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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

1 in 5 People on Transplant Waiting List are Latino



More than 100,000 people are waiting for a life-changing organ transplant in the US, according to the American Heart Association.  The stark reality is that nearly 23% of those on the transplant candidate waiting list are Latino — that’s one out of every five people.   In fact, 59% of all transplant candidates on the waiting list are Black, Latino, or Asian. These populations are unevenly affected by chronic diseases, leading to the need for a transplant.   In 2023, Latinos received 8,540 of the over 46,000 transplants performed, including 580 hearts, according to the American Heart Association.   Despite the number of transplants performed and Latinos on the waiting list, organ donation remains low in the Latino community.  Latino Organ Donorship  While organs ...

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Free Virtual Program Aims to Teach a Patient-Centered Approach to Research



In recent years, researchers have made a larger effort to tap into previously overlooked communities, such as communities of color, to create more complete research that benefits everyone.  But many people still have deep-rooted mistrust of research.  And not all researchers who work with these communities end up bringing the benefits of their research back to boost the health of those communities.   The PATIENTS Program at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy is attempting to rewrite the narrative and give researchers, patients, caregivers, and others the tools to provide a continuous patient-centered approach to research.   The PATIENTS Professors Academy is a free, virtual training course centered around improving health and the health outcomes of overlooked ...

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5 Big Accomplishments for the All of Us Research Program



For the last several years, the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) All of Us Research Program has endeavored to collect the health data of over 1 million Americans to ensure healthcare works for all of us.  Are they close to 1 million participants?  How has it helped boost research?  Let’s look at five notable milestones the program has reached in its mission to build a health data network that looks like all of us.  1. Increasing the Variety in Research Participation With help from local community partnerships, including UT Health San Antonio, across the country, over 790,000 people nationwide have decided to join the program’s expansive and inclusive research network, the program announced in a recent news release.  In addition, over 540,000 participants ...

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Get Moving with a Free Child Physical Activity Program You Can Do from Home!



Many Latino children have pressing mental health needs but are not getting adequate mental health care, studies have shown.  COVID-19 didn’t help, either.  The pandemic heightened social isolation, dependence on smartphones and social media, and mental health issues among young people.   Meanwhile, opportunities declined for physical activity – a proven method for treating disorders such as depression and anxiety.  Loss of physical activity can harm physical, emotional, social, and mental health.  This is why a PhD student at Michigan State University is offering a free online program geared to increasing physical activity to improve mental health in Latino children between the ages of 7 and 11.  About the Physical Activity Program  The program is part of a ...

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Healthy Vision Month: Reframe Your Future



This Healthy Vision Month in May, the National Eye Institute (NEI) is looking through a futuristic lens to bring awareness to eye health and share English and Spanish-language resources to protect the sight of your familia. Eye health and mental health go hand in hand, especially for some Latinos who lack access to eye care. “Reframe Your Future, aims to reach people with a visual impairment about steps they can take to thrive in their daily life, like seeking vision rehabilitation and mental health services,” according to an NEI news release. Here is what you should know about taking care of eye health for you and your family. What is Low Vision? Low vision impairs your ability to see. It makes it difficult to do day-to-day activities such as reading, driving, or see a screen ...

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Study Offers Free Telehealth Therapy for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregivers



Often, Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers put the needs of the person they are caring for above their own — neglecting their physical, emotional, and mental health in the process.   While seen as a selfless act, when left unchecked, it can lead to depression.   That’s why researchers at Texas Tech University are giving informal caregivers caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s and dementia an opportunity to reduce their stress levels by offering free telehealth therapy.   As part of the research study, eligible participants will meet once a week for 12-16 sessions with a therapist and fill out questionnaires and surveys before, during, and after therapy.   These surveys are spaced out and only take 30 to 45 minutes to complete online, by mail, or over the ...

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Buckle Up! The All of Us Research Program is Hitting the Road with National Tour



Sit down and buckle up because the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program could be pulling into a town near you! On April 16, 2024, the All of Us Research Program announced its annual nationwide tour focused on engaging historically underrepresented communities in medical research, according to a recent news release. The national mobile tour, dubbed “the All of Us Journey,” kicked off its route with stops on the East Coast in Ohio before eventually making its way to the New York area in early May. Other East Coast stops include Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia along with first-time destinations of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. The program plans to visit more than 80 communities, including central regions like Texas, Colorado, and New ...

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Meet the Researchers Translating Science to Benefit Public Health in San Antonio



After careful consideration, the Institute for Integration of Medicine & Science (IIMS) at UT Health San Antonio and UTSA College for Health, Community, and Policy (HCaP) have announced the recipients of new Community Engagement Small Project Grants. Five grantees were chosen to lead projects covering HIV/AIDS, faith’s impact on criminal rehabilitation, artistic influence on young brain development, and more, according to a recent university news release. The grants, for one year and up to $5,000, aim to promote, develop, and expand community and scholarly research partnerships that benefit science and clinicians. Each project will meet local needs through community-engaged research or assessment, education, and distributing research results or policy implications. This ...

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Non-Medical Drivers of Health Keep Latinas from Breast Cancer Screenings


cancer screening breast

Every year, 240,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That’s why healthcare providers recommend women ages 50 to 74 get a mammogram – an X-ray of the breast that can help screen and diagnose cancer – every two years.   However, only about 3 in 4 women in that age group has had a mammogram in the past two years, as of 2022, according to a new study by the CDC.  For women who experience health-related social needs, even fewer haven’t gotten one.  This is alarming because, while mammograms can reduce the number of breast cancer deaths by 22%, this cancer is the top cause of death among Latinas.  Let’s explore the non-medical drivers of health that are creating challenges to ...

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