Articles by Josh McCormack

Study: Latinos Suffer from Prostate Cancer Misperceptions

April 22, 2021

Prostate cancer has a big impact on the Latino community. One reason is that Latinos face a lack of easy-to-understand, culturally competent information — which leads to poor outcomes for those experiencing prostate cancer, according to a recent study published in BMC Public Health. “Black and Latino focus groups revealed the existence of cultural beliefs, misunderstandings and fears pertaining to [prostate cancer] which could influence health-related behaviors,” according to the researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and MD Anderson Cancer Center. “Some themes were common across groups; others suggested racial and gender predilections. Future targeted efforts focused on directly addressing prevalent misperceptions among underserved communities in urban settings ...

Study: Latinos Suffered Highest Rate of COVID-19 Hospitalizations

April 21, 2021

COVID-19 has devastated the Latino community since the start of the pandemic. As researchers gain more insight into the impact of COVID-19 over time, they’re finding Latinos continue to experience harsh impacts. In fact, a recent study from the CDC shows that Latinos and other communities of color experienced higher rates of COVID-19 hospitalization than their white peers. This is not just a symptom of COVID-19, but an issue of systemic injustice that needs dedicated action, according to CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. "[There is a] critical need and an important opportunity to address health equity as a core element in all of our public health efforts,” Walensky said Monday during a White House Covid-19 briefing. “These disparities were not caused by the pandemic, ...

Texting and Other Innovative Ways to Increase Latino Cancer Screening

April 15, 2021

latina hispanic breast cancer screening mammogram doctor patient

Latinos face some serious cancer health disparities. They are so serious that many health experts recommend cancer screening, a type of test that looks for signs of different cancers early, before the illness can cause serious harm. “Screening tests can help find cancer at an early stage, before symptoms appear,” experts at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). “Early detection is important because when abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat. By the time symptoms appear, cancer may have begun to spread and be harder to treat.” What is Cancer Screening? Cancer screening is a series of exams, most of the time recommended by a physician or begun at a certain age, to explore the body for any signs of cancer. According to NCI, types of screening ...

Flávia Fernandes: Connecting with Community Through Healthy Cookbooks

April 14, 2021

From a young age, Flávia Fernandes wanted to practice medicine. Thanks to years of resiliency and dedication, she is now working toward a medical degree as a medical humanities student at UT San Antonio. But she’s already working hard to improve the health of her community. Fernandes, who is originally from Brazil, is part of the El Bari UT Health Healthy Choices Team — a group of San Antonio doctors, students, and community members who are creating and sharing healthy recipes online along with health education resources. For Fernandes, this is a life-long goal realized. “The work I’m doing now is better than what I dreamed for,” she said. “I wanted to learn about the ways doctors engage with the community and promote positive changes in people’s lives. ...

What is Bladder Cancer, and How Does it Impact Latinos?

April 7, 2021

One of the most dangerous forms of cancer is bladder cancer. This is especially true for Latinos, who experience lower rates of bladder cancer, but worse survival rates due to many factors, according to a new study led by UT Health San Antonio. “Latinos are vulnerable to poverty-related health conditions and may lack health insurance or financial means to pay for quality health care and use fewer preventive care services than other ethnic groups, which may be related to worse [bladder cancer] survival rates in Latinos,” according to Dr. Shenghui Wu of the Department of Population Health Sciences, who led the study along with Salud America! Director Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez and other researchers in the Department of Urology, the Mays Cancer Center, and the Institute for Health ...

#SaludTues Tweetchat 5/4/21: The State of Latino Cancer

April 6, 2021

Cancer impacts—and kills—too many people across the US, especially among Latinos. There are many reasons behind Latino cancer health disparities, including systemic racism and discrimination, cultural and language barriers, and a lack of clinical trial participation. As Latinos continue to deal with inequitable rates of cancer, as well as a lack of equitable care, we need greater action from all sectors to help in this issue. Let’s tweet with #SaludTues to raise awareness of challenges and solutions to Latino cancer disparities, and boost participation from the Latino community in clinical trials! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “The State of Latino Cancer” WHERE: Twitter WHEN: 1-2 p.m. ET (12-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, May 4, 2021 HOST: Salud America! at UT ...

Report: Prioritize Hunger Assistance Amid COVID-19

March 25, 2021

Too many families have struggled with food insecurity for too many years. Getting access to enough healthy food is a task that has only been made harder by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is especially harming Latinos. Worse, food insecurity is overburdening social services and nonprofit organizations that provide much-needed food—especially nutritious, healthy meals—to families, according to a recent report from the UCONN Rudd Center and the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA). “The COVID-19 pandemic placed extreme hardship on American families and the food banks that help them put dinner on the table,” the report’s authors write. “Unemployment soared and people seeking food assistance, who were also those most severely impacted by COVID-19, dramatically increased ...

Corporations are Not Meeting Climate Goals, Which Hurts Latinos

March 24, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic isn’t the only catastrophe harming the health of Latinos and other communities of color. Natural disasters—such as the massive snowstorm that rocked the Texas’ energy grid in February 2021 or Hurricane Harvey that decimated South Texas in 2017—can have long-lasting impacts. These devastating weather events are directly linked to Climate Change, experts say. Many of the world’s most successful corporations are among the worst contributors to global warming. Worse, those corporations aren’t doing enough to help solve the issue, according to recent numbers from the international climate management group, whose report outlines the slow progress. “The Climate Action 100+ Net Zero Company Benchmark shows there is an urgent need for greater ...

One Texas Suburb Just Declared Public Spaces ‘Smoke-Free’

March 18, 2021

Secondhand smoke damages people’s health every day, including those who live in or occupy places that allow smoking. In Horizon City—a suburb outside of El Paso, one of the cities with the state’s highest Latino population (% Latino)—local leaders just banned smoking in public spaces and businesses. The ban aims to ensure that all who live in the Texas suburb can live without having to breathe in smoke, according to Eva Olivas, the community impact director for the American Heart Association of El Paso and a Horizon City resident. “When people live and work in a smoke-free environment, they can literally breathe easier because they aren’t being exposed to the diseases and risks that come from secondhand smoke,” she told the El Paso Herald-Post. “Far too many ...

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Josh McCormack

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