Did you know 12.1% of men are in fair or poor health? Similarly, the average life expectancy of men in the United States is almost 5 years less than women (76.2 compared to 81). November is National Men’s Health Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of men’s physical and mental health while encouraging support for men facing prostate, testicular, and other cancers. In November (and beyond), here are some ways you can support men’s health!
Latino Men’s Health
Latino men face many health disparities when it comes to physical and mental health. For example, while national suicide rates decreased, the rates went up 6% for Latino men, according to a 2022 article from Texas Public Radio. Machismo and other forms of stigma can play a large part ...
November is National Family Caregivers Month (NFCM)! NFCM is an opportunity to recognize family caregivers across the country and “raise awareness of caregiving issues, educate communities, and increase support for caregivers,” according to the Administration for Community Living. This year, Mental Health America has shared new resources for both caregivers and employers. “We know caregivers need support in balancing their personal and professional obligations, and employers need resources to better support their caregivers on staff,” according to Mental Health America. Let’s dive deeper into these educational tools and find out how they can benefit Latino caregivers.
Latinos and Caregiving
41.8 million Americans provided unpaid care to an adult ...
Spending on health is rising in America. Yet, ironically, health outcomes are getting worse. In fact, people here experience the worst health outcomes overall of any high-income nation. U.S. residents are more likely to die younger, and from avoidable causes, than residents of peer countries, according to a 2023 report from The Commonwealth Fund. Let’s compare health outcomes with peer countries to provide an important baseline for where we are in health outcomes and set a target for where we could be.
The U.S. and 5 Important Domains of Healthcare Systems
A 2021 study by The Commonwealth Fund compared five performance domains of health care systems across 11 high-income countries. Researchers found the U.S. ranks last on four of five domains: access to care (last)
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The National Eye Institute has provided educational tools and resources in both English and Spanish that focus on vision rehabilitation. Let’s explore these resources and how they can be beneficial for Latinos.
What is Vision Rehabilitation?
Millions of people in the United States are living with visual impairments like blindness, glaucoma, cataracts, and other vision problems. “A visual impairment can make it hard to do everyday activities like driving or reading,” according to the National Eye Institue. “A visual impairment can’t be fixed with glasses, contacts, or other standard treatments like medicine or surgery.” Vision rehabilitation can help make the most of the vision you have and improve quality of life. There are lots of different ...
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 Latino 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, culture, 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 diverse, Hispanic Heritage Month offers a valuable opportunity to foster cross-cultural understanding and appreciation, break down stereotypes, and promote ...
As more healthcare systems consider implementing a social determinants of health (SDoH) 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 social needs. While there is no evidence-based gold standard for how often screening should be conducted, lived experiences from clinics that have successfully implemented a SDoH 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 ...
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 disabilities 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 with ...
