How Texas is Tackling Alzheimer’s Disease Care


Texas State Health Tackles Alzheimer Disease Care

Alzheimer’s disease is an illness that affects the lives of many, and it impacts some Americans more than others.  In fact, studies show that U.S. Latinos are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's than their White peers. That number is only going to get worse over time if dedicated action isn't taken.  The number of Latinos living with Alzheimer’s is projected to grow from 430,000 in 2014 to 3.2 million in 2060. That is more than an alarming seven-fold increase. Yet Latinos are underrepresented in clinical research across the board. Fortunately, Texas officials and researchers are working on this issue. How Big a Problem is Alzheimer's Disease in Texas and Among Latinos? The problem is huge in Texas, according to the experts. "In Texas in 2019 alone, 1650 ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 1/19: What Can We Do to Stop Cervical Cancer?



January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. Each year, more than 13,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the United States. This cancer is hurting communities of color, with Latinas being at a high risk of being diagnosed. But cervical cancer is preventable. Stopping cervical cancer for all communities means education about the causes, prevention, and treatment of HPV and cervical cancer. Join #SaludTues on Jan. 19, 2021, at 1:00 PM EST to tweet about what we can do to stop cervical cancer. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “What Can We Do to Stop Cervical Cancer?” DATE: Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2020 TIME: 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST (10:00-11:00 p.m. PST) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: Cervivor (@IamCervivor), ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 1/12: Improving Oral Health across the Latino Lifespan


oral health latino lifespan old man with child playing basketball gym latino alzheimer's disease dementia tweetchat brain healthAlzheimer’s Disease Research Cente Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center

Even in a pandemic, we still have a lot to smile about. We all care about our parents, sisters, brothers, niños, and our abuelos. We want to make sure they are the healthiest they can be, and that includes their oral health. So let’s use #SaludTues on Jan. 12, 2021, to tweet about how we can help people of all ages improve their oral health and be able to flash those healthy smiles for a lifetime! WHERE: Twitter WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat “Improving Oral Health across the Latino Lifespan” WHEN: 1-2 p.m. ET (12-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021 HOST: Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio (@SaludAmerica) CO-HOST: Campaign for Dental Health from the American Academy of Pediatrics (@ILikeMyTeeth), Hispanic Dental Association (@HDAssoc), Oral Health Forum ...

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Dr. Amelie Ramirez: Tackling Breast Cancer Issues



Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! and the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, discussed breast cancer in a livestream interview for the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium on Dec. 7, 2020. Watch the full interview (in Spanish). Ramirez has led breast cancer research among people of different backgrounds for over 20 years. She has studied patient navigation, genetic testing, clinical trials, quality of life, and survivorship issues. "Cancer prevention is a critical way to save people’s lives today," said Ramirez, who also hosts the biannual ASCL conference. "If we applied what we know works through prevention, we could reduce cancer by half." Dr. Ramirez & Her Health Promotion ...

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7 Holiday Actions to Speak Up for Health Equity!


health equity for population diversity and holiday action

Volunteering for Christmas and New Year’s helps other people and is proven to give the volunteer an emotional boost, too. So why not volunteer your “voice”? Speak up with these seven actions to promote health equity for Latino and all families this holiday season! 1. Share Messages to Slow the Spread of COVID-19 COVID-19 continues to disproportionately impact Latinos. As Latinos, we are resilient. But part of our resiliency requires action to slow the spread of COVID-19! That’s why Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio launched the “Juntos, We Can Stop COVID-19” digital communication campaign in English and Spanish to help Latino families and workers take action to slow the spread of coronavirus. The #JuntosStopCovid campaign features culturally relevant and ...

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57% of Latino Kids Have Cavities (and More Shocking Dental Health Disparities)


latina girl at dentist cavities oral healrh dental health care teeth

Did you know that 1 of 2 Latino kids have cavities in their teeth? More Latino children and young adults ages 2-19 have cavities (57%) than their Black (48%), Asian (45%), and White (40%) peers. Cavities are not the only dental health disparity facing Latino children, either. They experience high rates of untreated tooth decay, poor rates of dental health care coverage, and more. “While the gaps have narrowed for some indicators, they have widened for many others, and equity in oral health status remains elusive. We can and should do better,” Dr. Scott Tomar of the University of Florida College of Dentistry, who analyzed 2019 CDC data, told Pew Charitable Trusts. To get to the bottom of oral health among Latino children, we first have to understand the disparities, the ...

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Myra Camino: ‘I Never Let Breast Cancer Steal my Joy’


Myra Camino metastatic breast cancer survivor - featured

By Myra Camino Breast Cancer Survivor in San Antonio I am a 42 year-old mother of two beautiful little boys (6 and 9 years old). I am a wife and have been married for 11 years to the love of my life Richard. I have been a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters for over 15 years. I am currently mentoring my third little sister. Because of my work as a mentor I was chosen as the 2018 National Big Sister of the Year for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. In August of 2016, at the age of 37, I was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) breast cancer. After 16 rounds of chemo I was re-diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. The cancer had spread to my spine. I was fortunate enough to have the cyberknife radiation, which took care of the cancer in my ...

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Christina Duarte: Creating Virtual Health Classes to Fight the Pandemic in Laredo, Texas


Christina Duarte Creating Virtual Health Classes Fight Pandemic Laredo

Since childhood, Christina Duarte has wanted to help people. Helping people is why she became chief of health education and promotion for the Health Department of Laredo, Texas, a predominantly Latino city on the U.S.-Mexico border. When the coronavirus pandemic struck, Duarte immediately looked for ways to help her community, which struggled with disparities in COVID-19 case and death rates. So Duarte shifted the city’s in-person health classes to a virtual platform to help those at home during the height of the coronavirus quarantine. “Our participants continued to ask, ‘are you even going to have classes again? My mental health is at stake,’” she said. “Then the numbers increased. We started working on mental health preparedness here at the health department. ...

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