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Stacy Cantu-Pawlik

Stacy Cantu completed both her BS & MPH at Texas A&M University (gig ‘em!), and is passionate about all things public health. She curates content on Healthy Food and Healthy Minds.


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Articles by Stacy Cantu-Pawlik

The Colossal Latina Pay Gap


latina pay gap data 2

U.S. Latinas are paid 47% less than white men on average, according to the National Partnership for Women and Families. Furthermore, Latinas are paid 31% less than White women. Regardless of their job, where they live, or their education, Latinas are paid less. This is not good. In the United States, one in five women is Latina. Latina Wage Gap Latinos already suffer a wide wealth divide than their white peers. Latina women specifically are paid 57 cents for every $1 paid to white non-Latino men, according to the new data. “Latinas face biases for being women and for being people of color. These compounding biases contribute to the Latina pay gap and help explain the inequality Latinas experience in the workplace” said Rachel Thomas, president of ...

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The Scary Reason Latino Men Don’t Get the Best Prostate Cancer Treatment


latino man and nurse doctor pensive chart implicit bias

All of us have unconscious or involuntary stereotypes that affect our feelings and actions about other people based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, age, and appearance. This is called "implicit bias." Implicit bias can harm relationships, policies, and even health. In fact, implicit bias is a big reason why Latino men are much less likely to receive optimal treatment for high-risk prostate cancer than White men, according to a new study in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. This is bad news for Latinos. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men of all races, including Latinos. The Prostate Cancer Disparity Between 2010-2014, researchers from UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Stanford Cancer ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 12/4/18: “Healthy Holidays – How To”


latino family holiday meal Thanksgiving

40% of Latino kids are overweight or obese, comparted to 32% of all U.S. children. Adult obesity rates reached 35% in at least 7 states and saw increases in 31 states across the U.S. from 2012-2017, while no significant drops in obesity rates were seen in any state, over the last year. Let’s use #SaludTues on Dec. 4, 2018, to tweet information, resources, and tips that will help us all prevent or help the health dangers of stress, unhealthy eating and limited physical activity during the best time of the year. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Healthy Holidays - How To” TIME / DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, 12/4/18 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: Chap Care (@ChapCareOrg), American Heart Association San Antonio ...

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Rural Pharmacy Deserts Emerge Across the U.S.


closing of a walgreen's pharmacy from the Anniston Star

Hospital closures have become the norm in many rural areas. Now, rural pharmacies are headed on the same path, according to a U.S. News Report. Over the past 16 years, 1,231 rural, independently-owned pharmacies have closed. That's 16% of all rural pharmacies. Fewer than 6,400 pharmacies are left in rural communities. Rural communities that had at least one retail (independent, chain, or franchise) pharmacy in March 2003 had no retail pharmacy in March 2018, according to RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis Rural Policy Brief. Residents of rural communities now have to travel great distances for medications and/or turn to mail-order prescriptions that make it impossible for in-person consultation concerning questions about the medication. “Closure of ...

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New Texas Institute Aims to Improve Rural Health



It is a well known fact that where we live plays a vital role in our health, and those who live in rural areas struggle to access quality healthcare. Rural residents are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, stroke, and unintentional injuries than their urban counterparts. In Texas, more than 3 million people live in rural areas, and are more likely to be uninsured, have lower incomes, and higher rates of death from preventive chronic diseases. The Center for Optimizing Rural Health, part of the Texas A&M Rural and Community Health Institute, aims to change all that. Center for Optimizing Rural Health Texas A&M University has been chosen as the sole recipient of a five-year grant, which will fund the Center for Optimizing Rural Health, ...

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The Midterms: Big Soda Succeeds and Fails in Stopping Soda Taxes


https://therivardreport.com/salud-america-combatting-sugary-drinks-unhealthy-weight-among-preschoolers/

A price increase in sugary drink is proven to reduce consumption, according to a Salud America! Research Review. Sugary drink taxes have bubbled up in cities across the country, like Philadelphia's tax that has reduced consumption and Berkeley's tax that has generated money for health programs. But before the U.S. midterm election Nov. 6, 2018, Big Soda giants like Coke spent millions on deceptive marketing campaigns to fight sugary drink tax measures, according to reports by NPR, the New York Times, and Vox. Experts say Big Soda is taking cues from the tobacco industry’s playbook by supporting ballot measures and state laws that block governments from passing new taxes on food and drinks as well as cultivating relationships with doctors and scientists. What happened to the ...

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Report: Immigrants Boost U.S. Economy


child immigration cropped

The U.S. has more immigrants than any other country in the world, Pew Center Research reports. That's a good thing because immigrants boost the U.S. economy, according to a data report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. That finding contradicts stereotypes that immigrants take more from the government than they contribute, or steal jobs. These stereotypes are simply myths. How Immigrants Benefit the U.S. Economy When it comes to government benefits, immigrants contribute more in tax revenue than they take, according to the report. First-generation immigrants cost the government around $1,600 per person annually. That is more than native-born Americans. Second-generation immigrants, however, are the strongest economic and fiscal ...

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The Digital Divide: Kids Face Homework Gap


Frustrated Latino Son and Mother Study Homework School

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. households with school children do not have high-speed Internet access at home, and 1 in 4 low-income teens have no access to a computer at home, according to a new analysis by Pew Research Center. This causes a "homework gap." Latinos and other youth of color, especially those from low-income families, are more likely to face this digital divide at home to complete tech-based school homework. Latino and other minority students are already at a significant disadvantage due to an unhealthy school environment and less physical activity, according to a Salud America! Research Review. Additionally, Latino and other minorities, both children and adults, suffer a big lack of access to support for economic and education success, which makes it extremely difficult ...

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The Rural Broadband Divide


Wifi access road sign concept in rural area Internet broadband

In today’s world, fast and dependable Internet is essential to thrive. Want to apply for a job? Application is online only! Want to read the latest health news? Online! Need to do homework or get a tutor? Online! Yet, many in rural areas do not have access to high quality broadband services. 24% of rural adults said that access to high-quality Internet service is problematic in their community, according to an alarming new report from Pew Research Center. Another 34% of rural adults say that internet access is a minor problem. Together, 6 in 10 rural Americans see quality internet access as problem.  Furthermore, 39% of rural Americans, or 23 million people, lack proper broadband access, according to a 2016 report by the Federal Communications Commission ...

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