This content is from the "Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos: 2024 Conference Proceedings."
Adapting NCI’s Clinical Trials System to a Changed Clinical Research Environment
Dr. James H. Doroshow is Deputy Director for Clinical and Translational Research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This plenary session occurred at 8:30 am., Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, at the 4th biennial Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference. COVID’s impact on cancer clinical trials Dr. Doroshow’s presentation began by discussing the initial and continuing effects of the pandemic environment on cancer clinical trials. From the start of the pandemic, several aspects of clinical trials were altered, including informed consent and in-person study activities. One major ...
More than 2 million people in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with cancer this year. No two among them will experience cancer exactly the same way. Even so, certain groups of people will share similar cancer experiences. Latinos face higher rates of cervical, liver, and stomach cancers. Black women with ovarian cancer don’t live as long as White women with the disease. People living in rural areas are less likely to get regular cancer screenings than those who live in cities. And people who live in areas where poverty has been the norm for decades are more likely to die of cancer than those living in more affluent areas. These patterns of worse outcomes among specific groups of people are called cancer differences. Although biological differences can contribute to ...
Good health is important for everyone. With this in mind, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking public comments on its 2026-2030 NIMHD Strategic Plan “to identify the most pressing concerns” for health in the next five years. You can endorse a model comment by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, to emphasize priorities in the plan. Endorse the comment by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. January 2025 Update: 136 people endorsed a model comment by Dr. Amelie Ramirez to emphasize priorities in the 2026-2030 NIMHD Strategic Plan. endorse the comment!
Endorse a Comment on the NIMHD Strategic Plan
Go here to endorse this comment: As the leader of Salud America!, an organization that promotes health improvement for all ...
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 (NMDoH) 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. ...
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 ...
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 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 chips, ...
Latinos currently make up 19.5% of the US population. Yet only 7% of physicians are Latino, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). What’s more, only 2% of the 7% are Latina, according to the publication Latina Women in the U.S. Physician Workforce. Having Latinos in medicine is vital to achieve better health outcomes for all patients, including Latinos. This glaring difference can increase instances of mistreatment or negative perceptions, delay preventative care, influence what kind of treatment someone receives, and cause a stronger mistrust of the healthcare system – all of which can disastrously impact Latino health. During Hispanic Heritage Month we are honoring Latino physicians on National Latino Physician Day, Oct. 1, to ...
When you look up at the movie screen, what do you see? Do you see someone who looks like you? Do you see someone you can relate to? Do you hear someone who speaks like you do? Everyone deserves to be the hero of the story, but for decades Latinos and Latino stories have been often left out by Hollywood. However, some stories have come along to break the mold and rewrite what it means to be a Latino in the film industry. Pioneers have given Latino movie creators and artists pathways to come up with stories that celebrate and honor the strength of Latino culture. These stories offer a deeper insight into the Latino experience and the challenges many must overcome to reach their dreams. From animated box office hits that uplift to biopics that inspire, here are ...
Whether with paint on canvas or a friendly chat in person, San Antonio artist Mary Louise Lopez always spread love and showcased the beauty of the human spirit. Mary Louise was a gifted artist in drawing, painting, sculpting, and batiking. The subjects of many of her paintings are native communities of Texas, Mexico, Central America, and South America, where she often travelled and befriended many locals. Mary Louise, who passed away in November of 2022of pancreatic cancer, portrayed the pride and strength of native Latinos with great affection and care, said Irene Peche, a close family-friend. “She sought to capture their dignity and the work ethic by which they lived. There is an honesty in the depictions of her subjects that captures reality, beauty, and hardship without ...
