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Pramod Sukumaran

Sukumaran completed a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology and an MPH in Population Health Analytics. He curates content for Salud America! on family support and health projects at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio. His emphases is on the latest research, reports and resources related to various disease and policies, to improve Latino health.

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Articles by Pramod Sukumaran

The Epic Revitalization of a Latino Neighborhood from Housing to Social Change


Editor's Note: main photo above is of Esperanza Academy Charter School's mural via facebook.com/Esperanzausa and whyy.org.

Roberto Clemente Middle School shut its doors in 1994 and sat empty for more than 10 years years in Philadelphia's Hunting Park, a predominantly Latino neighborhood. Not anymore. Local faith-based nonprofit Esperanza has turned the former school into 38 affordable housing units, which opened November 2018, Plan Philly reports. The site also has 5,000 square feet of commercial space. “It will now once again become a community asset, providing quality, affordable housing to Hunting Park residents,” said David Ortiz, Esperanza’s vice president of housing and economic development. But the school-turned-affordable-housing project is just one part of Esperanza's neighborhood revitalization plans. Esperanza's Revitalization of Hunting Park Hunting Park has higher poverty ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 1/29: The Future of Affordable Housing Advocacy for Latinos


Family on home porch steps affordable housing

U.S. housing is at its least affordable in 10 years, according to a recent report. Lack of affordable housing has strong implications for many Latinos and greatly impacts their quality of life. Not enough attention is given to the impact of the low Latino homeownership rate on America’s ongoing economic recovery, and in turn, the future of the nation’s housing market and related issues. Let’s tweet with #SaludTues on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, to share how to shape and improve the future of affordable housing advocacy for Latino health and education. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: "The Future of Affordable Housing Advocacy for Latino Health & Education" TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: ...

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How the Government Shutdown is Affecting Affordable Housing, Eviction


Frustrated wife shocked by bad news reading letter with husband, housing affordable

As the longest U.S. government shutdown in history marches on, Latinos and the most vulnerable people face losing federal support for their very homes. Tax credits are the U.S. government’s primary tool to encourage the development of affordable housing. The government grants the credits to developers, who then sell the credits to banks and other investors, who in turn use those credits to lower their own tax bills. According to CNN, the shutdown, which started Dec. 22, 2018, is creating uncertainty for tens of thousands of low-income tenants who rely on the federal government to help pay their rent. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) hasn’t been able to renew about 1,650 contracts with private building owners who rent to low-income Americans and an ...

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San Antonio’s Daring New Policies for Affordable Housing


Big Ways Cities Can Solve the Affordable Housing Crisis.

Affordable housing is hard to find after home prices surged 25% in the past five years in San Antonio (64% Latino), the San Antonio Express-News reports. About 165,000 people in San Antonio are "overburdened" with housing expenses. They spend more than 30% of their income on rent, mortgage payments, and other costs associated with housing, such as electricity, according to The Rivard Report. This is a threat to a city expected to grow by a million people in the next 20 years. “Just like water, energy and transportation policy, we have to make investments in housing in order to spur inclusive development that delivers prosperity for our entire community," San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. How is the city tackling housing? San Antonio OKs Policy Framework, Funding for ...

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Work Related Exposures May Increase Latinos’ Risk for Heart Disease



Where you live and work can greatly impact your health and well being and potentially even one's risk for heart disease. Latinos exposed to heavy metals at work are twice as likely to have cardiovascular disease than those who aren’t, according to a recent publication. Such exposures can have dire consequences both in the short and long term. In fact, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of mortality in the United States and western world for all groups and the number 2 cause of death for Hispanics/Latinos behind cancer, despite overall cancer rates being lower for Latinos compared to non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). Work related exposures may increase the risk for CVD The study, published in Heart, found that heavy metal and pesticide exposures in the workplace ...

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Ruling Against Obamacare Could Seriously Affect Latinos


doctor and patient health care coverage insurance

On the heels of a likely second-straight year of declining healthcare enrollment, a Texas judge has ruled that core elements of Obamacare are unconstitutional and make the entire law invalid, CNN reports. The ruling is expected to be appealed, which could take months. It won't affect 2019 insurance plans. But legal experts say the ruling does cast doubts about the future of health coverage for millions of Americans via Obamacare exchanges (the Affordable Care Act) and in Medicaid expansion. If Obamacare went away, between 61 and 133 million people with some type of pre-existing health condition would lose coverage. As a result, they would be forced to pay much higher insurance premiums, and would be subject to a longer waiting period. Meanwhile, around four million Latinos ...

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Why Do Latinos Have a Harder Time Quitting Cigarettes?


quit smoking cigarettes for the great american smokeout

Latino adults smoke cigarettes at a lower rate (12.1%) than their white peers (19.4%). However, once they’ve started, Latinos are more likely to keep smoking and only half as likely as whites to successfully quit smoking, according to the UCSF Smoking Cessation Leadership Center. Experts say the reasons why fewer Latinos quit is complex. “You’re looking at a population with fewer alternatives to cope,” David Williams, a public-health professor at Harvard University, told whyy.org. "That makes it harder for them to give up that aid.” 'Hard to Quit' Reason: Little Access to Help Latino smokers lack access to support for quitting smoking. They have the lowest rate of health insurance coverage among racial/ethnic groups. They also experience lower levels of ...

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Why Are Fewer Latinos Enrolling in Obamacare This Year?


Health care Insurance cards total and dental care with stethscope.

Healthcare agencies are seeing a big decline in the number of Central Texas Latinos signing up for Obamacare health insurance through HealthCare.gov, TPR reports. This decline might be happening in other Latino-populated parts of the U.S., too. In fact, with less than a week before the sign-up period for 2019 Obamacare plans ends on Dec. 15, 2018, national health insurance sign-ups are down 11% through the first five weeks compared with the same time last year via HealthCare.gov, the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange. Why the Decline? Experts who have been following ACA enrollment closely cite several factors. According the latest reports, the Trump administration erased a Latino outreach guide from the ACA website. This violates ACA regulations ...

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The Midterms: Big Wins (and Losses) for Affordable Housing


affordable housing sign (via Associated Press)

U.S. housing is at its least affordable in 10 years, according to a recent report. So it was no surprise to see lots of affordable housing and rent control measures on local and state ballots during the Nov. 6 midterm election. Voters showed mixed results for affordable housing. Wins occurred in Texas, North Carolina, and Washington. Arizona suffered a big loss. California felt like a split decision. “Tremendous local and state victories on ballot initiatives to address homelessness and housing poverty mean new affordable homes for the people most in need and new alliances and momentum for bigger victories to come,” Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said in a statement. “And yesterday proved that housing is a winning campaign ...

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