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Catherine Stewart

Catherine Stewart is a digital content curator for Salud America! and its home base, the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. She is a graduate of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland College Park, and hopes to utilize her skills to help people find their voices and inspire change in their communities.

Articles by Catherine Stewart

8 Valuable Things to Know About Reproductive Cancers


Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month

The human reproductive system is an intricate network of structures, tubes, and organs that are responsible for giving life.   But sometimes, it can also be a source of pain, discomfort, and disease.  This includes gynecological and reproductive cancers, such as cervical cancer.   Due to background-based stigmas, incorrect information, lack of access to reproductive care, and few women doctors, these cancer diagnoses can be difficult to accept and even harder to catch.   For National Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month, we are breaking down the top eight things to know about reproductive cancers.  1. There Are 5 Major Gynecological and Reproductive Cancers  Gynecological cancers consist of 5 major cancer types.   Cervical cancer. This is ...

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Hoja Informativa: Cómo la Visión Después de un Derrame Cerebral Impacta el Riesgo de Demencia


Woman, eye care and healthcare in clinic with ophthalmoscope to check for glaucoma, ocular services or assessment. Optometrist, expert and retina analysis for eyesight exam of patient with lens tools

Se sabe que los problemas de visión relacionados con la edad pueden aumentar el riesgo de demencia.  Pero ¿qué pasa cuando la visión de una persona queda dañada por un derrame cerebral, causando visión doble, pérdida de campo visual en cada ojo, o problemas en los nervios que controlan el movimiento de los ojos?  Según un nuevo resumen de investigación, los sobrevivientes de derrame cerebral que tuvieron problemas de visión mostraron una probabilidad 2.3 veces mayor de tener demencia, en comparación con quienes no tuvieron problemas visuales.  Le invitamos a revisar la nueva hoja informativa “Visión Después de un Derrame Cerebral: Lo Que Significa para la Salud de Tu Cerebro”, creada para ayudar a nuestros abuelos, familias y cuidadores a entender cómo ...

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7 Things You Should Know About Prostate Cancer


Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).   September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month!  To recognize this observance, we are bringing attention to prostate cancer, reducing the stigma behind it, and talking about ways to prevent it.   Here are the seven things you should know about prostate cancer.  1. Overlooked Communities Have a Higher Burden of Prostate Cancer While prostate cancer affects all populations, men from overlooked communities, such as Black and Latino men, suffer a disproportionate number of prostate cases.   The incidence of prostate cancer is highest, at 200.1 per 100,0000 men, in the Black community, according to the National Cancer ...

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Fact Sheet: Learn How Vision After Stroke Impacts Dementia Risk


Woman, eye care and healthcare in clinic with ophthalmoscope to check for glaucoma, ocular services or assessment. Optometrist, expert and retina analysis for eyesight exam of patient with lens tools

We know age-related vision impairment is a risk factor for dementia.  But what happens when a person’s vision is damaged by a stroke, resulting in double vision, loss of visual field in each eye, or cranial nerve dysfunction?  Stroke survivors who suffered vision impairment showed a 2.3-fold increase in the odds of having dementia than those without vision issues, according to a new research brief.  See the new research in our new fact sheet, Vision After Stroke: What It Means for Your Brain Health, to help our abuelos and caregivers understand how vision impairment following stroke can impact their brain health.  This fact sheet was created by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of Salud America! and UT Health San Antonio based on a research brief from ...

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Stay Informed About Measles with Bilingual Resources


Doctor Checking Skin of Sick Girl. Kid with Red Rash being Examined at the Physician. Allergic Rash, Chicken pox, Monkeypox Symptoms on the Body of Child. Health Problem. Bacterial Infections, Disease

Before the introduction of the vaccine, measles was a prevalent disease that meant sickness or death for up to 4 million people each year, according to the CDC.   After the vaccine, measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.  However, vaccine hesitance and incorrect information about the measles (MMR) vaccine have caused fewer vaccines to be administered and the virus to spread, revoking the country’s “eliminated” status.   As states continue to report cases of the virus, it’s more important now than ever to stay informed about measles to protect you and your familia.   That’s why Health Confianza – a partnership between UT Health San Antonio, UT San Antonio, and the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District – has developed ...

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Only 6% of FDA Drug Clinical Trials Reflect U.S. Population


Smile, doctor and senior patient on tablet in office for good news, research and online results of diagnosis. People, digital and healthcare report, insurance checklist and treatment plan and medical

The U.S. is home to many Latinos and other people with different backgrounds, but many suffer unfair health challenges and heavy burdens of cancer and dementia. More research needs to be done to understand the impact, vulnerabilities, and risks these communities face. To accurately study the health consistencies in these groups, more of them need to participate in clinical research and clinical trials, which are studies with volunteers that test ways to find, prevent, and treat cancer and other diseases. As of 2023, only 6% of trials being conducted to get FDA drug approval reflected the variety in the U.S. population, according to a new study published in Communications Medicine. Let’s dive into the study and how to improve clinical trial enrollment. Study Findings on Clinical ...

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6 Big Ways to Improve Latino Participation in Research


Spurs School Bash community outreach and engagement

Latinos and other overlooked populations have a high burden of cancer, fueled by struggles with non-medical drivers of health like transportation and insurance.  Researchers are studying these factors to improve cancer outcomes for these groups.   Yet too few Latinos and others are engaged in research.  For example, as of 2023, only 6% of FDA trials reflect the U.S. population.  To improve research participation and ensure innovations work for all populations, Genentech, a top pharmaceutical company and member of the Roche Group, decided to take a more hands-on approach and launched the AIR Site Alliance in 2021.  Since its inception, Genentech’s AIR Site alliance oncology sites have helped enroll 63% more people from overlooked ...

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Hoja Informativa: Cómo Combatir el Aislamiento Social y la Soledad al Envejecer


Depressed elderly woman sitting on couch with sad look away

Para vivir una vida saludable, necesitamos convivir y relacionarnos con otros. Sin embargo, muchos adultos mayores enfrentan aislamiento social, o sea, tienen poca interacción con otras personas y casi ningún contacto regular, y también padecen de la soledad, ese sentimiento doloroso de estar solos o alejados de los demás.  ¿Cómo podemos evitar el aislamiento social y la soledad al envejecer?  Le invitamos a leer nuestra nueva hoja informativa, Guía para Combatir el Aislamiento Social y la Soledad, creada para ayudar a nuestros abuelos, familias y amigos a entender qué son el aislamiento y la soledad, cómo afectan la salud, y qué podemos hacer para prevenirlos y evitar el Alzheimer y otras demencias relacionadas.  Esta hoja informativa fue escrita por la ...

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State of Infant Health Care in the U.S.


Shot of a young couple bonding with their baby girl on a sofa at home

A lot goes into the decision to get pregnant with a baby.   More than being a physical, mental, and emotional decision, it’s also become a larger financial decision that parents must weigh before starting or adding to their families.  And the costs don’t stop after you bring the baby home from the hospital. Many parents are burdened by the rising costs of childcare.  What’s more, the decision is also heavily influenced by access to prenatal care, postpartum support, affordable healthcare, childcare, and other community resources.  A new report by WalletHub ranked the states by how expensive having a child is and health care outcomes based on access to care.   Let’s break down the report’s findings, what they mean for child and maternal ...

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