California is leading the nation in addressing toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as neglect, divorce and exposure to violence, which can harm long-term health. Guided by evidence and a public health approach, California developed a series of legal and conceptual frameworks to support statewide screening for ACEs, coordinate within and outside state government, and assess best practices in trauma-informed care across the state. This progress ramped up when Gov. Gavin Newsom created the Office of the California Surgeon General in 2019 and appointed Dr. Nadine Burke Harris to the position. In December 2020, Burke Harris released her Roadmap for Resilience: The California Surgeon General’s Report on Adverse Childhood Experiences, Toxic Stress, and ...
Latino parents are concerned about education for their children, their economic security, and racial justice when emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new data from a report conducted by Latino Decisions and Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors. Parents also want government leaders to address these issues, the survey says. “The future of our country is inextricably linked to the wellbeing of Latino families. If we don’t act now, America will face a deeper economic depression, workforce instability, and soaring school drop-out rates,” according to the policy report. The report highlights the areas of concern and recommends policies that can address these issues.
About the Survey to Gauge Latino Parents’ Concerns amid COVID-19
Before COVID-19, many Latino families ...
Data continue to show that systemic inequities, from discrimination to unstable housing to a lack of healthcare access, lead to worse health outcomes for Latinos. How can we promote system and policy change to address inequities? Our Salud America! #SaludTues Tweetchats, a weekly hour-long discussion series on Twitter about Latino health equity issues, are an emerging way to engage people in learning and advocacy for change, according to our new study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR). "The study proves that planned, culturally relevant tweetchats like #SaludTues can be a powerful tool for public health practitioners and advocates to engage audiences on Twitter around health issues, advocacy, and policy solutions for Latino health equity," said Dr. Amelie G. ...
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has announced a new initiative to address structural racism – the UNITE Initiative. “With representation from across the NIH Institutes and Centers, UNITE aims to establish an equitable and civil culture within the biomedical research enterprise and reduce barriers to racial equity in the biomedical research workforce,” according to the NIH website. NIH hopes that this initiative will help address racism and discrimination that has impacted healthcare throughout history. “Historical racism has led to the marginalization and oppression of Indigenous peoples, African Americans, Latinos, and other communities of color. … Structural racism has resulted in persistent health disparities, poor health status, and premature mortality as ...
Social risk contributes significantly to poor health. These social risks—also known as social determinants of health—include food insecurity, housing instability, transportation insecurity, financial strain, and more. But without the right terminology about social risk, doctors and other healthcare workers may struggle to identify, support, and report patient’s social needs, which can harm health and hinder research. This is particularly problematic for Latinos and others who are overburdened by social risks. This why the Gravity Project, a coalition of experts on social risk, is recommending code changes and updates to CDC National Center for Health Statistics’ International Classification of Diseases-Clinical Modification, Tenth Revision (ICD-10-CM), which provides a ...
Exposure to racial and ethnic discrimination on social media is correlated with higher levels of anxiety and depression for young Latino men, according to a new study by researchers at Florida International University. “Surprisingly, there is a lot of research about cyberbullying and social media but there really wasn't a thorough study that looked at how exposure to ethnic discrimination on social media impacts mental health,” said Miguel Ángel Cano, lead author and principal investigator of the study at FIU’s Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, according to a press release. This study has severe implications for Latinos, who tend to suffer from mental health issues and have less access to mental health services. It also indicates how ethnic ...
Trouble concentrating in class. Not completing homework. Behavioral difficulties. Absenteeism. These outcomes are linked to exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs, such as abuse or parental substance abuse, can trigger the biological toxic stress response and hinder school learning, behavior, attendance, and academics. That’s why, in December 2020, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris released her Roadmap for Resilience: The California Surgeon General’s Report on Adverse Childhood Experiences, Toxic Stress, and Health. Salud America! is exploring the report as part of its 11-part series on toxic stress. Below are primary prevention, early detection, and early intervention strategies for education personnel to address ACEs and toxic stress among Latino and ...
Kathryn Karam isn’t afraid to speak out against racism and discrimination. She thinks that everyone should address their implicit biases and that being a person of color doesn’t prevent you from having bias. That’s why Karam wrote a column for her college newspaper, The Collegian, last fall after the Black Lives Matter and George Floyd Protests to raise awareness about how people of color can have their own biases against Black people. Karam comes from a family of Middle Eastern immigrants, growing up in a culture where topics like politics were taboo. Now she’s a sophomore at the University of Massachusetts Amherst studying journalism and public relations, where she hopes to continue the conversation.
Raised by Immigrants
Karam grew up in the suburbs of Boston, in ...
Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as poverty or abuse, is a known risk factor involvement in the justice system. And, involvement in the justice system may be an indicator of toxic stress. Thus, the justice system plays an important role in preventing the effects of ACEs and toxic stress. That’s why, in December 2020, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris released her Roadmap for Resilience: The California Surgeon General’s Report on Adverse Childhood Experiences, Toxic Stress, and Health. Salud America! is exploring the report as part of its 11-part series on toxic stress. “Factors that underlie connections between victimization or trauma and later criminal justice involvement provide a window into areas for primary and secondary intervention ...
