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 Latino immigrants arrive in Broward County, Fla. (27% Latino) with no community ties, no possessions, no (or little) money, and no prospects for employment. Aside from the everyday challenges of facing 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.
Latino immigrants & toxic stress
Broward County, Fla., is home to a diverse immigrant population as it has become a hub for many Latin American and Caribbean ...
According to USA Today, despite significant drops in the national infant mortality rate over a decade (13% overall), there still exists a large gap among racial groups and in the Southern states and the rest of the country. The most proven way to eliminate premature births that lead to death is home visits by nurses. These got a “boost” due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In 2014, just 115,000 families received home visits by a nurse as part of the ACA. Nearly 1.8 million births a year are covered by Medicaid. Still, a 2012 report by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that less than one third of state Medicaid programs fully covered home visits. According to the Center for American Progress, it is estimated that it would cost state and federal Medicaid programs nearly $60 ...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 31% of the U.S. population is defined as “obese.” This includes almost 35% of all adults. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of over 30. A study by RentApplication.com using the data from the CDC determined the top 10 most overweight cities in the United States. The study also noted that overweight or obese people spend 42% more on healthcare each year. This amounts to $147 billion annually with childhood obesity allotting for over $14 billion. RentApplication.com compiled the report by ranking cities with populations of at least 50,000 people. In the Latino population, 42% of Latino adults are classified as obese. Latino children are also plagued by obesity, as 22.4% between the ages 2 ...
Health issues disproportionately plague the immigrant community in Broward County, Fla. (27% Latino), as they often lack access to healthcare due to lack of insurance, language barriers, and other obstacles. Magaly Alvarado, of Hispanic Unity of Florida (HUF), works to improve the lives of this underserved population—especially in health and wellness. They began conducting special registration events and outreach to reduce the barriers Latinos face in enrolling for health insurance and accessing healthcare.
Hard choices due to finances
Magaly Alvarado, program manager of the local immigrant advocate group Hispanic Unity of Florida (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 ...
Latinos represent the largest uninsured population in the group in the country. Several groups in the state of Colorado, including AARP Colorado, AmeriCorps, and the grass roots agency Boomers Leading Change in Health have banded together to close the health coverage gap for Hispanic seniors in the metro area of Denver. “There’s quite an audience out there that needs to be informed about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and what’s available, and increase the numbers of Latinos being enrolled,” said David Ronquillo, an AmeriCorps liaison working with AARP Colorado. “They are considered one of the most under-enrolled demographics in the United States.” Nationally, the number of uninsured Latinos has been lowered to one in every five, or nearly 20%. However, the number overall ...
Survey Uncovers New Facts about Latinos and Education Educational attainment among U.S. Latinos has undergone rapid change in the last decade. This has been a reflection of the overall growth of the Latino population in the United States. This growth has been especially felt in the nation’s K-12 schools and at colleges and universities. In the past 10 years, the Latino high school dropout rate has steadily declined while college enrollment has increased. Latinos still trail other racial and ethnic groups in bachelor’s degrees earned, however. The Pew Research Center has been monitoring trends in Latino education and uncovered several trends. In a 2014 survey, Latinos cited education and the economy as greater concerns above health care and immigration. Economic factors ...
A new report from the Minnesota Department of Health and the University of Minnesota found that the state has cut its uninsured rate nearly in half from 2013 to 2015. The rate of uninsured Minnesotans has now reached an all-time low. “Minnesota has a history of leading the nation in providing health insurance for our residents and workers,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Ed Ehlinger. “Even so, 2015 marked an unprecedented advancement for the health and security of Minnesota families—particularly those who had previously been lost in the gaps of our system.” The number of Latinos (still the largest group of uninsured individuals in the country) in Minnesota rose dramatically by 74.5% in the past decade. Latinos make up nearly 5% of the overall population of ...
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), nearly 1.9 million people with mental illness or substance use disorders are currently uninsured and live in states that have not yet expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). HHS recently released a report highlighting how states can improve access to behavioral health services by expanding Medicaid in these states. In March 2000, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) and its Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) acknowledged the growing mental health service needs of a rapidly growing Latino community. To date, 30 states plus DC have expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Twenty states—including many large Latino populations such as Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, and Georgia—have not ...
