Articles by Josh McCormack

Salud Talks Podcast Episode 32: “Creating Through Crisis”

May 27, 2020

Creativity is something that can be hard to define. Someone can paint with numbers and solve complexities with words. Still, with the current spread of the current novel coronavirus, many with passions that can range from painting to woodworking to storytelling are facing new difficulties, especially in their ability to produce work. Today, Tenoch Aztecatl, the newest producer of this podcast and video producer at Salud America, joins Salud Talks to discuss inspiration, innovation, and imagination — as well as how the global crisis has impacted those pursuits. Check out this discussion on the Salud Talks Podcast, Episode 32, "Creating Through Crisis"! WHAT: A #SaludTalks discussion about creativity during a global pandemic. GUEST: Tenoch Aztecatl, the Video Producer of ...

Is Secondhand Smoke and Thirdhand Smoke Linked to Coronavirus Transmission?

May 22, 2020

Coronavirus Transmission Thirdhand Smoke Secondhand smoke-free policy for indoor air

Researchers are worried about COVID-19 transmission from asymptomatic smokers and vapers to others in their household via secondhand and thirdhand smoke and aerosol. Let’s explore what this means. Why Are Researchers Concerned about COVID-19 and Smoking? Smokers are already at risk of more severe cases of coronavirus. But even in the homes of asymptomatic but infected smokers and vapers, coronaviruses can attach to secondhand smoke and secondhand aerosol particles and droplets. These viral secondhand exhalations, coughs, and sneezes can travel up to 27 feet, land on surfaces, survive for hours, and may increase transmission of COVID-19 to older and younger non-smokers in the home, according to researchers in Environmental Science and Technology. The risk remains even up to ...

Salud Talks Podcast Episode 31: “Communicating COVID-19”

May 20, 2020

How we process information can impact significant aspects of our lives: The choices we make, issues we or do not support, or even if we care to tackle a problem. When it comes to health, how information is spread can save lives — or it can lead to further sickness and harm. As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps throughout the U.S., medical experts say that mixed messaging coming from civic leaders in Washington has led to worse outcomes for everyday individuals and a successful stop to the spread. Today, Dr. Jason Rosenfeld, the Assistant Director of Global Health at UT Health San Antonio, joins Salud Talks to discuss his career in health communications, and how that experience is informing his work to disseminate knowledge about the outbreak. Check out this discussion on the ...

Eric Cooper: How San Antonio Food Bank Feeds People Amid Coronavirus

May 14, 2020

Eric Cooper directs the San Antonio Food Bank to Help Feed Families amid Coronavirus

Eric Cooper knows what it's like to depend on public assistance programs. He grew up in a low-income family, relying on free school meals and food assistance to get enough food to eat. Today, as CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank, Cooper helps families like his. And with rising amounts of food insecurity amid the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, he led the Food Bank to orchestrate a whole new way of operating. An army of volunteers has stepped up to meet the needs of so many, by working in back-to-back shifts and implementing new strategies, such as drive-through pickup lines or COVID-19 preparation kits. Their efforts have garnered national acclaim and have turned a crisis into a rallying point for those who need it most. "I think all of us, as human beings find ourselves in ...

Salud Talks Podcast Episode 30: “Hereditary Sickness”

May 13, 2020

Last week, we discussed how high levels of stress can influence the development of cancer. This week, we explore another risk factor in cancer development — genetics. A person’s family or place of origin, even dating back years and years, can influence that individual’s risk for certain types of cancers. Dr. Laura Fejerman, an Associate Professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, joins Salud Talks to discuss her research into the discovery of genetic and non-genetic factors that contribute to breast cancer risk and prognosis in Latinas. Check out this discussion on the Salud Talks Podcast, Episode 30, "Hereditary Sickness"! WHAT: A #SaludTalks discussion about genetics and their impact on cancer GUEST: Dr. Laura Fejerman, an ...

Undocumented Residents Left Out of Stimulus Aide

May 7, 2020

Undocumented Residents Left Out Stimulus Aide

Millions of unauthorized, taxpaying immigrants will not receive any financial support from the U.S. government through its recent stimulus package. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided most Americans with $1,200—as well as an additional $500 for each child under 17—to provide some economic security in the wake of the pandemic. Still, undocumented residents who pay taxes using a taxpayer identification number did not receive any help. Worse, children in that household, whether they are American citizens or not, won't receive aide either — and these families are suing the government over this issue. "The refusal to distribute this benefit to U.S. citizen children undermines the CARES Act's goals of providing assistance to Americans in need, ...

Salud Talks Podcast Episode 29: “Stress and Cancer”

May 6, 2020

Stress has become a part of most of our lives every day as the current novel coronavirus continues to spread throughout the U.S. and the world. Still, feelings of anxiety can lead to other health complications, according to Cathy Samayoa, an adjunct assistant professor at San Francisco State University's Health Equity Research Lab. Samayoa and Dr. Daniel C Hughes, with the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, join Salud Talks to discuss her research into the connections between stress and breast cancer development, and how it impacts some groups more than others. For those who are experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety during this crisis, please listen to our previous episodes coving these topics, "Mindfulness During an Epidemic," and ...

Latinos Keep Getting Left Out of Coronavirus Relief Packages

April 30, 2020

Latinos Left Out Coronavirus Relief Packages

As the U.S. Government continues to push back against the economic downturn and the spread of COVID-19, disadvantaged groups—such as Latinos—aren't receiving an equitable share. The recently passed $484 billion stimulus package will give millions of Americans and U.S. businesses with economic relief, in combination with past relief legislation. However, the money isn't reaching workers who need it the most, like Latino immigrants. "The survey only confirms what we already know, that the Paycheck Protection Program money went to Wall Street billionaires and very little of it trickled to the mom-and-pop shops and small businesses of America," LULAC National President Domingo García told NBC. "Lupita's taqueria or Juana's quinceañera shop didn't get money while Ruth's Chris ...

Salud Talks Podcast Episode 28: “Whitewashing Medical Research”

April 29, 2020

Medical research studies help determine the direction of how doctors treat patients, administer medicine, diagnose sickness, and countless other aspects of treatment. Statistically, Latinos and people of color are vastly underrepresented in these kinds of exploratory efforts. This matters as the knowledge gained and disseminated in these studies could influence whether or not a patient receives adequate care. Dr. Bárbara Segarra-Vázquez, the Dean of the School of Health Professions at the University of Puerto Rico and one of the Principal Investigators of the Hispanic Clinical and Translational Research Education and Career Development program funded by National Institute of Health, joins Salud Talks to discuss this issue, and, her personal experience with it. Check out this ...

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Josh McCormack

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