As the US Latino population continues to grow, so does the number of Latinas. Today, the Latina population has grown at a faster rate than Latino men, with 24% of Latinas making up the total population (compared to a 22% growth for Latino men). With this increase also comes more Latinas in higher education. Latinas have experienced a 52% rise in college degree attainment at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) from 2015 to 2020, according to a new report from Excelencia in Education. In 2020, Latinas earned over 300,000 degrees at HSIs (growth of 52%) compared to 188,000 degrees earned by Latino men at HSIs (growth of 44%). Let’s dive into the growth and numbers of Latinas in higher education.
Latina College Enrollment & HSIs
As of Fall 2020, almost half (48%) of ...
Dr. Amelie Ramirez, leader of Salud America! and a health researcher at UT Health San Antonio, is among 15 new inductees to the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame. Since 1984, the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame has annually inducted women from Bexar and surrounding counties who have shaped the future of San Antonio and paved the way for women in Texas business, service, education, and more. Ramirez is recognized in the "health" category, where she will join 32 other women from public health, health promotion, medicine, nursing, and more. Ramirez and the other new inductees were inducted at an event in San Antonio on March 4, 2023. "I am humbled to join the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame. I wholeheartedly support its mission to help local women pursue a college ...
As we begin a new year, it’s important to take a step back and appreciate our achievements. But it’s also critical to recognize our shortcomings – especially in public health, which affects everyone. Here’s your reminder why racism is still a public health crisis in 2024, and how you can help support the health of all people.
What is Racism?
Racism is the discrimination or prejudice of others based on their race or ethnic group. Racism has existed for thousands of years globally and is deeply rooted in our nation’s history. Populations of color, such as Blacks and Latinos, often experience racism. Racism against others can happen directly, such as denying someone a job because of their race, or indirectly, such as through structural policies that perpetuate ...
This is part of the "Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos: 2022 Conference Proceedings," which summarizes findings and discussions of the 2022 Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos Conference on Feb. 23-25, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas.
Addressing Differences to Advance Health Improvement for Latinos
Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith is an internal medicine physician, the Associate Dean for Health [Improvement] Research at Yale School of Medicine, and the Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement at the Cancer Center. Dr. Nunez-Smith served as chair of the Presidential COVID-19 Health [Improvement] Task Force, and is one of the nation's foremost experts on differences in healthcare access. Health Differences Affecting Neglected Communities Dr. Nunez-Smith spoke ...
The total economic output, or gross domestic product (GDP), for Latinos in the United States totaled to $2.8 trillion in 2020, up from $1.7 trillion in 2010. If the population of Latinos in the United States were its own country, it would be the fifth-largest GDP in the world. That is larger than the GDPs of France, India, and the United Kingdom, according to the Latino Donor Collaborative’s 2022 Latino GDP report. The Latino GDP report serves as a “factual view of the large and rapidly growing economic contribution of Latinos living in the United States.” Let’s dive deeper into the factors that contribute to the U.S. Latino GDP!
Growth of the Latino GDP
Today, Latinos account for 18.9% of the total U.S. population. As the Latino population has continued to grow ...
Latinos face a number of health disparities and inequities in many aspects including housing, transportation, and overall health. While it’s important to focus on the many barriers that Latinos face, it’s also beneficial to highlight the assets of this diverse population. Latinos have many individual and family strengths they can draw on to be resilience in the face of hardship and guard against the negative effects of adversity on their well-being, according to a new analysis from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. Let’s explore strengths of Latino children, parents, and families!
What Are Latino Children’s Strengths?
The new analysis, which reviewed 35 studies from 2000 to 2022, identified strong social skills as one of the key ...
Latinos and other people of color face heavy burdens of cancer, diabetes, and more. These disparities are driven by systemic racism and discrimination that make it harder for people of color than their White peers to get equitable healthcare, education, and more. That is why Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio is a part of the Collaborative for Anti-Racism and Equity (CARE), a group that provides tools and resources to help people make connections and inform solutions to advance health and racial equity. As part of this group, we are excited to share a new case study from the Greensboro Health Disparities Collaborative (GHDC). The GHDC – a group of community leaders, advocates, public health researchers, and healthcare professionals – resolved racial disparities in ...
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 "voice" or "actions"? We at Salud America! invite you to take or start these 11 actions to promote health equity for Latino and all families this holiday season!
1. Start a School Food Pantry!
About 1 in 6 children are food insecure. They don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Your school can help these kids! Try the Salud America! “School Food Pantry Action Pack.” This is a free guide to help school personnel talk to decision-makers, work through logistics, and start a School Food Pantry to help hungry students and reduce local food insecurity. A School Food Pantry accepts, stores, and redistributes ...
Latina workers are playing a growing role in the U.S. economy, but continue to face barriers to economic security, according to a report from the Joint Economic Committee (JEC). “Hispanic women represent a critical and growing segment of the U.S. labor market and economy. The increasing labor market participation of Latinas is helping support the ongoing economic recovery and the resilience of the American workforce,” according to the study. Let’s explore the increasing labor market participation of Latinas and what it means for the future.
How Many Latinas Are in the Labor Market?
Latinos overall represent 18.9% of the U.S. population. Latinas account for 16% of the female labor force, the second-largest racial/ethnic group of women workers, according to the U.S. ...