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Alyssa Escalante

Articles by Alyssa Escalante

The Mental Health Month Action Guide


May is Mental Health Month.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to spread awareness on the importance of mental health and promote helpful resources. With this in mind, Mental Health America created the Mental Health Month Action Guide. “There’s no right or wrong way to use this guide. Start where it feels helpful, skip what doesn’t fit, and come back as needed,” Mental Health America states. Let’s look closer into this guide and how it can help you and others. Defining Good Days for Mental Health The action guide aims to help users reflect on “good days.” “‘Good’ doesn’t have to mean happy or productive. It might mean calm, manageable, or something else,” according to Mental Health America. Through the action guide, Mental Health America provides several resources ...

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Where Do Americans Get Their Health Information?


Man using phone

Health care providers are the most common source of health information for Americans, who view them as more accurate than other sources, according to data from the Pew Research Center. Pew research shows that 85% of Americans say they get health information from health care providers at least sometimes. Next up, 66% of Americans learn from others going through similar health experiences, 36% get health information from social media, and 22% from AI chatbots. Let’s dig deeper into this data and learn more about how this can impact health of others. Sources of Health Information Pew Research Center surveyed 5,111 U.S. adults from Oct. 20 to 26, 2025, to better “understand how Americans make sense of today’s crowded health information environment in a moment in which the ...

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Explore Resources for Bladder Cancer Survivors and Caregivers!



May is recognized as Bladder Cancer Awareness Month, a time to learn about the impact of bladder cancer and spread awareness about bladder cancer resources. The American Cancer Society estimates about 84,530 new cases of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer is the fourth-most common cancer in men and 1 of 4 bladder cancer patients are women. Have you or someone in your family recently been diagnosed and aren’t sure where to start?   Check out the following helpful resources from the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN). 1. Bladder Cancer Support Line (Bilingual)  BCAN’s Bladder Cancer Support Line offers support by connecting patients with professional oncology social workers.   “The call center’s staff will address the emotional, practical and informational ...

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CDC’s Project Firstline Infection Control Micro-Learns: Whooping Cough


woman coughing

Healthcare workers are constantly on the go. But it’s important for them to have access to infection control training and information on issues like whooping cough. With this in mind, the CDC’s Project Firstline developed Infection Control Micro-Learns – a series of guided discussions on infection control that can be easily incorporated into team meetings facilitated by an experienced team member with infection control expertise. These short, easy-to-understand learning opportunities can help healthcare workers recognize and minimize infection control risks to protect themselves, coworkers, and patients from infectious diseases. Let’s explore the topic of Whooping Cough (Pertussis). What Does Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Look Like? Whooping cough, formally known as ...

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268 People Commented to Urge the FDA to Reconsider Allowing Flavored E-Cigarettes


electronic flavored cigarettes

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering whether to allow some flavored e-cigarettes on the market, according to new draft guidance. However, any new vape flavors could only be marketed to adults. Under the new guidance, the FDA may approve vape flavors like “mint, coffee, tea and spices like clove or cinnamon,” but it “will continue rejecting sweet or fruit-flavored products” that appeal more to teens, according to HealthDay, a news agency. FDA states that certain e-cigarette flavors can help facilitate adults switching away from tobacco cigarettes and increase quit attempts. However, public health leaders warn of harm. “Allowing any flavors on the market benefits only corporations and harms public health,” Kelsey Romeo-Stuppy of Action on Smoking ...

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How Many Universities Are Hispanic-Serving Institutions?


Latino college students

There are now 631 colleges and universities registered as Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) across 29 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. This is an increase over the 602 reported last year, according to a new report from ¡Excelencia in Education!. HSIs are defined as “accredited, degree-granting public or private not-for-profit institutions of higher education with 25% or more total undergraduate Hispanic full-time equivalent student (FTE) enrollment.” Let’s explore what this means and how it impacts students. By the Numbers: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) HSIs represent 21% of all colleges and universities but enroll 65% of Latino and 32% of all undergraduates, according to ¡Excelencia in Education!. The graduation rate for HSIs include 67% of ...

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Help People Solve Their NMDoH Problems in San Antonio!


NMDoH in San Antonio Family Leisure

Wherever you live, learn, work, and grow in San Antonio, the non-medical drivers of health (NMDOH) can ultimately shape your health outcomes. NMDoH issues include access to affordable housing, healthy food, reliable transportation, education, healthcare, income level, and more. If we can identify and address NMDoH, we can create a healthier future for all. Download the Salud America! Action Pack, “Help People Solve Their NMDoH Problems in San Antonio,” to connect people with the right community resources for help with housing, food, transportation, and healthcare. The action pack, developed by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez at UT Health San Antonio, helps you identify local NMDoH issues and offers a San Antonio-focused community resource guide with Spanish-language support and ...

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