal delivery. "The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics believes that school meals are as important to learning as textbooks and pencils," said Academy President Linda T. Farr, in a statement. "In the midst of uncertain school reopening plans as a result of the COVID-19 national emergency, the ...
Does your town have a farmers market? How is it operating amid COVID-19? Farmers markets are a path to healthy food access. They are especially important now as the coronavirus pandemic worsens food insecurity. Fortunately, the Farmers Market Coalition is stepping up to support farmers markets. They're pushing for federal aid for markets, creating resources, and sharing how markets increase access to healthy, fresh produce and social connections, and engage farmers in the local economy. “There are benefits to visiting a farmers’ market in light of coronavirus … you’re outside, there’s fresh air moving, and the supply chain is shorter,” Yvonne Michael, an epidemiologist at Drexel University, told WHYY. For National Farmers Market Week on Aug. 2-8, 2020, we at Salud ...
A culture of health is where everyone has a fair, just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This also achieves health equity. Is your community creating a culture of health? If so, apply for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Culture of Health Prize! The contest provides $25,000 to communities that unite neighborhood, school, and business partners to improve health for all residents. Apply by Oct.15, 2020.
Read about 2019 Winners
Three largely Latino cities won three of five 2019 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Culture of Health Prizes! Gonzales, Calif. (94% Latino), was chosen from nearly 200 applicants. Two other cities with large Latino populations—Lake County, Colo. (36% Latino) and Broward County, Fla. (30% Latino)—also won the health prize. ...
American cities are failing at traffic safety—largely due to unsafe speeds. Urban arterials—roads that link major activity centers and highways—accounted for 29% of all U.S. fatal crashes between 2014 and 2018, despite making up only 6% of roadways. That’s why the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) developed City Limits, a framework for setting safe speed limits for city streets and providing strategies to manage speed. “Most speeds limits are set using an oversimplified and outdated method: measure 100 drivers traveling without any traffic and set the speed limit based on the 15th-fastest driver,” said Jenny O’Connell, NACTO Program Manager, according to a NACTO press release. “If this sounds like a system that would create ...
