It’s that time of year again! Summer is ending and children are returning to school. Just as you prepare your child for the upcoming school year with school supplies, consider preparing them for a healthier life free from Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers with an HPV vaccine. Now is the perfect time to schedule your child’s annual wellness visit to receive the vaccine – before life gets hectic again.
What is HPV?
HPV is short for human papillomavirus. There are many types of HPVs, some of which can be sexually transmitted and cause cancer later in life, according to the American Cancer Society. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the US. HPV is so common that almost every sexually active person will get HPV at some point in their lives if ...
Does your town have a farmers market? Farmers markets are a path to healthy food access. They are especially important amid the push for nutrition security and racial/ethnic justice. Fortunately, the Farmers Market Coalition is stepping up to support farmers markets. They’re supporting markers, creating an anti-racist toolkit, and sharing how markets increase equitable access to healthy, fresh produce and social connections, and engage farmers in the local economy. "As hubs for connection and community resilience, farmers markets have particularly risen to the occasion this year by providing a necessary sense of unity and stability during a time of great uncertainty," according to the coalition. "Farmers markets don’t just happen. The hard work of farmers market operators ...
Alcoholism in the U.S. has increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “A one-year increase in alcohol consumption in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to cause 8,000 additional deaths from alcohol-related liver disease, 18,700 cases of liver failure, and 1,000 cases of liver cancer by 2040,” according to a press release from the Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition, deaths caused by alcohol are up, too. After increasing 2.2% a year over the previous two decades, deaths involving alcohol jumped 25.5% between 2019 to 2020, totaling 99,107 deaths,” according to a 2022 study. “Deaths involving alcohol reflect hidden tolls of the pandemic. Increased drinking to cope with pandemic-related stressors, shifting alcohol policies, and disrupted ...
Since COVID-19 swept the nation in 2020, it seems that adversity is everywhere. And now – in the summer of 2022 – inflation has reached a record high (9.1%) since November 1981, increasing the cost of gas, groceries, utilities, rent, and other necessities. Could the COVID-19 pandemic be to blame? And how does the rising cost of living impact Latinos? Here’s what you need to know. Update: On August 16, 2022, President Joe Biden announced he will sign the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which will help fight inflation by lowering energy and healthcare costs, and by bringing down the federal deficit – the government's outstanding debt. More information on how this policy will affect healthcare can be found through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and ...
Infection control saves lives, and every frontline healthcare worker plays a critical role. To better support healthcare workers to prevent infections in health care, it is essential to equip them with the infection control knowledge they need and deserve to protect themselves and their patients from infectious disease threats, like COVID-19. This is why CDC launched Project Firstline, an infection control training and education collaborative designed with healthcare workers, for healthcare workers. Project Firstline intends to provide equity of understanding for all: nurses, certified nursing assistants, environmental service technicians, doctors, allied health professionals, and administrative/intake staff. The innovative content is designed so that regardless of previous ...
Have you ever wanted to help improve Latino health? Now is your chance! The National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program is recruiting at least one million diverse people to share information about their health history and environment. Information collected for the database helps researchers learn how biology, lifestyle, and our environment affects our health. As part of the effort, participants donate a biospecimen in the form of a blood or saliva sample. Biospecimens can help researchers find new ways to prevent, diagnose, or treat diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or cancer, among Latinos and other groups. “We may study your samples to measure things that naturally occur within our bodies, for example, cholesterol,” according to the All of Us ...
¿Alguna vez ha querido ayudar a mejorar la salud de los latinos? ¡Ahora es su oportunidad! El Programa Científico All of Us de los National Institutes of Health está reclutando por lo menos a un millón de personas de diversas nacionalidades, para compartir información sobre su historia de salud y de su medio ambiente. La información recogida para la base de datos ayuda a los investigadores a aprender cómo la genética, el estilo de vida y nuestro medio ambiente afectan nuestra salud. Como parte del esfuerzo, los participantes donan muestras biológicas en la forma de una muestra de sangre o de saliva. Las muestras biológicas pueden ayudar a los investigadores a encontrar nuevas formas de prevenir, diagnosticar o tratar enfermedades, como el Alzheimer o el cáncer, ...
Caregivers are a lifeline for people living with dementia. But who is the lifeline for caregivers? The Caring for the Caregivers program at UT Health San Antonio serves as a resource and support for patient caregivers and families through evidence-based education and research. “We envision a community where family caregivers are valued, respected, and supported with compassion. We are committed to values of social justice, collaboration, and family-centeredness in research and practice,” according to the Caring for Caregivers webpage. Learn about the programs, events, and tools that can help your family!
Latino Caregivers by the Number
Latinos are greatly impacted by dementia. About 13% of Latinos who are 65 or older have Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, ...
Nurses are lifelines for mothers-to-be, helping recognize complications early during labor and delivery. Maternal health for women could improve even further with a nurse workforce that reflects the local community and the US population, according to a new study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Researchers found that Latinas who gave birth in states with the highest proportion of nurses with similar backgrounds experienced a 31% reduced risk of severe adverse maternal health outcomes, including eclampsia, blood transfusion, hysterectomy, or intensive care unit admission. Why might this be? Researchers believe that if the nurse workforce more closely resembled the makeup of patients, there could be a reduction in provider issues or subconscious preferences for ...
