A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. Many know the acronym FAST that helps identify a stroke – F (face drooping), A (arm weakness), S (speech), and T (time to call 911) – and can spur quick action to save lives. What can those who speak Spanish use? What does strokes in the Spanish-speaking community look like?
Using RÁPIDO to Identify a Stroke
While the FAST acronym can be helpful in spotting a stroke, it doesn't translate well in Spanish. In fact, just 58% of Latino adults in the U.S. can recognize stroke signs, compared to 64% of Black adults and 71% of white adults, according to a CDC ...
Did you know that 1 in 10 Latino have been diagnosed diabetes? In fact, the rate of diabetes is higher among Latinos (11.8%) than Whites (7.4%) and Asians (9.5%), according to CDC data. This is problematic because the disease takes a harsh physical toll, from vision loss to amputation and death, and a big healthcare toll, costing $237 billion in direct medical costs and $90 billion in lost productivity. For Latinos who have diabetes, having health insurance is critical to managing the disease. Let’s explore the state of diabetes among Latinos and what to consider when choosing a Medicare plan to help manage the disease.
Latinos and Diabetes Risk
If you’re a Latino adult, your lifetime chance of developing diabetes is over 50%, and you’re likely to ...
By Dr. Fátima Coronado
CDC, Salud America! Guest Blogger Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) is a time to recognize and honor the Hispanic and Latino community’s achievements and contributions to the nation’s history. It’s an occasion to highlight the positive influence of Hispanics and Latinos throughout the country’s history. This year we take the opportunity to recognize that our country is stronger, healthier, and safer when we recognize our shared humanity and value every individual and community: Todos Somos, Somos Uno: We Are All, We Are One. As the US population becomes more varied, Hispanic Heritage Month offers a valuable opportunity to foster understanding and appreciation, break down incorrect recognitions, and promote the need for more Latinos in ...
As more healthcare systems consider implementing a non-medical drivers of health (NMDoH) screening program to care for patients’ non-medical needs, we at Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio are sharing important tips in developing such a program. Today, we’re highlighting how often patients should be screened for NMDoH. While there is no evidence-based gold standard for how often screening should be conducted, lived experiences from clinics that have successfully implemented a NMDoH screening program can help healthcare facilities make critical decisions in designing their own screening program. Let’s explore the lived experiences of several of these clinics today!
Considerations in Determining Screening Frequency
Initially, it may seem most effective to screen ...
Medicare can be a complex topic for anyone. Getting health insurance coverage through Medicare has many moving parts, from knowing where to start, to searching through plans, to choosing the right plan for you. Let's dive into Medicare and a few helpful tips to consider when choosing your plan.
What is Medicare?
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, regardless of income, medical history, or health status. The program also covers certain younger people with physical and mental challenges and people with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD; permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant). “Medicare plays a key role in providing health and financial security to 60 million older people and younger people ...
The drive to Guadalupe Clinic from rural Coffeyville, Kansas, was just over two hours, but it felt like a lifetime for the Pascual family. As their older vehicle putted along the back roads, the Pascuals anxiously awaited much-needed medical care. With no health insurance and limited income, getting basic healthcare was a constant struggle. Finally, the family’s car turned onto St. Francis Street in downtown Wichita, Kansas. Their destination was nestled between two scrap metal yards and surrounded by railroads and small housing lots. Pulling into the parking lot, the Pascuals breathed a sigh of relief. They had safely reached the Guadalupe Clinic and were welcomed with open arms – no questions asked. For families like the Pascuals, Guadalupe Clinic in Wichita, ...
Latinos face inequities in non-medical drivers of health (NMDoH), from housing to healthcare, making it harder to achieve health fairness. Watch the UT Health San Antonio webinar — “How to Address Non-Medical Drivers of Health in Our Clinics and Systems” — which was held at 11 a.m. CST on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, to explore how healthcare settings can care for patients' medical and NMDoH needs. Panelists from UT Health San Antonio, Nemours Children's Health, HOPE Clinic in Houston, the American Cancer Society, and Genentech unpacked NMDoH screening, a strategy that clinics, hospitals, and healthcare systems can use to check patients for social needs and connect them to needed resources. This is a part of a webinar of a series, “Let’s Improve Health in South Texas ...
As a child in Puerto Rico, Alberto Martin dreamed of playing professional soccer. He knew that becoming a soccer pro meant lots of hard work, practice, and willpower to get better even when you’re tired and want to give up. Today, Martin is using those lessons to become a different kind of pro – a doctor. Martin is a second-year medical student at the Universidad Central del Caribe in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, and an intern at UT Health San Antonio’s Institute for Health Promotion Research. He is motivated to share his story to demonstrate how following your dream – on the soccer field or the doctor’s office – can be reality. “Stories and information you get, they just become such a powerful source of drive or inspiration. Because you want to see you, ...
Times are financially tough for many families, especially low-income Latinos. To save money, many people are cutting costs on non-essentials, like eating out, entertainment, and more. But some people are cutting costs on items that are normally considered essential, like prescription medications, according to a recent US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) report. Let’s explore what adults are most likely to skip taking medications to save money, the consequences of this behavior, and how leaders are working to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
Groups Most Affected by Drug Costs
Unfortunately, groups most likely to skip medication to save money are those who are already vulnerable to health differences, according to the CDC report. These groups include ...
