Articles by Julia Weis

Latinos Have Highest Rate of Physical Inactivity, Due to Structural Barriers

February 7, 2022

32.1% of Latinos are physically inactive outside of work, putting them in danger of health issues from obesity to cancer, according to a new report from CDC. This is the highest percentage of inactivity among racial/ethnic groups. The disparity is largely due to structural barriers like lack of access to safe and convenient places to exercise, according to the report. “Reducing physical inactivity requires a comprehensive effort from many groups—including states, communities, worksites, and individuals—to make it easier for everyone to move more,” according to the CDC report. Learn more about the data on physical activity, reasons why Latinos have higher rates of inactivity, and what can be done to make physical activity more equitable and accessible for Latinos and ...

Project VCTR Helps Latinos Fight COVID-19 Misinformation

February 3, 2022

Healthcare leaders say that the COVID-19 vaccine is the clearest path to end of the pandemic. However, vaccine misinformation spread on social media stands in the way. Many misinformation spreaders target Latino and Black communities, which have historical mistrust and skepticism in government. To combat this increasing threat, the Public Good Projects (PGP) and the New York State Health Foundation (NYSHF) created Project VCTR (Vaccine Communication Tracking & Response). Project VCTR helps track misinformation across different media sources to measure the public’s confidence in the vaccine. Currently, negative attitudes about the vaccine are declining after a strong rise in fall of 2021, according to the dashboard. They produce dashboards and track data affecting ...

COVID Community Corps Spreads Vaccine Awareness to New Jersey Latinos

January 31, 2022

COVID-19 continues to burden communities of color, particularly low-income and Latino immigrant populations. Often, these communities have fewer resources and need support and health education to fight COVID-19. That’s why groups like the COVID Community Corps (CCC) were started. “It’s about getting into those really hard-to-reach populations and communities and bringing the information in a very linguistic and culturally competent manner,” said Nayeli Salazar de Noguera, the program outreach manager for the CCC. Through canvassing and educational initiatives, the CCC aims to reach underserved communities and increase public confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. Learn how they are building vaccine confidence in low-vaccinated parts of New Jersey! Launching ...

Test Your Memory with the Brain Health Registry!

January 24, 2022

Want to play memory and thinking tests and help millions of families with dementia? The Brain Health Registry can help you do that. Researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) developed a registry for adults interested in conducting brain tests that can help the future creation of treatments for Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, and other brain disorders. Now, they’re partnering with the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio to expand brain health research in the Texas region of the United States, through a partnership called STOP-AD. Learn about the STOP-AD Brain Health Registry, how Alzheimer’s is affecting Latinos, and how clinical trials can help us tackle Alzheimer’s and other ...

New Orleans Bans Soft Drinks on Kids Menus in Restaurants

January 20, 2022

Next year in New Orleans, kids won’t be able to order a Coke off the kids menu in restaurants. On Jan. 6, the New Orleans City Council unanimously passed an ordinance that will require restaurants to serve water, milk, or fruit juice with kids meals, according to New Orleans Public Radio. While the ordinance faced some pushback from the soft drink beverage industry, advocates believe this new rule will make a difference in preventing childhood obesity. What Does the Ordinance Say about Soft Drinks on Kids Menus? The city health department pitched the ordinance to remove soft drinks and make healthier options as the default beverages on kids menus. New Orleans City Councilmember Cyndi Nguyen put it to a vote. “This is really about helping our young people to stay healthy, ...

Webinar Feb. 10: Addressing Social Needs to Prevent and Reduce Cancer

January 18, 2022

Many cancer patients in South Texas and beyond experience barriers in access to health care, insurance, immigration status, affordable housing, transportation, education, as well as cultural and linguistic barriers. This can dramatically impact their cancer outcomes. To address this issue, you’re invited to join us for “Addressing Social Needs in Efforts to Prevent and Reduce Cancer” at 1 p.m. CST on Feb. 10, 2022. This is the second webinar of a new series, “Let’s Address Health Equity Together.” This Zoom webinar will show how health care leaders can participate in advocacy for policy and system changes that address these health inequities and social needs, beyond providing more sensitive care and/or research. “This webinar will help doctors, nurses, ...

How Universal Free School Meals Can Help Latino Kids

January 18, 2022

Free school meals have been a staple for kids from low-income households for decades, especially Latino kids. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, unions and advocacy organizations successfully fought to bring universal free school meals to students learning from home, with federal support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Then after several extensions, USDA funded school meals through June 30, 2022. But what happens after that? Let’s explore the current state of free school meals, the impact they have on Latino kids, and what the future holds. UPDATE 2/4/22: The Biden administration announced the USDA will change its school nutrition standards for the 2022-2023 school year, reinstating health goals that were rolled back throughout the Trump administration on ...

What You Need to Know about Flurona

January 13, 2022

As COVID-19 cases from the recent Omicron variant surge across the country, health professionals are also detecting a rise in “Flurona,” which is a combination of the common flu and coronavirus. What really is Flurona and how can you avoid it? Let’s explore the facts. What is Flurona? Technically, Flurona isn’t a new disease. It occurs when someone contracts both COVID-19 and the flu simultaneously or one after the other. “Health experts have been warning about the possibility of a ‘twindemic,’ a scenario in which spikes in cases of COVID-19 and a simultaneous rough flu season overwhelm the country’s hospital systems, since early on in the pandemic,” according to Fortune Magazine. Why is Flurona Happening Now? Flurona has been happening throughout the ...

New Toolkit Helps Latino Parents See the Harm of Sugary Fruit Drinks

January 11, 2022

Young Latino kids drink too many sugary fruit drinks. Unfortunately, sugary fruit drinks that claim to be natural are often just fruit-flavored beverages that have added sugar and are just as unhealthy as soda. This is a contributing factor to the high rates of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular issues that Latino kids often face. That’s why there’s a new toolkit called “The Truth About Fruit Drinks” from researchers at the University of Washington, University of Pennsylvania, and Interlex Communications with support from Healthy Eating Research and the Arcora Foundation. “This toolkit contains an evidence-based social media messaging campaign for countering beverage industry marketing and decreasing the purchase of fruit drinks by Latinx ...

About the Author

Julia Weis

Connect with Julia: