To truly improve patient and community health, we must address the non-medical drivers of health, such as access to housing, transportation, and food that can make it harder for people to stay healthy. That’s where screening for the non-medical drivers of health comes in. Screening for the non-medical drivers of health is a questionnaire given to patients in a healthcare setting to help providers identify their needs. These include issues like financial hardship, housing, and food. Patients can then be referred to helpful community resources. You can use the new Salud America! Action Pack, “How to Start Screening for the Non-Medical Drivers of Health,” to launch screening in your clinic, hospital, or healthcare system! The action pack, created by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, joined other Latino cancer experts to discuss Latino representation in clinical trials, research, and healthcare on a podcast episode for the Cancer History Project by The Cancer Letter. The episode features: Dr. Ramirez
Dr. Luis Carvajal-Carmona, University of California, Davis
Dr. Edith Perez, Mayo Clinic
Dr. Marcia Cruz-Correa, University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dr. Yolanda Sanchez, University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dr. Ruben Mesa, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (moderator) The group explores cancer in Latinos, health equity, and how to support Latino cancer care clinicians, researchers, and patients. “The pipeline ...
Two million Texans lost their Medicaid health insurance coverage in part due to state errors after federal funding to Texas ended after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent article from ProPublica and The Texas Tribune. Many who feel “wrongly removed” are struggling to regain their coverage. “Texas’ zealousness in removing people from Medicaid was a choice that contradicted federal guidelines from the start,” according to the article. “That decision was devastating in Texas, which already insures a smaller percentage of its population through Medicaid than almost any other state and is one of 10 that never expanded eligibility after the passage of the Affordable Care Act.” If you’re struggling with a Medicaid application in Texas, you can share your story ...
Cancer can be many things. Some describe cancer as a journey, a struggle, or a fight. For Brittney Millard, a breast cancer diagnosis was a life-changing event that gave her the passion to advocate for other cancer survivors. “It's really what's in your heart. You can advocate for people you know in your daily life, just spreading awareness and taking initiative,” Millard said. Millard, 32, an intern at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, still faced many hardships with her cancer experience. But now she aims to help others avoid pitfalls she went through. Let’s learn more about her inspiring story and her goals for advocating for others.
A Major Life Change
A native of San Antonio, Millard described her childhood as ...
Veteran's Day is on Nov. 11, 2024. We at Salud America! are excited to honor all U.S. military personnel, including the Latinos, who have served our country.
Latinos in the Military: History
Latinos have a “proud and indeed enviable” record of military service that dates back to the Civil War, according to a U.S. Army historical website. About 20,000 Latino serviceman and women participated in Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990-1991, 80,000 in the Vietnam War in 1959-1973, and more than 400,000 in World War II in 1939-1945. Latinos have received more than 40 Medals of Honor, according to the Department of Defense. “Whether their heritage can be traced to Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, or one of dozens of other Spanish-speaking countries or cultures, they’ve ...
Stomach cancer is a fairly uncommon type of cancer.
Yet, every year, 26,000 new cases of stomach cancer are diagnosed in the US, causing the deaths of 11,000 people (42.3%), according to Debbie’s Dream Foundation, a national organization for stomach cancer awareness and fundraising.
For National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month in November, Debbie’s Dream is hosting a Zumbathon fundraiser in San Antonio among other events nationally. Zumbathon Fundraiser
Get ready to sweat for a good cause! The new San Antonio Spurs basketball training facility is about to be decked out in periwinkle for a very special Zumbathon fundraiser.
The fundraiser is set for The Rock at La Cantera, located at 1 Spurs Way in San Antonio, on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CT. Check in for the ...
Climate change threatens communities by worsening air quality and increasing chronic disease risk and intensifying deadly storms, droughts, and heat waves. Certain communities – low-income neighborhoods and people of color – often suffer most because they suffer from health inequities, are more exposed to climate risks, and have a lower ability to prepare, adapt, and recover from their effects. How vulnerable is your community to climate change? The new U.S. Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI), a mapping tool, uses environmental, social, economic, and infrastructure data to help you understand your community’s ability to respond and adapt to climate change. “Better understanding of the intersection of vulnerability and climate change risks is key to effectively building ...
Volunteering for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s helps other people. It gives the volunteer a nice emotional boost, too. So why not volunteer your “digital voice” or “actions”? We at Salud America! invite you to take or start these 14 actions to promote health equity for Latino and all families this holiday season!
1. Help Prevent Birth Defects: Add a Warning Label on Unfortified Corn Masa Flour
Are the corn masa products you eat fortified with folic acid? Because too many babies in the Latino community suffer from birth defects like spina bifida, UnidosUS and its partners submitted a citizen petition asking the FDA to require a warning label on unfortified corn masa flour and products. The warning would alert consumers when corn masa flour, tortilla ...
Breast cancer survivors were less likely to meet physical activity guidelines than women without cancer, according to a recent study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. In addition, certain survivors, including Latinas, also had low rates of physical activity. “Low physical activity participation among breast cancer survivors may be related to various clinical, demographic, and socioeconomic characteristics,” according to the study. Let’s dive into this research and what it means for Latina breast cancer survivors.
Physical Activity and Survivorship
Setting fitness goals with physical activity is an important part of breast cancer survivorship. “Research shows that getting to and staying at a healthy weight, eating right, and being physically active ...