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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

Spanish-Language Lactation Resource Aims to Help Mothers Breastfeed Their Babies


A smiling woman doctor pediatrician cuddles a cute baby girl on her cheek while her mother holding her.

Breastfeeding has many health benefits for both mothers and babies.   For mothers, breastfeeding can help speed up the recovery process after birth, reduce long-term health risks, including breast and ovarian cancers, and help with postpartum weight loss due to the extra calories being burned.   For infants, breastfeeding contains optimal nutrition for immune protection from illnesses helps with brain development, and reduces risks of chronic health conditions like obesity.   Unfortunately, without access to Spanish-language lactation resources, too many Latinas give up breastfeeding too soon.  That’s where the Mama Sana Program comes into play.  The program offers mothers Spanish-language support to help them navigate the difficult journey that is ...

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8 Things You Need to Know about Breast Density and Cancer


Breast Density

Breast cancer is a common cancer affecting US women, including Latinas.  While breast cancer is very treatable, many Latinas get diagnosed at later stages when the cancer has already spread, resulting in a higher risk of death.   The best way to detect breast cancer early is by getting your annual mammogram.  However, many women, including Latinas, have dense breast tissue, making it harder to conduct a mammogram and detect cancer.   Here are eight things you need to know about breast density and cancer.  1. Dense Breasts Occur When There is Less Fat than Tissue The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) defines dense breasts as a measure of how two types of breast tissue found in the breast compared to the amount of fat tissue.   Dense breasts are categorized ...

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UT San Antonio Alzheimer’s and Aging Center Teams Up with Salud America! to Deliver Latino Health Resources


Adult Son Comforting Father Suffering With Dementia

UT San Antonio is shining a light on Alzheimer’s disease with a new research center to study an aging Latino population, the university announced in UT San Antonio Today.  Funding for the center, called the San Antonio Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Population Aging and Social Studies (CAPAS), was made available through a grant program from the National Institute on Aging.   CAPAS seeks to bridge the gap in Alzheimer’s research by aligning experts in demography, neuropsychology, biology, economics and public health across UT San Antonio’s campuses, including its Health Science Center.  UT San Antonio experts will be working alongside experts from other institutes, such as the Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative ...

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Podcast: Building a Community of Survivors with Avanzando Caminos and Debbie’s Dream Foundation


Debbie's Dream Foundation From the Gut Podcast

Now comprising 20% of the US population, Latinos are among the fastest-growing populations in the country.   They are also afflicted with some of the highest rates of cancer, especially cancers with lower survival rates like stomach cancer.   In honor of Stomach Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! and a cancer health researcher at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, and Dr. Derek Rodriguez, a research scientist at UT Health San Antonio, appeared on the Debbie’s Dream Foundation From the Gut podcast.  In the podcast’s fourth episode, the pair of cancer researchers focused on the Avanzando Caminos Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship Cohort Study and the importance of creating a community of ...

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Liver Cancer Innovation Advances Early Detection


Blood test sample for Tumor markers test for diagnosis cancer

Liver cancer, one of the fastest growing causes of cancer-related deaths in the US, affects many people in the South Texas area with its large Latino population.  That is why researchers are working hard to improve early detection of liver cancer.  Exact Sciences, the company responsible for Cologuard, a popular brand of colorectal at-home testing kits, announced new findings on its new blood test that aims to detect early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is a common form of liver cancer, according to a company news release.  Let’s explore the new findings can benefit the health of Latinos and all people.   Early Liver Cancer Detection  Exact Sciences’ liver cancer blood test, Oncoguard, has been in clinical testing.  The new test results show that the product ...

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How Can We Address the Gun Violence Crisis?


View of Man with Gun Silhouette

Gun violence is on the rise in the US.   In fact, gun violence was declared a national public health crisis in 2024.   Since 2000, gun violence has caused the deaths of more than 800,000 people and led to 2 million injuries in the US, according to a recent JAMA report.  Many of these deaths have been among children and adolescents, affecting families across the country.  To address this, JAMA gathered 60 leaders for a summit to create a roadmap to address the increase on firearm violence to promote fewer injuries and deaths by 2040.   “The vision for 2040 is a country where firearm violence is substantially reduced and where all people and communities report feeling safe from firearm harms,” according to the roadmapreport.  Let’s go over the roadmap and its ...

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6 Emerging Threats to Heart Health


A nurse in blue scrubs holds a red heart in her hands, forming a heart shape around it, symbolizing care.

Heart disease is a persistent threat for many Americans, including Latinos.  As of 2022, heart disease is the leading cause of death of people living in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   Many behaviors contribute to an increased risk for heart-related diseases, from lifestyle choices such as smoking, excessive alcohol use, physical activity, poor diet, as well as many health conditions, such as stress, obesity, and diabetes.   And researchers are still learning more about these and other risks.   In fact, let’s explore six recent studies on the relationship between physical behaviors and the risk of heart disease that you should be aware of.  1. Viral Infections Can Increase Risk for Heart Disease Viral infections, such as ...

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10 Things to Know about Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, and Other Weight Loss Injectables


Ozempic Insulin injection pen or insulin cartridge pen for diabetics. Medical equipment for diabetes parients.

Overweight and obesity continue to be big problems in the US, impacting over 100 million Americans or nearly 40% of the US population as of 2023, according to the CDC.   The obesity epidemic is, in turn, driving up heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.  However, within the last decade, new weight loss injectables have become available to help mitigate obesity and its related risks.   These medications – such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound – have grown in popularity for their ability to cut down on potential health risks while helping people get back to a healthier weight.   But there’s still more providers and researchers are learning about these products and their health applications.   Let’s go over 10 things you should know about weight loss ...

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Research Links COVID-19 Vaccine to Cancer Survival


Happy senior woman, nurse or plaster for injection, vaccine or protection from virus germs. Elderly patient, smile or caregiver with bandage for inoculation, wellness or healthcare in retirement home

Cancer continues to be a leading cause of death for Latinos and all people in the US.  But thanks to modern medicine, which includes cancer screenings, prevention techniques, and treatments, the number of cancer survivors is on the rise.   Researchers are constantly working on new ways to mitigate and manage cancer and symptoms.   However, some of these can come from unlikely places.  For instance, researchers have found a link between the COVID-19 vaccine and the cancer immune system, according to a new publication in the journal Nature.   Let’s go over the findings and what they mean for cancer patients.  Research Findings on COVID-19 Vaccine and Cancer  The discovery was made when researchers were developing mRNA vaccines for brain tumor patients back in ...

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