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.
Access to and treatment for mental health issues is has long been a problem for many Latinos. According to a recent study, one in five Americans is believed to have a mental health condition at any given time. However, Latinos receive a lot less psychiatric care overall, including visits to psychiatrists, social workers, and psychologists. In an effort to combat the growing trend of a lack of access, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has awarded more than $44 million to increase the number of mental health providers and substance abuse counselors across the country. A recent announcement from HHS touted that the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) would be funding 144 ...
When it comes to mental health issues, many Latinos are plagued by a lack of access and the thought of cultural stigma and rarely seek assistance for issues such as depression. This can lead to isolation and further health problems, especially in the heavily Latino populated Sonoma County, Calif. (26% Latino population), The Press Democrat reports. At Sonoma State University, Francisco Vázquez a professor and president of the board of directors of the nonprofit Latino Service Providers-Sonoma County, believes he has found a way to bridge the cultural gap preventing Latinos from seeking help. Vázquez is behind a $1.18 million grant project aimed at identifying cultural practices that lead to improved mental and behavioral health. These practices include traditional healing arts, ...
About $10 million worth of free flu shots are coming to Walgreens thanks to a collaboration between the drug store and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The effort, now in its seventh year, offers free flu shot vouchers to improve flu immunization rates among uninsured Americans. Latinos have the highest uninsured rates. Eligible individuals can call 866-994-6757 to find the nearest location where flu shot vouchers may be available. “Since 2010, this partnership has helped us make substantial strides in addressing disparities in flu vaccination coverage by providing free flu shots for more than 1.4 million people,” said Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, deputy assistant secretary for minority health and director of the HHS Office of Minority Health. “As the flu ...
In the rural areas of the western United States, a growing population is becoming more and more vulnerable due to an increasing lack of quality healthcare. The elderly, disabled, and uninsured (Latinos represent the largest uninsured population in the U.S.) in these areas are facing a growing crisis. These individuals are farther from healthcare and are often more vulnerable during emergencies, such as heart attacks, severe lacerations, or strokes, reported High Country News.
// Delta County in western Colorado (14.45% Latino population) is an example cited of an area with serious problems. Since 2010, the number of residents aged 65 or older has jumped 19%; however the patient-to-doctor ratio is more than 1,300 to one. In extreme examples, some Western counties have had their ...
From age 2 to 5, nearly 1 in 7 Latino boys are obese; by middle school, these rates go up to 22%. These facts and more about the overall health and education of young Latino males are discussed in a new report from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. The status is particularly important as Latino children currently make up nearly 25% of the all children in the United States and by 2050 are projected to be nearly 30%. With nearly half of all children male, how Latino boys and young men fare has a great impact overall on the country’s social and economic well-being. 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 involved. Other ...
Many people know vaccines can help keep infants and children healthy during the early childhood years. But vaccines are just as important for when children grow into adolescence, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As children grow, protection from some childhood vaccinations begins to wear off. Other vaccinations also work better when they’re given during adolescence. Latinos and other racial/ethnic minorities face barriers to immunizations that range from a lack of knowledge about their importance, to cultural and language differences to limited access to these preventative services, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend four important vaccines that ...
In the rural Columbia Gorge region of Oregon and Washington, collaboration has truly been the key to elevating the culture of health of everyone in the area. This vast area is larger than the state of Connecticut, however only 75,000 people live in this extreme environment. While many high-tech companies have moved into new the riverfront properties in Washington (11.74% Latino population) and Oregon (12.15% Latino population), many in remote areas live in poverty and the nearest medical care is over an hour’s drive away. Orchards in the region produce bounties of pears, apples, and cherries and yet 1 in 5 people are food insecure on a regular basis. To bridge these disparities, the people of the Columbia Gorge region have turned an “ordinary requirement” into an extraordinary ...
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in collaboration with Walgreens, one of the nation's largest drugstore chains, will help provide more than $10 million worth of free flu shot vouchers this flu season to improve flu immunization rates among uninsured Americans. “Since 2010, this partnership has helped us make substantial strides in addressing disparities in flu vaccination coverage by providing free flu shots for more than 1.4 million people,” said Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, deputy assistant secretary for minority health and director of the HHS Office of Minority Health. “As the flu season approaches, our continued collaboration will help protect hundreds of thousands of people from influenza, which can make chronic health problems worse or lead to ...
A Spanish-only webinar will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 2:00-3:00pm ET that will discuss helping Latinos understand how to get the most from their healthcare coverage. Hosted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health, the webinar is entitled “From Coverage to Care (C2C)” this free webinar will be an opportunity to learn more about the C2C campaign. 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 involved. Latinos have made large gains in reducing their uninsured population thanks to the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Participants will be able to provide input and feedback, discuss how to help ...
