Check out USDA’s new data tool called the Child Nutrition Dashboard! The dashboard, which is comprised of public data published in the child nutrition tables, can help federal, state, and local organizations assess trends in child nutrition program activity. “The goal of the dashboard is to provide national and state level visualization of meals served, participation, and funding data for the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program,” according to the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Let’s dive into how this tool can be used and why it benefits Latinos!
Nutrition Dashboard Insights
The Child Nutrition Dashboard provides information on participation, meals served, ...
Martha Castilla loves helping people. Her compassion started as a young girl, as her family came to San Antonio from Mexico. “I started helping my brothers and sisters when we got to this country because they didn't speak English,” Castilla said. Today, Castilla works as a promotora de salud, or a community health worker, educating the Latino community about health and wellness. That includes getting the COVID-19 vaccine herself – and sharing how others can, too. COVID-19 vaccines are available and free for adults and children, and they’re the best way to protect yourself and your familia against the worst outcomes of the virus. Because, when the pandemic hit, Latinos like Castilla were on the front lines. “I remember when we went to ...
Apply now for the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA) Hispanic Leadership Development Fellowship! The fellowship program is a paid, 9-month, in-person leadership opportunity to prepare for career opportunities in public health agencies and increase awareness and competency in health equity knowledge and practice, including infection control. Each fellow is paired with a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agency in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area from Sept. 1, 2024, to May 30, 2025. “We are dedicated to increasing the representation of Hispanics in key executive leadership positions,” said Dr. Elena Rios, NHMA President and CEO. Applications are due April 1, 2024. APPly Here!
Components of NHMA’s Hispanic Leadership ...
Social media has become a part of everyday life and routine, especially for young Latinos. While social media can offer supportive communities and educational resources, it can also bring harmful impacts and habits. Nearly half of Latino parents are “extremely concerned” over the potential harmful impact that heavy social media use can have on their pre-teen children’s mental health, according to new data from the Brookings Institution. “The Latino community is particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges as a result of social media use,” according to Brookings report. Let’s dig deeper into what the data says and how it affects Latinos.
Young Latinos and Social Media
The Brookings Institution survey, led by the Omidyar Network, ...
When COVID-19 hit, it hurt many Latinos who worked in industries and jobs with few benefits and no flexibilities to respond to childcare disruptions. Unfortunately, after the pandemic, that situation remains. The industry and occupational distribution of Latino parents with low incomes remains largely unchanged from pre- to post-pandemic for mothers and fathers, according to a recent study from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families. “We provide the first national portrait of the industries and occupations that employ Latino parents with low incomes in the aftermath of the pandemic, and highlight employment shifts that occurred during the pandemic,” according to the study. Let’s dive into the study finding and how it impacts Latino ...
Many know of the harms and health risks of smoking and secondhand smoke. However, you may not have heard of thirdhand smoke, which is the chemical pollutants that linger and settle indoors after tobacco is smoked. “The chemicals in thirdhand smoke include nicotine as well as cancer-causing substances such as formaldehyde, naphthalene and others,” according to the Mayo Clinic. Policy gaps are failing to protect the public from thirdhand smoke, according to a recent study. The study suggests that policies safeguard against thirdhand smoke even as they protect against secondhand smoke exposure by prohibiting indoor smoking in public places. “While these measures have been instrumental in protecting public health, saving lives, and reducing health care ...
Cancer screening can help catch cancer early when it is more treatable. But participation in screening is sporadic at best, especially among Latinos. What would happen if more people got screened for cancer? To find out, a team of U.S. and Canadian researchers used computer modeling to estimate the number of deaths that could be prevented, and the harms caused, if more people followed recommended cancer screening guidelines. Let’s explore what they found and what it means for Latino cancer.
The Impact of More Screening: Potential Lives Saved
Cancer screenings can catch early cases of lung, colorectal, cervical, and breast cancers. But only 13% of people eligible are up to date for lung cancer screening; 69% for colorectal cancer screening; 73% for cervical ...
Challenges in health insurance coverage and healthcare access worsened during the pandemic, according to a new study in the journal Geospatial Health. The study found Latinos and African Americans were the most affected populations. “Our results suggest that loss of insurance coverage and reduced access to health services deepened inequities in an already uneven healthcare landscape, particularly for African American and Hispanic/Latino populations,” according to the study researchers. Let’s dive into what the data found and what this means for Latinos.
How Did COVID-19 Impact Healthcare for Latinos?
Study researchers – from CDC, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health – ...
Only 7.7% of Latino adults in 2021 smoked cigarettes, which is lower than the national prevalence of 11.5%, the Truth Initiative reports. But the news isn’t all good. While Latino adults have a lower usage rate of all tobacco products than adults overall, smoking prevalence differs widely within Latino subgroups and by gender. Let’s explore Latino tobacco use and why it matters for health.
Cigarette Smoking Patterns in Latino Adults
Latinos in the U.S. that identify as Puerto Rican reported the highest current smoking prevalence at 17%. The lowest rates are among Latinos with Central or South American origin (6%), the Truth Initiative reports. Latina women have a lower smoking rates (6%) than Latino men (12%). In 2022, 7.8% of young Latino adults ...
