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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

Colorectal Cancer Is Top Cancer-Related Killer of People Younger than 50


Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

For the last several years, instances of colorectal cancer have been on the rise in the US, especially in younger populations.  As cases rise, so too does the number of deaths caused by colorectal cancer.  American Cancer Society (ACS) researchers recently found that colorectal cancer moralities have risen by at least 1.1% in people younger than 50 every year since 2005.  What’s more, a sharp decrease in other cancer mortalities has placed colorectal cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among people young than 50 in the US, according to an ACS study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).   Let’s go over the study findings and learn why colorectal cancer moralities have increased.   Study Findings on Colorectal Cancer  For the ...

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Seniors: Get Your Pneumococcal Vaccine Today!


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Did you know that as you get older your immune system weakens?  This can increase your risk of illness resulting in hospitalization and diseases like cancer.  That’s why it’s important to stay up to date on your vaccinations once you hit a certain age.  For instance, at age of 50 it’s recommended you get a pneumococcal vaccine to protect you against serious infections leading to worse health outcomes and even death.   To spread the word about the importance of getting the pneumococcal vaccine, Salud America! is partnering with CVEEP.  CVEEP is a leading vaccine education platform that seeks to improve vaccine accessibility and spread vaccine awareness with helpful resources, including a vaccination site locator tool.   Let’s go over the vaccine and how it ...

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Early Career Investigators: Learn to Effectively Communicate Aging-Related Issues


ESCAAR Program

When it comes to making an impact in research, communication is key!  But not everyone has the right tools to effectively communicate research into solutions that can drive health outcomes for adults living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.   The University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies wants to close the knowledge gaps in research communication by offering a program to doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars with backgrounds in aging and aging-related research.  The Entrepreneurship and Science Communication for Aging and Aging-Related Research (ESCAAR) program aims to improve aging-focused research communication with a cohort of trainees for a 10-month program.   Let’s discuss how the ESCAAR program, supported by the National Institute on Aging ...

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Podcast: Surviving the Financial Cost of Cancer Care


Dr. Mateo Banegas appeared on an episode of the What I Wish I Knew: A Cancer Podcast on Jan. 27, 2026, to discuss the financial challenges of getting fair cancer treatment.  

Cancer can have a big cost.  That cost is physical and emotional – but also financial.  From lack of insurance to access to affordable care, the financial strain of cancer can keep patients from getting the care they need, resulting in worse health outcomes and higher risk of death.   Dr. Mateo Banegas appeared on an episode of the What I Wish I Knew: A Cancer Podcast on Jan. 27, 2026, to discuss the financial challenges of getting fair cancer treatment.   Banegas is an associate professor and co-director of CHEER in the Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences (RMAS) at the UCSD School of Medicine.   Let’s take a look at the topics he covered and how they can help you or someone you know who is dealing with cancer.  The Hidden Cost of Cancer  In ...

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Navigate the Dense Road of Breast Health Using the Breast Density Road Map


Doctor helping patient get a mammogram

Turning 40 is a big milestone for many women in their career, lifestyle, and familia. It’s also a big year for health – like scheduling your first mammogram. An annual mammogram, starting at age 40, is important because it can tell you a lot about your breast health, including if you have dense breasts. Women with dense breasts, including Latinas, have a higher risk for breast cancer and may require more screenings. What do you need to know about breast density? Check out our new guide, The Breast Density Road Map, to help you navigate breast density and what it means for your breast health. The guide was created by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of UT Health San Antonio with expertise from Dr. Jessica Treviño Jones, a breast medical oncologist at Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San ...

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Share Your Experience with Obesity to Inform Healthcare Best Practices



A little over 40% of US adults are impacted by obesity, including many Latinos, putting them at higher risk for diabetes, heart issues, and cancer.   But when people with obesity try to get help, negative stigma can curb progress.   Often, they hear advice from healthcare providers like; “Eat healthier” or “Work out.” While these are key parts of a healthy life, other factors and underlying conditions are involved.   When a healthcare provider is quick to dismiss a patient with this advice, it can make the patient feel like they are to blame and may even make matters worse.  That’s why the Endocrine Society is launching interactive listening sessions to enable patients and people who have experience with obesity to help shape best practices and clinical ...

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Early Career Investigators: Apply to Advance Collaborative Aging Science!


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Alzheimer’s and related dementias continue to hurt an aging population, including many older Latinos.   One way to address this is to gather the brightest minds to collaborate on important brain health issues affecting older adults.   That’s one of the primary goals of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN).   The RCCN is looking to bring researchers together from the 7 NIA center programs to work on these issues through a series of workshops.  The next workshop in the series, “Multidisciplinary Research in Aging/Team Science,” is set for May 20-21, 2026, in Bethesda, Maryland. Travel awards are available for 10 early-career investigators with applications due Feb. 27, 2026.  “These workshops will feature the ...

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Health Workers: Spring Into Health Literacy with Virtual Learning Series


Happy middle aged woman sitting at table and using laptop writing notes.

Health Confianza is following up on its successful health literacy virtual series with a new one focused on a wide range of topics.  Last year the series covered information on how health workers and professionals can address stigma and use plain language with patients.  This time around the organization is helping health workers navigate incorrect health information, support individuals with physical and mental hardships, and discuss how to speak up for health literacy.   The upcoming series, Communicating with Confianza — A Health Literacy ECHO, is a six-part online learning experience focused on “empowering health professionals with health literacy education, resources and knowledge-sharing tools,” according to the nonprofit funded by Bexar County and ...

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Nuts and Bolts Program Gives Researchers Tools for Success


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From recruiting study participants to seeking approval from a university’s Institutional Review Board (IRB), there are so many facets of clinical research.   When considering how to navigate it, look no further than the University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School's  Nuts and Bolts of Executing a Clinical or Population Research Study virtual series.  This series aims to help researchers achieve research success by giving them the tools they need to make a positive impact in healthcare.  About the ‘Nuts and Bolts’ Program   The series consists of one-hour discussion forums spanning several topics aligned with running a clinical or population research study.    Previous topics include recruitment and retention, navigating IRBs, HIPAA ...

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