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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

Share Your Cancer Story in Our San Antonio Cancer Survivorship Study!


Avanzando Caminos KSAT

Cancer continues to be a top cause of death of all people, only second to heart disease.  This makes the need for cancer interventions is vital in places like San Antonio, Texas (64.4% Latino; US Census).  That’s one of the reasons that UT Health San Antonio is one of two study sites for the Avanzando Caminos Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship Research Study — a one-of-a-kind study that aims to unpack the behavioral, mental, biological, and medical influences on post-cancer life.  Since 2021, the study team has diligently been collecting the stories of hundreds of cancer survivors in the South Texas area in hopes of identifying ways to help improve cancer outcomes.  But there’s still more work to be done.   The Avanzando Caminos study is looking to enroll 1,500 ...

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Benefits of Physical Activity During Pregnancy


Pregnant women attending a fitness class

From what you put into your body to what you do with it, just about anything can impact your health when you’re pregnant.   It can also impact the health of the unborn child.  That’s why it’s important to take the steps necessary to ensure the health and safety of both the expectant mother and baby.  The best way to start is to ensure you get the recommended amount of physical activity each week. The truth is that Moving Matters!  Let’s review the physical activity guidelines for pregnant and postpartum women and learn about the benefits of movement before and after pregnancy.   Physical Activity Recommendations  Like anyone at any stage of life, physical activity is vital to maintaining good health leading to a better quality of life.   For pregnant ...

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5 Key Takeaways from the 2024 Maternal and Infant Mortality Report


Smiling millennial mother holding her newborn son close to her chest, head and shoulders, close up

Despite advances in modern medicine, the US continues to have one of the worst infant and maternal mortality rates in the developed world.   In 2021, there were 32.9 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   Fast forward to 2022 and the maternal mortality rate is down to 22.3 deaths for every 100,000 live births, according to a new March of Dimes report.  The new rate marks a significant departure from the time of the pandemic when maternal mortality rates were at an all-time high.   However, not everything is back to pre-pandemic levels.  Here are the five key takeaways from the 2024 March of Dimes Report Card and what they mean for the health of mothers across the country.   1. ...

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3 Important Studies on How Cancer Affects All People


Mature scientist leading a lab research

Cancer continues to be tied with heart disease as the top cause of death for all people, including Latinos. People of different backgrounds suffer higher rates of certain cancer types, are diagnosed at later stages, and are more likely to die from the disease. This is often due to issue with non-medical drivers of health in communities. That’s why researchers choose to keep studying the intersection between background and health issues so that science and medicine can improve cancer outcomes for these individuals and everyone.   Here are three cancer studies that focus on cancer and background.   1. Trends in Incidence of Testicular Cancer Testicular cancer remains the second -most common cancer in men aged 15-39 worldwide, according to a study published in the National ...

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3 Surprising Diabetes Studies and Their Substantial Impact


diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the country, impacting 38 million adults in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   The long-lasting condition also contributes to heart disease and cancer.   That is why it’s important to address the non-medical drivers of health – such as access to transportation, healthy foods, and green spaces for safe play and exercise – which can influence risk for diabetes, especially for those genetically predisposed to it.   Let’s dive into some new studies that explore diabetes and its impact on all people.   1. Issues with Diabetes for Those in Tough Financial Situations Poverty can be a huge factor in the development of diabetes, especially in early childhood with those who ...

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Over 4,000 Speak Up to Reduce Nicotine Levels in Cigarettes


Smoking and society smoker death and smoke health danger concept as a cigarette burning with people falling in hot burning ash as a metaphor causing lung cancer risks with 3D illustration elements.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing a new rule that, if finalized, would make cigarettes and certain other combusted tobacco products minimally or nonaddictive by limiting the level of nicotine in those products.  Smoking cigarettes, which contain nicotine, an addictive chemical, is estimated to kill nearly half a million people in the U.S. each year.  The proposed rule aims to make cigarettes less addictive, prevent young people from starting smoking, and promote quitting smoking among all groups.  The FDA wants your comment on the proposed rule.  You can submit a model comment created by Salud America! urging the FDA to make cigarettes and other tobacco products less addictive.   This comment period closed Sept. 15, 2025.   November 2025 ...

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Dr. Amelie Ramirez Addresses Childhood Obesity in Telemundo Special


Dr. Ramirez on Telemundo

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, was invited to discuss childhood obesity in Latinos by Noticias Telemundo and the Telemundo network.   Ramirez’s appearance was part of a one-hour special described as a critical path for creating a society in which all children can thrive, according to Telemundo.  The segment focuses on a variety of issues, such as education, healthcare, and nutrition, in children from different backgrounds.   Topics included in the special ranged from children's access to affordable and nutritious foods to the mental health of high school students.   The program streamed live on the Noticias Telemundo Ahora streaming channel and Noticias Telemundo’s social and digital platforms: NoticiasTelemundo.com, the ...

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San Antonio: Apply for Community Engagement Small Project Grant Funding


Head shot smiling young businesswoman reading paper with banking loan approval notification.

The Institute for Integration of Medicine & Science (IIMS) at UT Health San Antonio and the UTSA College for Health, Community, and Policy (HCaP) wants to fund a new batch of one-year Community Engagement Small Project Grants.  The grants aim to help promote, develop, and expand community and scholarly research partnerships that benefit science and clinicians, according to the 2025 funding announcement.  Last year’s grants enabled five teams of researchers to translate scientific findings to benefit public health in San Antonio.  These projects covered topics such as HIV/AIDS, faith’s impact on criminal rehabilitation, artistic influence on young brain development, and more.  Now your team could be the next ones to improve community health by applying for a ...

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