All of Us in the Alamo City Matter: Where You Live Impacts Your Health


All of Us in the Alamo City Matter_Webinar Invite

We know you care about the health of people in San Antonio. So, register now for our webinar, “All of Us in Alamo City Matter: Where You Live Impacts Your Health,” at 10-11 a.m. CT, Wednesday, March 20, 2024! We will explore the state of social determinants of health (SDOH) in San Antonio and how we can leverage the All of Us Research Program to promote health equity in health research. Some studies suggest that SDOH plays a role in about 30% to 55% of our health outcomes. This means that nearly half of our health issues are a result of our environment and life circumstances. Hear more from our expert panelists, including representatives from South Texas Blood & Tissue, Mexican American Unity Council, and Salud America! at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at ...

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Survey: Half of Health Care Workers Say Patient Discrimination is a Major Problem



Half of all health care workers believe racism against patients is a major problem or crisis, according to a new study by The Commonwealth Fund and the African American Research Collaborative (AARC). In the comprehensive study, Revealing Disparities: Health Care Workers' Observations of Discrimination in Their Field, researchers surveyed 3,000 health care workers from different ethnic backgrounds, ages, facilities, and areas of care about their thoughts and experiences with patient discrimination. “Discrimination based on race or ethnicity presents a serious barrier to obtaining high-quality, equitable health care. Because health care workers bear witness to the treatment of patients in the course of their jobs, they can provide a fuller understanding of how and where discrimination ...

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Stormee Williams: Helping Screen Families for Social Needs in Dallas



At her annual wellness visit, Dr. Stormee Williams filled out a digital questionnaire that asked about her need for help with housing, transportation, food access, and other non-medical needs. Williams was taking an “SDoH Screener.” An SDoH screener is a questionnaire to help healthcare workers identify a patient’s issues with the social determinants of health (SDoH), the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of social, economic, and political systems that shape life. If a screener finds a patient in need, healthcare workers can then connect the patient to community support and resources. Helping patients address these non-medical needs can help them achieve better health. Williams, fortunately, didn’t have non-medical ...

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After COVID: Many Latinos Still Stuck in Inflexible Jobs



When COVID-19 hit, it hurt many Latinos who worked in industries and jobs with few benefits and no flexibilities to respond to childcare disruptions.   Unfortunately, after the pandemic, that situation remains.  The industry and occupational distribution of Latino parents with low incomes remains largely unchanged from pre- to post-pandemic for mothers and fathers, according to a recent study from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families.  “We provide the first national portrait of the industries and occupations that employ Latino parents with low incomes in the aftermath of the pandemic, and highlight employment shifts that occurred during the pandemic,” according to the study.   Let’s dive into the study finding and how it impacts Latino ...

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Study: Latinos Suffered Big Losses in Health Coverage, Care Amid COVID-19



Racial/ethnic disparities in health insurance coverage and healthcare access worsened during the pandemic, according to a new study in the journal Geospatial Health.  The study found Latinos and African Americans were the most affected populations.     “Our results suggest that loss of insurance coverage and reduced access to health services deepened inequities in an already uneven healthcare landscape, particularly for African American and Hispanic/Latino populations,” according to the study researchers.  Let’s dive into what the data found and what this means for Latinos.   How Did COVID-19 Impact Healthcare for Latinos?  Study researchers – from CDC, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public ...

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Millions of Latinos at Risk for Losing Medicaid, CHIP Coverage in 2024 



The time is now to secure medical insurance through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  After three years of automatic renewal because of the COVID-19 pandemic, states went back to screening for eligibility in early 2023.  As a result, an estimated 15 million people, including 4.6 million Latinos, could lose their medical coverage through these programs over the next few months, depending on what state you live in.   To address this, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a new online resource to help people navigate the renewal and/or healthcare transition processes.   “Nobody who is eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program should be disenrolled simply because they didn’t have enough ...

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Take Action to Lower Your Risk for Cervical Cancer



Today is a great time to protect yourself and others cervical cancer.    For Latinos, cancer is the leading cause of death. Latinos also are more likely than their peers to develop cancer in the liver, stomach, and cervix.  The good news is you can lower your cervical cancer risk!   In celebration of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in January, let’s dive deeper into how we protect against cervical cancer.   Cervical Cancer Risk Factors and Symptoms   Almost all cervical cancers are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that can be passed from one person to another during sex, according to the CDC.   There are different types of HPV. Some cause changes on your cervix that can lead to cervical cancer.   Other risk factors include having HIV (the ...

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How You Can Promote Healthy Vision for Glaucoma Awareness Month



Glaucoma is defined as a group of eye diseases that can cause vision loss and blindness by damaging a nerve in the back of your eye, called the optic nerve.  At first, glaucoma doesn’t usually have any symptoms.   “Over time, you may slowly lose vision, usually starting with your side (peripheral) vision — especially the part of your vision that’s closest to your nose. Because it happens so slowly, many people can’t tell that their vision is changing at first,” according to the National Eye Institute (NEI).   With the month of January recognized as Glaucoma Awareness Month, let’s explore helpful glaucoma-related resources that can help people protect their vision!    Types of Glaucoma   There are several types of glaucoma, with some being caused by ...

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Comment Now: Help Close the Digital Divide in Texas!



Having fast, affordable internet can improve lives with access to education, healthcare, and jobs, among other important opportunities.  But nearly 7 million Texans are being left behind, without high-speed internet.   With this in mind, the Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO) is encouraging public comments on the proposed Texas Digital Opportunity Plan.   The digital opportunity plan focuses on “closing the digital divide in Texas and ensuring every Texan has the skills and abilities to fully and safely utilize broadband access.”   Submit a comment on the draft plan to address broadband access, affordability, and adoption in Texas by Friday, Jan. 5, 2024.   Comment NOW! Why Is the Digital Divide an Issue?  About 2.8 million Texas households are in the ...

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