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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

Mortality Rate in Northeast Texas is one of the Highest in the Nation


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Northeast Texas has an astoundingly high mortality rate as people are dying at far greater rates than the rest of Texas and even the rest of the country, Texas Monthly reports. State health data was used by the University of Texas Health System and showed alarming results. The mortality rate in the area has a 33% higher death rate from heart disease, a 35% higher death rate from lung cancer, and a 40% higher rate of suicide than the rest of the state. Texas (38.16 Latino population) is currently struggling with a well-documented problems of infant mortality; however, the problem is even direr in Northeast Texas where 6.3 babies die every 1,000 births, compared to 5.8 across the Lone Star State. “Northeast Texas also is comparably poorer and less educated than Texas as a whole, ...

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NYC Homeless Student Numbers Reach Crisis Levels



Roughly one out of every 13 children in the New York City public school system is now homeless. This shocking information was uncovered in a new report by the New York City Public School System on its homeless student population. These numbers include students living in the public shelter system as well as in other “temporary” living situations, such as staying with friends or relatives. The report, entitled “Not Reaching the Door: Homeless Students Face Many Hurdles on the Way to School,” found that the majority of the programs that were designed to help these transient students are “insufficient” or “poorly executed.” In New York City (28.82% Latino population), this group of students is already at high risk and they now face very tall educational obstacles. Figuring ...

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College Students Visiting Mental Health Services at Higher Rates



Across the nation, 17% of college students were diagnosed with or treated for anxiety problems during the 2015-2016 calendar year, The Wall Street Journal reports. Of this group, nearly 14% were diagnosed or treated for depression. This number is up significantly from a 2011 survey by the American College Health Association and counselors on campus are reporting seeing more “serious illnesses.” There is also a rise in the number of students who are enrolling with pre-existing psychiatric histories. The reason for this unprecedented surge is unclear. Therapists and college counselors have speculated that factors ranging from the economy and rising tuition rates to the impact of social media have led to the current rise in mental health issues. “Students are overwhelmed with ...

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U of M Unveils $85M Plan to Add Diversity to Student Body



Diversity is becoming more and more of a conscious thought in the minds of everyone in higher education, especially when it comes to the nation's rapidly growing Latino population. Latinos have made great strides in attaining college degrees in recent years, however, they still lag behind most ethnic and racial groups in obtaining higher education degrees. At the University of Michigan, a new plan looks to take steps to help Latinos and other minorities better navigate the college experience and earn degrees, the Associated Press reports. The university, located in Ann Arbor, Mich. (4.6% Latino population), has committed $85 million over the next five seasons to implementing programs that will help incoming minority freshmen adjust to the college life and develop skills that will ...

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Community Connectors Break Down Barriers to Healthy Homes



San Antonio’s Eastside Promise Neighborhood (EPN) is a community of about 18,000 residents (67.5% Latino) who face many health disparities driven by socioeconomic inequities in income, education and access to health care. Noemi Villarreal and others at EPN sought ways to improve health care and health equity in the area. To do that, they looked for ways to promote the idea of the “medical home,” in which the patient/family is the center of partnerships with primary care providers, specialists, educational resources, and the entire community. They formed a group of dedicated "Community Connectors" to travel the neighborhood and do whatever was necessary to promote development of a medical home for every home. Addressing issues in San Antonio Noemi Villarreal, health ...

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NCCHC Discusses Needs for Latino College Students



The college enrollment numbers for Latinos have steadily risen in recent years. However, Latino students still lag behind other racial and ethnic groups in obtaining two- and four-year degrees. In an effort to curb this trend, the National Community College Hispanic Council (NCCHC) has determined that addressing strategies at an institutional level are needed to help Latino students. “It is up to us to identify the challenges community college Latino students face but also to let them know there is hope,” said Maria Harper-Marinick, chancellor of the Maricopa Community College District and NCCHC president. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, and get ...

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New Report Tracks the State of Latino Youth Nationwide



A new report from the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), using national data, found that the Latino high school graduation rate rose to 78% in 2013 compared to 2007. Toward A More Equitable Future: The Trends and Challenges Facing America’s Latino Children is a new report released by the NCLR which utilized nationally gathered data to shed light on the true state, good and bad, of Latino children in the United States. “When people don’t want to do something, they hide behind data,” said Lori Kaplan, head of the Latin American Youth Center in Washington, D.C. at a recent news event announcing the report. “They say ‘show me the data.’ But smaller operations usually don’t have the resources to gather data to prove that what they know to be true through ...

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Despite Reduction, Food Insecure Latino Numbers Still High



Despite historic reductions reported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are still over 42 million people in the country who are classified as food insecure. Of this number, over 13 million were children. Latinos, single-parent households, and households in rural communities are among those with the highest rates of food insecurity, the Huffington Post reports. The USDA defines food insecurity as those households that are “uncertain of having, or are unable to acquire enough food to meet the needs of all their members.” This situation can be due to a variety of reasons, including having insufficient money or resources to obtain food, such as a loss of income or medical hardships. Households with children are disproportionately affected by food ...

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Latinos May Be Eligible for ACA Tax Credits



Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed into law in 2010, millions of Americans have gained coverage or found more affordable options thanks to the tax credit. New information released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shows that 2.5 million Americans may now qualify for these tax credits if they shop for 2017 coverage through the Marketplace. “More than 9 million Americans already receive financial assistance through the Health Insurance Marketplace to help keep coverage affordable, but today’s data show millions more Americans could benefit,” said HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell in a news release. “We encourage everyone to check out their options on HealthCare.gov or their state Marketplace and see if they qualify for financial assistance. ...

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