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.
Latino boys and young men are an often overlooked segment of our population. But it's important to understand the health habits and trends among Latino males, such as educational status, mental and physical health, chronic diseases, substance use, and more. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, September 20, 2016, to tweet about ideas and solutions to help address the needs of Latino boys and young men: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: "The Health & Education of Latino Boys & Young Men"
DATE: Tuesday, Sept. 20 2016
TIME: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT)
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludToday
CO-HOSTS: @NRCHispanic, @HispanicEd, and @MBK_Alliance We will open up the discussion to everyone so you all can share your insights, experiences, and ...
Despite increasing numbers of Latinos improving their health through gaining medical insurance, there are still large disparities in many areas of health care. One of the main gaps in care is mental health. A new study has determined that Latino children and young adults with mental health issues are only half as likely as their white counterparts to receive treatment. The national study, “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health Care for Children and Young Adults,” examined data on children under 18, and young adults 18-34 from 2006-2012. The authors theorize, in the study, that this lack of mental health treatment could explain why many more Latinos (compared to their White or Asian peers) are expelled from school. Latinos receive a lot less psychiatric care overall, ...
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins on September 15 and runs through October 15, the Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign will host a webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 2:00-3:30 pm ET to discuss “Increasing Medicaid & CHIP Enrollment in Hispanic Communities.” The webinar will bring together a panel to discuss strategies in enrolling more Latino and Hispanic children into Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Latinos have made great strides in reducing their numbers of uninsured, but still remain the largest single ethnic and racial group without coverage. 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 ...
Local and national events have pushed the subject of race, equality, and equity to the top of the city of Ashville, NC’s (6% Latino population) political agenda. In a response to widespread public acclaim, city officials have put forth an ambitious $433,000 initiative to establish an Office of Equity and Diversity as well as a plan for a racial disparity study of their community. Ashville’s City Council will review the plan, which is set to cost the city $350,000, during meetings in September 2016. The newly funded Office of Equity and Diversity will cost the city $110,000 this year and nearly $150,000 annually going forward. Staff have yet to be hired for the new department. “Statistics and other evidence can be used to show decisions and practices have discriminatory ...
A new analysis of federal data details the serious and widespread problem of chronic absenteeism in public schools. It has long been a belief that skipping one or two days of school in a month has little impact on a student’s academic success has been proven statically incorrect. According to the new study entitled “Preventing Missed Opportunity,” missing just two days in a month can “expose kids to a cascade of academic setbacks,” ranging from lower reading and math scores in third grade to higher risks of dropping out of high school. The data studied showed that the problem of chronic absenteeism was both widespread and concentrated. More than 6 million students were found to be chronically absent and half attended just 4% of the nation’s school districts and only 12% ...
A new book by mathematician Cathy O’Neil details the ways that math is being “used” to create (both intentionally and unintentionally) further racial inequities and inequalities in the United States. In a new book entitled Weapons of Math Destruction, O’Neil shows how algorithms and data, which are used in everything from targeted advertising to insurance rates to police presence, are often being used against minorities. “I worried about the separation between technical models and real people, and about the moral repercussions of that separation,” O’Neil wrote in the book. In her book, O’Neil’s models all use proxies as stand-ins for what people are actually trying to measure. For example, police officers analyze zip codes to deploy patrols, employers also use ...
Eat healthy. Exercise more. Sleep more. Drink more water. These tips are all essential to good health, but they're fairly straightforward with commonsense applications. Health magazine has new list of 12 health tips that may seem strange, but work. We break down the implications of several tips for Latinos. For healthy teeth, don’t brush after meals. Acidic foods, such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, sodas, or sports drinks can soften tooth enamel. Brushing your teeth after meals can speed up the acid’s effect on tooth enamel and even erode the layer underneath. It is suggested that waiting 30 to 60 minutes after eating will protect teeth better. This is good advice for Latinos, as they generally lag behind other racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. in oral and dental ...
The city of Austin, Texas (34.83% Latino population) recently introduced the candidates for the newly created position of Equity Officer for the city at a town hall event. The newly created position will head an office of two to three staff members focused on identifying disparities in current city programs and services. The office will also work with community groups to ensure equal access to these programs and services. 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. Residents of Austin petitioned the city to create the position due to the growing number of minorities leaving the city. The increased cost of living has been a key concern for minorities ...
Education has long been considered key in attaining financial and professional success in life and it is also tied closely into maintaining physical and mental health. Latinos have long lagged behind other races and ethnicities in the United States in terms of educational attainment. In the past decade, that has changed dramatically. In a survey conducted recently to gauge issues of importance among Latinos for the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election, over 80% cited education as being important. For many Latinos, economic barriers or obstacles still play a substantial part in furthering education. While the rate of Latino high school dropouts has declined and college enrollment has increased, Latinos still trail other groups in earning bachelor’s degrees. In a 2014 National Journal poll, ...
