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.
Latinos suffer fast differences in health and social conditions compared to other racial and ethnic groups, particularly whites. These differences, called health disparities, are rooted in social disadvantage and are often unavoidable. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) in Boston, Mass. (18.81% Latino population), has released a new report discussing the growing health and income disparities in the area. Some of the report’s findings include new stats about the rapidly rising rates of youth asthma hospitalizations in Greater Boston. According to the findings, the rate has increased by 22 hospitalizations per 100,000 from 2003-2007 to 2008-2012. One of the chief causes has been the growing number of Latino youth asthma cases. “In the asthma arena what [the findings] ...
Latinos are already the largest racial and ethnic minority group in the United States. This diverse population continues to grow and all across the country, communities are looking for efforts to increase outreach among Latinos. In Albany, OR (9.55% Latino population), efforts to reach Latinos have increased significantly in recent months. The Greater Albany Public School district has started hosting regular meetings for Latino families at the Boys & Girls Club of Albany to discuss matters important to the community. Two groups, Amigos Latinos and the Community Outreach Meetings for Parents (COMPAS), have recently organized chats with members of the community to discuss the topics that concern them the most. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to ...
There is undeniable link between attaining a quality education and living a healthier life. The more education someone attains, the better their chances of living longer lives. Attaining better education has become one of the most important topics for all Latinos. As their population grows, more and more Latinos are both enrolling in college and attaining degrees. However, there are still barriers preventing many Latinos from attaining two- and four-year degrees. According to a story in Inside Higher Ed, community colleges across the country have seen growing populations of Latino residents in their regions. That growth hasn’t often translated to increases in Latino enrollment on their campuses, especially as overall enrollments decline in a largely recovered economy. With that ...
In the 1990s, the citizens of Mancelona, Mich. (1.16% Latino population), had limited access to healthcare, social services, and higher education. Employment opportunities were few and far between. The area had the lowest per capita income in the state, most families lived below the poverty line, and were underinsured or uninsured. The effects hit the area’s young the hardest and the rampant health risks affected academic performance. In the 1994-1995 school year, 39% of all Mancelona high school students dropped out and just 64% of high school seniors graduated. Something had to be done at a fundamental level to affect real change. Like all great changes, what happened in Mancelona started at a grass roots level. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to ...
Chances are, you smell. It happens to everyone, whether you’ve just eaten a garlic-heavy meal or got done working outside in the hot sun, at one time or another, you and I have emitted unpleasant smells! On most occasions, brushing your teeth or taking a shower takes care of it. However, there are times when a bad odor is your body telling you something might be very wrong with your health, Men’s Health reports. Which ones are important? Here are a few you need to especially be aware of:
My Breath Smells “Fruity”
A complication of diabetes called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) occurs when your body runs low on insulin and your blood sugar spikes. Long story short, your body can’t create the energy it needs so it begins to break down fatty acids and one of ...
Latinos are already the largest racial/ethnic minority group in the United States. As a group, they are expected to grow from 1 in 6 people today to 1 in 4 by 2035, and 1 in 3 by 2060. All across the country, Latinos are impacting the demographics of nearly every community. In Palm Beach County, Florida (20.37% Latino population), Latinos are making an impact in another avenue. For the first time ever, public schools in the area have more Latino students than any other demographic group. As reported by The Sun-Sentinel, Latinos make up 33% of the district’s 190,240 students. This number is compared to the 32% white and 28% black students. The district’s numbers are strikingly different than the overall racial makeup of the rest of the county which is 60% white. “The ...
Achieving a healthy weight is a big challenge for everyone, including Latinos, and dietary change is a big part of the solution. But beware: Not all foods sold as "healthy" live up to that billing. Food marketers often push products that promise great taste and numerous health benefits, that, according to a USA Today report, could cause more harm than good. Here's the “skinny” on some of those products that food experts found to not be as healthy as they are supposed to be. Veggie Chips Billed as healthier alternatives to potato chips, the majority of these products are made from sweet potatoes, beets, and taro root. However, Kim Larson, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietics, told told USA Today that veggie chips are fully a marketing strategy. They ...
Currently, 1 in 4 kindergartners nationwide are Latino. By 2050, that number will be 1 in 3. Latinos are the fastest-growing population in the country and they are also becoming the youngest. However, many disparities in education exist between Latinos and other races and ethnicities. A new report from the Child Trends’ Hispanic Institute uncovered some alarming findings regarding Latino kindergartners and their math skills. According to the report, Latino students, on average show up to their first days of school three months behind their white peers when it comes to their mathematics abilities. While they “make up ground” throughout the school year, the achievement gap remains because they start so far behind. “One of the best ways to not be behind the starting gate at ...
Latinos are one of the fastest growing populations in the country. They are expected to grow from 1 in 6 people today to 1 in 4 by 2035 and 1 in 3 by 2060. Latinos often face many barriers that keep them from attaining the best healthcare possible. In realizing the disparities that exist for Latinos, unique strategies have often been employed to try to overcome these hurdles. One of the main strategies is employing promotoras de salud. These layperson community health workers are able to build trust in the community and connect hard-to-reach Latinos to health and social resources. In the city of Arlington Heights, IL (5.6% Latino population), their growing Latino population now have new advocates for them. Northwest Community Healthcare (NCH) has hired five promotoras to go into the ...
