Mental Health Treatment Offers New Path for Latino Immigrants


wife comforting latino immigrant husband stress depression

Latinos are more likely than their peers to have mental health issues, which usually go unaddressed and untreated, according to a Salud America! research review. And with today’s anti-immigrant climate, the mental health of Latinos continues to suffer. Fear of deportation, mainly those in immigrant communities, is one of the main reasons mental health goes untreated. But there’s good news! Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital's Disparities Research Unit have tested a novel preventive intervention designed to provide tailored treatment for Latino immigrants with both mental health and substance misuse symptoms, according to a press release. This research is a collaboration between teams in Spain, U.S. and Puerto Rico. "We know that Latino patients benefit when ...

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Study: Latino Health Suffers Due to Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric


young latina stress depression

Latinos make up nearly 18% of the U.S. population and are the largest ethnic minority. Even 1 in 4 U.S. kids is Latino, mostly U.S.-born citizens. Yet with the current political climate of inflammatory rhetoric, parental separation, and tear-gassing of migrants along the border, many Latinos feel the burden of an anti-immigrant climate, according to a research report. “Current discourse about immigrants and immigration tends to be dehumanizing,” Dr. R. Gabriela Barajas-Gonzalez, assistant professor of Population Health at NYU’s School of Medicine and lead author of the study, told HuffPost. “Dehumanization is never healthy.” The Alarming Study Findings This appalling rhetoric is harmful for Latinos, regardless of their immigration status, according to the new ...

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Nicole Serrant Ayes: Improving Access to Cancer Care Services


Ayes Nicole Exito 2018 participant

Nicole Serrant Ayes is always up for a challenge. In fact, she’s already proven this by taking the challenging trek up Machu Picchu. Serrant Ayes also spent two years as a biologist and a research assistant at a Veteran’s Affairs Hospital collaborating in different cancer projects. With two grandfathers who survived prostate cancer, she is now determined to help others at risk, by improving access to services. She is currently finishing up her master’s degree of public health in epidemiology at the University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus. To further her experience and education, Serrant Ayes applied for the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. The Éxito! program, led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez at UT Health San Antonio with support from ...

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Childhood Trauma Increases Risk of Teen Obesity



Teens with more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are more likely to have overweight, obesity, and severe obesity than those with no ACEs, according to a new Minnesota study. Youth with one ACE─psychological abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, familial substance abuse, domestic violence, or parental incarceration─were 1.38 times as likely to have obesity than youth with no ACEs. Those with all six ACEs were 2.03 times as likely to have obesity. Additionally, Latino youth were 1.38 times as likely to be overweight as white non-Latinos. “Our results imply that child health professionals should understand the relationship between ACEs and weight status in adolescence, and that screening for ACEs and referring youth and their families to appropriate services might be an ...

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San Antonio’s Daring New Policies for Affordable Housing


Big Ways Cities Can Solve the Affordable Housing Crisis.

Affordable housing is hard to find after home prices surged 25% in the past five years in San Antonio (64% Latino), the San Antonio Express-News reports. About 165,000 people in San Antonio are "overburdened" with housing expenses. They spend more than 30% of their income on rent, mortgage payments, and other costs associated with housing, such as electricity, according to The Rivard Report. This is a threat to a city expected to grow by a million people in the next 20 years. “Just like water, energy and transportation policy, we have to make investments in housing in order to spur inclusive development that delivers prosperity for our entire community," San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. How is the city tackling housing? San Antonio OKs Policy Framework, Funding for ...

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Jill Folkman: Life After Breast Cancer


Jill Folkman

By Jill Folkman San Antonio Cancer Survivor I was diagnosed with Stage One ER+/PR+ Her2 Negative DCIS in September of 2016. I was devastated, scared and had no idea what I was in for. I thought my life was going to be short lived and was talking to God the whole time to give me strength. My oncologist at the time recommended a bilateral mastectomy and because of the placement of the tumor I had to have the left nipple removed. I opted for a skin sparing, with both nipples removed, bilateral mastectomy with expanders so that I could get reconstruction after chemo. Good news was, the pathology showed my lymph nodes came back clear. Once I was healed from the surgery I had 4 rounds of chemo and no radiation. I lost all of my hair and all the fun stuff that goes along with chemo. ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 1/15: Impact of Policy on Immigrant Health


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Anti-immigrant policies impact the health of immigrant families and national health on many levels. When racial profiling and fear of deportation is high immigrant families are less likely to seek health care services, despite being eligible in many cases. Studies also show that such fears may have long term health consequences, which could result from poor food purchasing practices, a lack of physical activity, stress and poor mental health. Let's tweet with #SaludTues on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019, to learn more as we discuss the impact that anti-immigrant policies have on immigrant health. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: The American ...

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How to Shape Your Gut Microbiome for Better Health


Gut microbiome probiotics

By Celina Parás, MSc, RDN, LD Guest Blogger, Nutrition Education Specialist, CHEF Program, The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio By now, you’ve probably heard about probiotics and prebiotics. You can find them as supplements and they’re even added to foods at the super market, but did you know you can also find them naturally in many foods? Probiotics and Their Role in Health and Food Sources In your gut, whether you're Latino or not, you house thousands of bacteria, called the microbiome. While most play an important role in health, others may be harmful by disrupting our gut balance. Probiotics are "friendly" bacteria that promote digestive health and offer other potential benefits by helping balance our gut-flora. Research has shown that including probiotics ...

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Survey: Childhood Adversity May Worsen Health Inequities


green spaces

U.S. Latino and multiracial children face higher exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) than non-Latinos, according to a new national survey. Overall, nearly 62% of survey respondents had at least one ACE, according to a CDC analysis of data from the latest Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an annual phone survey on the health of a nationally representative sample of 400,000 Americans. About 24% reported experiencing one ACE, 13% two ACEs, 9% three ACEs, and 16% four or more ACEs. Mean ACE scores were higher among: Latinos compared with whites; females compared with males; those with less than a high school education than those completing high school or more; those who make less than $15,000 a year compared with those in all other income ...

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