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.
Researchers analyzed over 6,000 abstracts to determine how ethnicity and race impacts youth self-esteem and success. This meta-analysis, published in the journal of Child Development, concluded that feelings of ethnic pride and happiness in minority youths, particularly in Latinos, positively affected their behavior. “Across all of these studies, [researchers] found that having a positive sense of identity and feeling proud about your ethnic-racial group a host of positive measures,” said Tiffany Yip, associate professor of psychology at Fordham University. Results from the research showed that positive ethnic-racial beliefs correlated to measures of high self-esteem, well-being, and academic performance. The majority of studies examined middle and high school ...
Many people arrive from other countries to Broward County, Fla., with no community ties, no possessions, no (or little) money, and no prospects for employment. Aside from the everyday challenges of this scenario, they also often face legal questions or citizenship matters. That’s why Hispanic Unity of Florida (HUF) was founded to offer free legal aid to low-income families in their most troubling times, to relieve stress and, in turn, improve people’s health and quality of life. Magaly Alvarado, a program manager with HUF, knew that she and her organization could and should do more to help their community.
People from other countries and toxic stress
Broward County, Fla. (27% Latino), is a hub for many Latin American and Caribbean transplants. Many members of this ...
Health issues plague many people in the community of Broward County, Fla. They often lack access to healthcare due to lack of insurance coverage, language barriers, and other obstacles. Magaly Alvarado, of Hispanic Unity of Florida (HUF), works to improve the lives of this population—especially in health and wellness. They began conducting special registration events and outreach to reduce the challenges local people face in enrolling for health insurance and accessing healthcare.
Hard choices due to finances
Magaly Alvarado, program manager of the local immigrant advocate group HUF, knows that Broward County, Fla. (27% Latino), has a geographic location that has led it to become a popular entry point into the United States for many Latin American and Caribbean people. Many ...
A new guide by ChangeLab Solutions can help local jurisdictions design a code enforcement program to help create and maintain health housing. Good quality housing is central to the health of individuals, families, and communities. When housing falls into poor conditions or disrepair due to pest infestation, moisture damage, hazardous chemicals, or inadequate ventilation, its residents tend to have poor health. Unhealthy homes have been linked to 20-30% of all asthma cases, over 20,000 lung cancer deaths, and a host of preventable fatal and nonfatal home injuries. Without proper maintenance, homes can become unhealthy and dangerous. Strong housing codes, well-trained enforcement officers, and municipal cooperation are necessary to protect residents. Property owners and ...
The east side neighborhood of San Antonio struggles with socioeconomic hardships, health issues, and a lack of access to quality healthcare. In the past few years, the nonprofit Eastside Promise Neighborhood (EPN) has sought ways to improve conditions for residents in the city’s east side. To solve the gap in the availability of healthcare options in the area and fight health issues, the EPN partnered with a provider, CommuniCare Health Partners, to open a new health clinic in the area.
Health improvement needed in San Antonio
San Antonio’s historic east side neighborhood is home to 17,955 residents (mostly Latino), more than 200 private businesses, and six schools on 3.5 square miles bounded by Interstate 37 to the west, Fort Sam Houston to the north, AT&T Center Parkway ...
A coalition formed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) resulted in a 40% increases in colorectal screening rates over four years. The program is now being looked at as a possible pilot for other communities to boost their cancer screening rates. A report headed by Dr. Steven Itzkowitz, a professor of medicine/oncological sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), now provides a framework for how communities might learn from a program to increase screening rates and ensure access for all people. “The increased screening rates from 2003 to 2012 translates to an additional 833,000 New Yorkers who have undergone screening colonoscopy and represents an important public health intervention,” said Dr. Itzkowitz. “By making ...
Bishop Jose Torres, a father of three girls who plays volleyball in his spare time, was concerned about the lack of health awareness among his congregation in Severn, a suburb of Annapolis, MD. He wanted to do something about it. So with a few dedicated partners, he created a Health Festival for his community. For over five years, the Health Festival has provided much-needed health information and services to hundreds in the community and has even saved a few lives.
Concern Over a Community's Health
Located in Severn, a suburb of the city of Annapolis, MD (16.8% Latino), the Heritage Community Church has a sizeable Latino population. Bishop Jose Torres and the rest of the Church leadership were concerned about the health and health literacy of their congregation ...
Sarah Cantril started the Huerto de la Familia program to focus on boosting health by helping local families live healthier lives in Eugene, Ore. In trying a new approach to bring health information to families, Julia Ridgeway-Diaz and other officials with Huerto de la Familia decided to start an annual health fair, called Dia de Salud (Health Day). This free, tailored annual health fair brings families together to receive free eye exams, blood tests, and other health services that would normally be unavailable to their community.
What Role Do People Play in Their Health?
Huerto de la Familia has been assisting families in Eugene, Ore. (7.8% Latino), since 1999, when Sarah Cantril formed the organization from a grassroots project, to a fully developed non-profit. But Julia ...
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease (NIAMS) has launched a new Spanish-language website that provides free health information on conditions of the bones, joints, muscles, and skin. “Many diseases in our scientific portfolio, including lupus, arthritis, and osteoporosis have profoundly negative effects,” said NIAMS Director Dr. Stephen Katz. “We are committed to providing quality health information to all people, no matter what language they speak [or their background].” The new site features easy-to-use navigation tools to help Spanish-speaking individuals identify and locate NIAMS health topics. Some of the features offered include improved access to NIAMS Spanish-language federal information and resources, information on ...
