Cliff Despres, who has more than a decade of experience in journalism and public relations, is communications director for Salud America! and its home base, the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.
Latinas are more prone to certain cancers? Cervical cancer is a big one. But did you know that most cases of cervical cancer among Latinas (and all women) can be prevented? How? Making sure that screenings are done starting at age 21 and women who are ages 21-29 get a Pap test every 3 years, don’t smoke, and encourage young women to get vaccinated now to help make this cancer part of the past. Let's use #SaludTues on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017 to tweet what all Latinas should know about cervical cancer, including the warning signs and the prevention steps. Follow #SaludTues to join the conversation: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: Crush Cervical Cancer!
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: ...
Significant differences in heart disease death rates exist among the three largest U.S. Latino subgroups, suggesting that combining these groups could endanger health for all Latinos, according to new data, Healio reports. The heart disease study examined death data for U.S. Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans and found that: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans died of heart disease at younger ages (67 and 68, respectively) than Cubans (77). More Mexicans (19.5%) and Puerto Ricans (16.4%) died at a young age (25-49 years) than Cubans (5.3%) and non-Hispanic whites (6.6%).
Heart disease caused a higher portion of deaths among Cubans.
Puerto Ricans had the highest rates of death from ischemic heart disease.
Mexicans had the highest rates of death from cerebrovascular ...
Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2016 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now. Pride for Puerto Rico runs deep in Marisabel Roman Afanador’s blood, from the traditional Bomba traditional musical style to the rich cultural heritage. Still, the country historical has struggled with health issues and domestic violence. That’s why Afanador, a San Juan native who learned from her grandmother’s resilience in the face of domestic violence, is dedicated to make a difference in the lives and health of women—specifically las mujeres de la isla (women of the island). Afanador works as a licensed social worker and is passionate for public health promotion and education because of all the possibilities it provides. She wants ...
Both her mother and uncle knew Rosario Silva was destined for something greater than growing up to be a factory worker, like many Latinos in her Missouri community. Silva was meant for helping Latinos get health care they need. Indeed, Silva grew up and become her family’s first college graduate when she earned a bachelor’s degree at Brown University in Rhode Island. She went on to study behavioral science and earned a master’s degree in public health from Saint Louis University. Now she wants to study Latino healthcare disparities and implement sustainable interventions that will alleviate many of chronic conditions that affect Latinos. To increase her training, she applied for the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program, which recruits 25 ...
Vaccinating pre-teens against human papillomavirus (HPV) is easier with new CDC guidelines, which recommends two HPV shots for younger adolescents instead of three. The three-injection series is still recommended for older teens. Today the Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) of UT Health San Antonio is uniting with each of the other 68 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers in issuing a joint statement to support these recommendations with the hope of improving the national vaccination rate. January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. "We must amplify and unify our efforts to increase awareness of the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical and other cancers, and to motivate pediatricians to encourage parents to get their children vaccinated,” ...
Many Latinos struggle with cultural, language, and other barriers to healthcare, which is why they face disproportionate rates of diabetes, obesity, certain cancers, and other issues. The good news: Promotores are an emerging solution. Promotores, also called community health workers, patient navigators or health advocates, increasingly play an important role in promoting community-based health education and prevention in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate for Latinos. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, to tweet how to utilize, train, and incorporate more promotores for Latinos: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “The Power of Promotores”
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag ...
Metro areas are more dangerous for pedestrians, especially Latinos and other minorities, than in previous years, according to a new study. The study, Dangerous By Design 2016 by Smart Growth America, found that pedestrians of color, older adults, and low-income metro areas are more likely to die. Pedestrian safety is worsening in largely Latino metro areas like Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Jose and Riverside, Calif., due to issues of policy, design, enforcement, and culture. Latinos, who comprise 16.9% of the U.S. population, account for 21.5% of pedestrian deaths overall. There's more reason for concern, too. Unsafe streets are a major hurdle for people trying to be physically active, stay healthy, or get to school or work. This situation collides (pun ...
Did you know, 1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence? Maurice Gomez of Los Angeles knows this personally. In 1996, Gomez received news that his girlfriend had been raped and killed by a stranger. The tragedy eventually led him to dedicate his life teaching women to protect themselves. Gomez, an L.A. Police Department tactical self-defense instructor, has offered free self-defense classes for women since 2010, according to a fantastic profile of Gomez by Monica Luhar of NBC News. "It was a real point in my journey where I knew this was something that I wanted to do for the rest of my life," Gomez told Luhar. Most women who participate in Gomez's classes are Latina. Luhar's profile of Gomez indicates that there has been a national surge in enrollment in ...
The Praxis Project, an California advocacy group led by Latino advocate Xavier Morales, filed a legal complaint against Coca-Cola and the American Beverage Association for deceptive marketing practices that push sugary drinks to communities of color. The legal complaint indicates "the world’s largest soft-drink maker and the trade association run ads that tout the energy boost from drinking soda, and disregard scientific findings that sugary beverages can lead to obesity, diabetes and heart problems," according to a CBS News report. The complaint was filed in federal court in California. Both Coca-Cola and the American Beverage Association called the lawsuit as unfounded, and said they are working to lower the public’s sugar consumption, CBS News reports. The Praxis ...
