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Callie Rainosek

Callie's passion is spreading awareness of public health issues through various communication channels. Her work helps mitigate health disparities while promoting positive, healthy changes in communities.

Articles by Callie Rainosek

Collaborating to Support Infection-Control Oriented Students


Collaborating to Support Infection-Control Oriented Students infection control training cdc project firstline collaborating

Going on its fourth year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Project Firstline aims to provide all healthcare workers with the infection control training and resources they need to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Project Firstline is made up of a diverse group of more than 80 healthcare, public health, and academic partners, as well as state, local, and territorial health departments. In collaboration with the National Hispanic Medical Association, Salud America! is one of those partners. Today, we’re exploring some of Project Firstline’s collaborative efforts to support infection control training in the classroom. AHA and League Partnership In 2021, Project Firstline launched a new collaborative partnership with the American Hospital ...

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Dr. Jorge Moreno: Infection Control Hero for Spanish-Speaking Latinos and All Patients



Late nights studying had become the norm for young Jorge Moreno. While he poured over his college textbooks, Jorge recalled the dream he’d had since he was very young – becoming a doctor – and he pushed himself to strive forward. “Échale ganas,” Jorge’s father would say in encouragement (“give it your all,” in English). With the support of his family and mentors, Jorge would go on to achieve his dreams and more. He would become a board-certified internal medicine and obesity medicine physician, and an assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine. In this position, he would also become a liaison for the Latino community during the COVID-19 pandemic and play a critical role in infection control in both the community and clinical ...

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Latina Wage Gap Hurts Breast Cancer Outcomes, Survivorship


latina wage gap

Latinas make, on average, 52 cents for every $1 that white, non-Hispanic men make. This historic pay gap has worsened over time and contributes to poor health, especially in Latinas with expensive, chronic conditions, such as breast cancer. Breast cancer is one of the most expensive cancers to treat. It also happens to be the most diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer death among Latinas. In honor of Latina Equal Pay Day (Oct. 5, 2023) and Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October), we’re highlighting how Latina equal pay negatively impacts Latina breast cancer health outcomes and survivorship. Why Does the Latina Wage Gap Exist? Women in general earn 82% of what men earn. The reasons for this wage gap are multifaceted, according to Pew Research. Half of US ...

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Celebrating the Second Annual National Latino/a Physician’s Day!



Latinos make up more than 19% of the total US population, but account for only 6% of US physicians. In fact, less than one in four Latino adults report sharing a racial, ethnic, or language background with their physician. This lack of Latino representation in medicine negatively affects Latino patient health. For example, studies show that a lack of diversity in healthcare workers contributes to heath inequities, such as higher rates of maternal health issues in Latinas and worse health outcomes for Latino cancer patients, compared to their white counterparts. Additionally, a lack of Latino representation in healthcare adds additional barriers for Latino patients to obtain culturally and linguistically concordant care. In response to this critical shortage of Latino ...

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Afro-Latina Denice Cora-Bramble Dedicated to Equitable Pediatric Care, Diversity


Dr. Cora-Bramble

Dr. Denice Cora-Bramble loves children. From an early age, she knew that she wanted to be a pediatrician. Her professional child-focused journey has culminated a long and successful career at Children’s National Hospital where she currently serves as the inaugural chief diversity officer. “I’ve always been intrigued by children,” Dr. Cora-Bramble said with a contagious smile. "They're interesting little people.” Growing up in Puerto Rico, Dr. Cora-Bramble was introduced to medicine as a child. Her aunt, who she admired greatly, was an OBGYN and one of just five females in her medical school cohort. “She was also a mother of five,” Dr. Cora-Bramble said. “I admired how she managed being a mother and being a physician; she was a great inspiration for me ...

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CDC’s Project Firstline Infection Control Micro-Learns: Cough and Congestion!


cough and congestion

CDC’s Project Firstline knows that healthcare workers are short on time, but it shouldn’t limit their access to practical and valuable infection control training. That’s why CDC’s Project Firstline developed Infection Control Micro-Learns – a series of guided infection control discussions that can be easily incorporated into team meetings or huddles facilitated by an experienced team member with infection control expertise. These short and easy-to-understand learning opportunities can help healthcare workers recognize and minimize infection control risks to protect themselves, coworkers, and patients from infectious diseases. Let’s explore the Infection Control Micro-Learn on cough and congestion! What To Do When a Patient Has a Cough and Congestion A cough in ...

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Honoring ‘Godmother of Mariachi’ Music Isabel (Belle) Ortiz


Isabel Ortiz mariachi music

Mariachi music is a hallmark of Latino culture. Generations of Latinos listen to mariachis – a small Mexican musical ensemble of mostly stringed instruments – and continue to pass on this beautiful part of Latino culture to future generations. Isabel (Belle) Ortiz, who passed away in July 2023 at age 90, was one of those people dedicated to teaching and sharing mariachi music with others. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re celebrating Belle’s life work bringing mariachi music to the forefront of music education. A Trailblazer in Mariachi Music Education Belle, nicknamed the “Godmother of Mariachi,” grew up on the west side of San Antonio. She was musically talented and passionate about mariachi from a young age. Throughout her childhood, she ...

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From the Big Screen to Behind the Scenes, Latinos Largely Absent in the Media


Latino representation

Despite Latinos making up over 19% of the United States population, Latinos are vastly underrepresented in the media and have been for decades. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re exploring this issue and highlighting one Latino who is working toward change. It’s About Time In summer 2023, the smash hit Blue Beetle made its debut at movie theaters nationwide. The movie, which depicts a Mexican-American superhero, is one example of how Latino representation on the big screen and behind the scenes via directors, writers, etc., is improving. While many rave about the cultural significance of the movie, one question remains: “It's 2023. What took so long?” said Edward Dennis, artist and children’s book author. Edward is right to ask this question. Latinos ...

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