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Alyssa Gonzales

Articles by Alyssa Gonzales

The Impact of Nurse Practitioners in Low-Income Heath Settings


nurse practitioner

Primary care practices that employ nurse practitioners (NPs) are more likely to serve low-income communities than practices with no NPs on staff, according to researchers from the Columbia University School of Nursing. Dr. Monica O’Reilly-Jacob, assistant professor and study leader, along with her colleagues looked at 79,743 primary care practices across the United States. Of these practices, 53.4% employed NPs in 2023, a large jump from 21% in 2012. Let’s go beyond the surface of these results and explore how it impacts others. The Importance of Nurse Practitioners (NPs) The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that as of May 2023, 280,140 organizations employed nurse practitioners (NPs) nationally. According to the researchers, practices with NPs were more likely ...

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4 Tasty Resources to Share During National Nutrition Month®



March is recognized as National Nutrition Month.® During this time, folks can prioritize better nutrition and take advantage of many resources that can help improve the health and nutrition of all families. Let’s dive deeper into resources that can be helpful to you and your families in achieving the best nutrition possible. 1. ‘Food Connects Us’ from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics created National Nutrition Month® in 1973. With this year’s theme of “Food Connects Us,” the Academy’s annual campaign encourages people to make informed food choices and develop strong eating and physical activity habits. “Health, memories, traditions, seasons and access can all impact our relationship with food. While these factors ...

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3 Resources to Share During National Kidney Month


Kidney

1 in 7 American adults are impacted by kidney disease. The month of March is recognized as National Kidney Month and serves as a way to not only bring awareness to health issues like kidney disease and encouraging others to take charge of their health. “Kidney disease is known as a silent killer due to the fact that as many as 9 in 10 people living with the condition are unaware that they have it and do not have symptoms until the later stages,” according to the American Kidney Fund. Let’s dig deeper into this topic and how you can spread awareness during National Kidney Month! 1. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) During National Kidney Month, the NIDDK has provided several resources, including a list of healthy lifestyle habits to ...

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Researchers Identify Hidden Genetic Causes of Congenital Heart Disease


Doctor displaying anatomy model.

Scientists and collaborators at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai recently identified novel genetic interactions that may contribute to congenital heart disease. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a problem with the heart’s structure at birth. Let’s go beyond the surface and learn more about what the research means and how it can help others! The Health Impact of Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) When a disease or condition is congenital, it means someone is born with this condition. Congenital heart diseases or defects occur when “when the heart, or blood vessels near the heart, don’t develop normally before birth. Such defects result when a mishap occurs during heart development soon after conception — often before the mother is aware that she is pregnant,” ...

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14 Key Takeaways on the Health Care Experience of Latinos with Serious Illnesses


Support, trust and help from caregiver or nurse walking with senior man or patient in retirement home with healthcare insurance. Hands of female medical worker and alzheimers male with hospice care

Latinos living with a serious illness face significant and systemic issues in their health care experience, according to a literature review from the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC), part of the nonprofit Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The review analyzed over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles to understand the health care experience of Latino patients with serious illnesses, and their families and unpaid caregivers. Let’s take a closer look into 14 key findings and their impact on patients. 1. Evidence is inconclusive as to whether Latino patients face inequities in access to, and use of, palliative care services. Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness. “This type of care is focused on providing relief from ...

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Measles: Preventing the Spread in Healthcare


Hand covered in a measles rash.

Measles (Rubeola) is a contagious, infectious disease caused by a virus. While some people think of measles as just a little rash and fever that clear up in a few days, measles can cause serious health complications. View our “Measles Fact Sheet” in English or Spanish and let’s dive deeper into measles and how frontline healthcare workers can minimize the spread of this infectious disease! Who is at Risk? Anyone who is not immune to measles is at risk. Measles is very contagious. It spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes. You can get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been. Complications of measles can be minor, like ear infections, or serious, like pneumonia and encephalitis. There are ...

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Sarampión: Previniendo la Propagación en el Entorno de Prestación de Servicios de Salud


Hand covered in a measles rash.

El sarampión (rubéola) es una enfermedad contagiosa e infecciosa causada por un virus. Aunque algunas personas piensan en el sarampión como simplemente un pequeño sarpullido y fiebre que desaparecen en unos pocos días, el sarampión puede causar complicaciones de salud graves. ¡Consulta nuestra "Hoja Informativa sobre el Sarampión" en inglés o español y profundicemos en el tema del sarampión y cómo los trabajadores de la salud de primera línea pueden minimizar la propagación de esta enfermedad infecciosa! ¿Quién está en Riesgo de Contraer Sarampión? Cualquier persona que no se haya vacunado o que no haya tenido sarampión en el pasado está en riesgo. El sarampión es muy contagioso. Se puede propagar a través del aire cuando una persona infectada respira, ...

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The Good, The Bad, and The Artificially Sweetened: Drink Recommendations for Children


Children drinking water.

The beverages we drink are important for our hydration and health. That’s why experts have made recommendations for healthy drink choices for children ages 5 to 18 based on evidence from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association. Healthy Eating Research (HER) has published these main recommendations: Beverages to drink: Plain drinking water and plain pasteurized milk. Beverages to limit: 100% juice, plant-based milk alternatives, and sweetened flavored milk. Beverages to avoid: Sugary drinks, sugar-sweetened beverages, beverages with non-sugar sweeteners, and caffeinated beverages. Let’s dive deeper into these recommendations and how they can impact your ...

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Researchers Work to Improve Treatment for Uveal Melanoma


Doctor examining eye of senior.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic are working to better understand and find treatment for uveal melanoma, also called melanoma of the eye. Uveal melanoma is a type of cancer that involves one of the three parts of the eye that comprise the uvea: the iris, the ciliary body, and the choroid. The researchers have developed organoid models, or 3D models grown from patient tissue, which accurately reflects a patient’s unique genetic and biological characteristics. “When derived from a patient’s cancer tumor, an organoid will behave and respond to treatments outside the body in a lab (in vitro) just like the original tumor would inside the body (in vivo),” according to a Eureka Alert news release. Let’s look further into this research and how it can impact Latinos and all ...

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