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Eric Moreno

Eric Moreno is a Content Curator with the Salud America! program at UT Health San Antonio. He specializes in covering the topics of health equity and family and social support. He holds a BA from the University of Texas at San Antonio and an MA from Gonzaga University.

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Articles by Eric Moreno

Report: Heavily Latino Cities Named Least Educated in U.S.


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Latinos have historically lagged behind whites in education. They have made strides, like a declining dropout rate and increased college enrollment, but are still more disconnected (not in school, not working) and lag in college completion. Education is key to health, income, and the economy. That's why the financial website WalletHub analyzed 150 U.S. metro regions with nine factors—like public school quality and college graduate rates—to find the "most educated" and "least educated" areas. Unfortunately, the five least-educated areas were all heavily Latino. The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro area in South Texas (85.77% Latino) was the least educated city in the country. The area came in 150th on the Educational Attainment and 104th on the Quality of Education & ...

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Low Wages Leave Many Latino Families in NV Struggling


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Even as the unemployment rate continues to drop around the country – which is a clear positive sign for the economy – the situation for many Latino and low-income families is still very bleak. Approximately 1 in 6 households have zero or negative net worth, according to the financial website Prosperity Now. In the state of Nevada (27.53% Latino population), the financial situation for many families mirrors what is happening nationally. Large numbers of Nevada families are struggling with low-wage jobs that do not allow them to save, according to a report from Northern Nevada Business Weekly. Of the households in Nevada, nearly 44% are considered “liquid asset poor.” This means that they have so little funds saved that they could not live at the poverty level for three months ...

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Mexican Consulate Donates Funding for Latino Health in AZ


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Latinos are the nation’s largest racial/ethnic minority group. They are expected to grow from 1 in 6 people today to 1 in 4 by 2035 and 1 in 3 by 2060. As their numbers continue to grow, the overall health of the Latino population is going to be vitally important to everyone in the United States. While Latinos made great strides in obtaining health care since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, they are still the largest uninsured population in the country and face numerous barriers and health inequities. In the heavily Latino-populated city of Yuma, Arizona (58.07% Latino population) a new champion and partner has emerged with a goal of increasing Latino access to health care. The Mexican Consulate of Arizona, based in Yuma, has donated over $35,000 in funds to the ...

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Is Your Family Paying the Price for Someone Else’s Smoke?


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Guest Blog by Smokefree Apartments Los Angeles Today, due to lack of affordable housing, more Latinos are renting instead of owning homes, and make up nearly 20% of the renter population nationwide. Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is occurring as more Latinos are moving into multi-unit housing. One out of three renters reporting SHS drifting into their homes, according to a recent UCLA study by the Center for Health Policy Research. Even more troubling: comparatively the Latino community is disproportionately exposed to SHS at work and at home. The same UCLA survey indicated 41% of Latino renters responding SHS was an issue in their apartments. Many are unaware SHS can drift into your apartment through vents, windows, and doors—even when closed—as well as pipes, ...

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Latinos are Well-Represented in Both the Most & Least Educated Cities in the U.S.


college enrollent among Latinos students studying

Having an education, quite frankly, is very important. A person’s education level determines much about how their life will unfold. Education is associated with overall health, income level, career paths, access to resources, and housing. More and more Latinos are finding their way into two- and four-year colleges and universities, making great strides in education. As more and more schools develop programming to help Latino students succeed, the number of Latino college graduates is expected to steadily rise. The Economic Policy Institute proposed a theory stating that college degree holders earn more money and thus contribute more to a city’s tax base over time. With this in mind, the financial website WalletHub recently analyzed the 150 largest metropolitan areas in the ...

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Language Barriers Often Keep Latinos from Being Home Owners



Where people live determines a great deal; it impacts education, income, access to resources, and overall health. Home ownership is often a great source of pride for many individuals, including Latinos. However, many Latinos often run into significant barriers that keep them from becoming homeowners. One of the main barriers is language. Often times, Latinos are unable to find Spanish-language or even bilingual information that could help them in the home buying process. In Sioux Falls, South Dakota (3.31% Latino population), Spanish-language home-buyer education classes have been started by the Sioux Empire Housing Partnership to encourage the growing Latino population to become home owners, the Sioux City Journal reports. i The group now offers Spanish-language versions of ...

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Health Fair in St. Louis Geared toward Latinos


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Latinos are already the nation’s largest racial and ethnic minority group. They are also the youngest and fastest growing. As communities change to reflect these new and evolving dynamics, Latino health is going to be critical to the country overall for generations to come. Despite their numbers, many Latinos face numerous inequities and barriers that keep them from obtaining the best healthcare possible. These include lack of access, lack of health insurance, language barriers, and cultural stigmas. “As the nation’s largest and fastest growing ethnic group, it's important that all Latinos have access to affordable healthcare,” said Jose Calderon, president of the Hispanic Federation in a news release. In an effort to remove some of these barriers, communities across the ...

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Texas Education Agency Creates Bilingual Materials for Latino Parents



Latinos have made great strides in education over the past decade. More and more Latinos are graduating from high school; dropout rates are at all-time lows, and even more are attending colleges and universities for the first time ever. Historically, one of the major obstacles in the way of Latinos attaining academic success have been language barriers. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has designed a new STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) report card that will share end-of-year test results that are bilingual and constructed in an “easy-to-understand format.” These report cards are mailed to parents and they can use their child’s unique code to log in and learn more at the Texas Assessment Management System website. There are practical resources for ...

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Community Center in Pittsburgh Creates Outreach for Latina Health



There are many barriers that exist that keep some Latinos from achieving the best health possible. Cultural stigmas, language barriers, and a lack of access are just some of these barriers. For Latinas, the problems can be even more frightening. Lack of insurance, lack of transportation, and even isolation are common problems that keep many Latinas from receiving medical treatment. At the Latino Community Center in Pittsburgh, PA (2.72% Latino population), has recognized this growing problem and has decided to do something about it, as reported by The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Using an idea based on the promotores de salud concept, the center has recruited and trained women to become “liaisons” in heavily Latino-populated neighborhoods in the city. These liaisons will ...

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