While the elderly are highly susceptible to becoming infected with the coronavirus, as well as its effects, young adults aren't off the hook, either. Those under the age of 44 make up a significant portion of coronavirus hospitalizations in the US, according to a new CDC report on July 10, 2020. Considering the high rate of infection among minority groups, young people of color are also facing significant threats. "I think everyone should be paying attention to this, and it's not just going to be the elderly," Stephen S. Morse, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health told New York Times. "There will be people age 20 and up. They do have to be careful, even if they think that they're young and healthy."
New Data Sheds Light
The CDC's ...
Researchers are finding that population density is not associated with higher death rates from COVID-19. Unfortunately, some people still blame compact housing and transit for pandemic spikes, and use that misinformation to promote sprawling residential development and disinvestment in transit in the name of health. These are the same poor practices that have segregated neighborhoods and contributed to drastic disparities in health and wealth for a century. As city leaders respond to concerns about COVID transmission and develop economic recovery plans, they must challenge the discriminatory status quo, consider transportation expenses, and shift toward equitable, compact (not overcrowded) housing development. “Restoring urban transit networks to full force, expanding their ...
In San Bernardino County (50% Latino), the Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 this week to make it California's first county to adopt a resolution to declare racism as a public health crisis, the L.A. Times reports. The resolution recognizes that racism "creates unfair disadvantages to some individuals and communities" and "results in disparities in family stability, health and mental wellness, education, employment, economic development, public safety, criminal justice and housing." In addition, the resolution commits to action, according to the report: Enhance diversity in the county workforce;
Study existing county policies and practices "through a lens of racial equality to promote and support efforts that prioritize health for people of color";
Plan collaborations ...
Every 10 years, the U.S. Government performs its duty of collecting a full count of the people residing in America. This decade’s survey is well underway. This initiative, mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, provides the necessary data to allocate critical funds, assess the greatest needs of that moment, and gather other information that impacts people’s daily lives. Here’s what all Latinos need to know. While the outbreak of the COVID-19 outbreak has impacted the U.S. Census Bureau’s work, the agency is pushing forward to garner as many completed surveys as possible. “As we resume operations delayed by the —, [we recognize] that our data collections are becoming increasingly complex and rely upon new technologies, innovations and reforms, it is ...
Since the founding of this country, Latinos, African-Americans, and all people of color have experienced harm at the hands of an unjust system. With the death of George Floyd at the hands of those meant to protect and serve, millions have taken to the streets to protest systemic racism across the U.S. Latinos, who are experiencing a rising burden of hate crimes, discrimination, and anti-immigrant sentiment, have joined in the Black Lives Matter cause to advocate for change — not just in African-American neighborhoods, but in all communities of color. “It’s not just black people being murdered by police. Hispanics are dying, too,” Fernando Garcia, executive director of the Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR), told El Paso news station WWLP 22. “It’s not only one bad ...
In a move that shows how social movements can address local health, Black Lives Matter advocates are helping push for a grocery store in a food desert in Oklahoma City (14.6% Black, 19.2% Latino). The advocates brought a demand for a store to city leaders. They met with Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, Homeland grocery store President and CEO Marc Jones, and economic developers to discuss plans for building the 30,000-square-foot store to a local food desert on the Northeast side of the city, according to Patrina Adger of KOCO News. The area's only grocery store closed down about a year ago. This left neighbors with little access to fresh fruits and vegetables. "Obviously it's just this huge unmet need [for healthy food options] for a number of years," Jones of Homeland told ...
Racism is a public health crisis. Decades of racism-infused social, economic, and political systems have led to inequitable communities. These areas face higher burdens of stress, disease, and premature death. Now, amid U.S. protests for racial/ethnic and social justice, city leaders are creating resolutions that declare racism a public health crisis and commit to action. Download the free Salud America! “Get Your City to Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis Action Pack.” The Action Pack will help you get input from local social justice groups and advocates of color, start a conversation with city leaders, and build local support for a resolution to declare racism a public health issue along with a commitment to take action to change policies and practices. GET THE ...
Unlike a pandemic or emergency, there is no epidemiological definition for public health crisis. Experts at the Boston University School of Public Health tried to solve this. They explored the distinction between immediate and important and how politics, perceived risk, and affected groups shape the concept of a crisis. For example, they juxtaposed the number of deaths caused by terrorism and by gun violence with action taken by the U.S. government. Between 2001 and 2013, 3,380 Americans were killed by terrorism and 406,496 Americans were killed by firearms on U.S. soil; yet the U.S. spent trillions on the War on Terror and failed to pass gun control legislation. They conclude that people often confuse the immediate and the important, and that the important often fails to receive ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! and the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, won a "silver award" for promoting health from the Spring 2020 Digital Health Awards! Digital Health Awards are given each spring and fall to recognize the world’s best digital health resources. The awards are given by the Health Information Resource Center. The Center is a national clearinghouse for professionals who work in consumer health fields. Here are the Salud America! award recipients: Silver, Spring 2020 Digital Health Awards, Web-Based Digital Health—Digital Content Curation, Salud America! Health Website, featuring the work of Dr. Ramirez and digital content curators Josh McCormack, Amanda Merck, and Pramod Sukumaran. Dr. Ramirez ...
