Catherine Wilson 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.
In a lifetime, four in 10 US adults will be diagnosed with cancer, according to WebMD. Most of these cancers will be found in the breast, prostate, lung, colon, bladder, kidney, skin, and pancreas. Meanwhile, others may receive a rare cancer diagnosis, such as cholangiocarcinoma, which is a rare form of cancer that affects the bile duct. Due to their low incidence, less is known about these rare cancers and there are fewer opportunities available to change that. To learn more about cholangiocarcinoma, the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation is partnering with the MD Anderson Cancer Center to put on the 2024 Houston Cholangiocarcinoma Symposium: A Gathering of Knowledge, Support, and Hope on Dec. 13, 2024.
Cholangiocarcinoma Symposium
The 2024 Houston Cholangiocarcinoma Symposium ...
Drug misuse continues to be a pervasive problem in the US.
Use of illicit drugs can have disastrous health consequences, especially for vulnerable populations like Latinos, and can lead to premature death.
While there are methods to combat addiction, lack of information, lack of insurance, and less access to treatment facilities can get in the way of seeking treatment.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released its annual report on the state of mental health and substance use in the US.
Based on results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States covers mental health and substance use, including tobacco, illicit drugs, and more.
So far, we have covered alcohol, tobacco and vaping, ...
Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa, UT Health San Antonio’s Malú and Carlos Alvarez Center for Transplantation, Hepatobiliary Surgery and Innovation Director, still remembers the greatest gift he’s ever received. It didn’t come in the form of an award, a plaque, certificate, or even a baked good. It came from a 6-year-old patient. Cigarroa was astonished when the girl he had operated on a few months prior opened her mouth to sing a song meant especially for him. He cried. “To this day it’s still the most beautiful gift I’ve ever gotten, and she had the voice of an angel,” Cigarroa recalled. “Sometimes the greatest gifts come in the most unexpected ways.” Cigarroa has held many titles over the course of his illustrious career, including being ...
Latinos currently make up 19.5% of the US population. Yet only 7% of physicians are Latino, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). What’s more, only 2% of the 7% are Latina, according to the publication Latina Women in the U.S. Physician Workforce. Having Latinos in medicine is vital to achieve better health outcomes for all patients, including Latinos. This glaring difference can increase instances of mistreatment or negative perceptions, delay preventative care, influence what kind of treatment someone receives, and cause a stronger mistrust of the healthcare system – all of which can disastrously impact Latino health. During Hispanic Heritage Month we are honoring Latino physicians on National Latino Physician Day, Oct. 1, to ...
When you look up at the movie screen, what do you see? Do you see someone who looks like you? Do you see someone you can relate to? Do you hear someone who speaks like you do? Everyone deserves to be the hero of the story, but for decades Latinos and Latino stories have been often left out by Hollywood. However, some stories have come along to break the mold and rewrite what it means to be a Latino in the film industry. Pioneers have given Latino movie creators and artists pathways to come up with stories that celebrate and honor the strength of Latino culture. These stories offer a deeper insight into the Latino experience and the challenges many must overcome to reach their dreams. From animated box office hits that uplift to biopics that inspire, here are ...
Illicit drug use continues to be a pervasive problem in the US. Use of illicit drugs can have disastrous health consequences, especially for vulnerable populations like Latinos, and can lead to premature death. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released its annual report on the state of mental health and substance use in the US. Based on results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States covers mental health and substance use, including tobacco, illicit drugs, and more. So far, we have covered alcohol, tobacco and vaping, and marijuana use among Latinos. In the next part of our series, we’re going to explore the report and find out how using illicit drugs ...
Cancer continues as a top cause of death for Latinos. In 2021, cancer caused the deaths of 23,800 Latino men and 22,700 Latinas, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Cases of Latino cancer are expected to rise by 142% in the coming years. That is why FDA is raising cancer awareness and promoting Latino clinical trial participation by holding its first-ever National Hispanic/Latino Family Cancer Awareness Week during Hispanic Heritage Month.
What is National Hispanic/Latino Family Cancer Awareness Week?
The week of Sept. 20-26, 2024, will serve as the inaugural National Hispanic/Latino Family Cancer Awareness Week. The new observance, led by the FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence Project Community, focuses on engaging community-based ...
From a young age, Dr. Derek Rodriguez had his heart set on attending medical school. Everything changed when he was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer at the tender age of 8. “[Medical school] was the end-all, be-all thought back in the day,” Rodriguez said. “But when I was 8 years old, I was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma. This ultimately, I felt like, set the precedent for the path in which I would pursue cancer research.” Rodriguez’s experience with cancer would eventually lead him to a research position at UT Health San Antonio’s Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR), which is directed by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, who also leads Salud America! Now he’s putting his dream into practice as a research scientist for the IHPR’s Avanzando ...
As temperatures increase to scorching new benchmarks every year, weather experts advise people to avoid prolonged exposure to extreme heat, which can have disastrous health consequences, from heat stroke to death. But not everyone can escape the heat’s harmful effects. Heat can create hazardous working conditions for workers in labor-heavy outdoor industries, such as construction, maritime, and agriculture, which employs many Latinos. To protect outdoor workers from extreme heat, the Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are proposing a new rule to require employers to implement a heat emergency response and planning procedure, which includes providing water, shaded areas, and rest breaks. “Workers all over the country ...
