Vaccinating pre-teens against human papillomavirus (HPV) is easier with new CDC guidelines, which recommends two HPV shots for younger adolescents instead of three. The three-injection series is still recommended for older teens. Today the Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) of UT Health San Antonio is uniting with each of the other 68 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers in issuing a joint statement to support these recommendations with the hope of improving the national vaccination rate. January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. "We must amplify and unify our efforts to increase awareness of the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical and other cancers, and to motivate pediatricians to encourage parents to get their children vaccinated,” ...
Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) came into law, millions of Americans have obtained coverage. Millions also no longer face denials or higher costs because of their medical histories. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found that, between 2010 and 2014, the share of uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions fell by 22%. “Today, thanks to Affordable Care Act protections, the uninsured rate is at its lowest level in history and millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions like asthma or cancer no longer have to worry about being denied coverage because of their medical history,” said HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell in a statement. “This is clear and measurable progress, and we shouldn’t turn the clock back to a time when people were denied ...
As of December 31, 2016, 8.8 million Americans had signed up for coverage through HealthCare.gov since open enrollment began on November 1, 2016. This is up from the 8.6 million during Open Enrollment in 2015. Latinos have benefitted more than just about any other racial or ethnic group since the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Over 4.2 million Latinos (ages 18-64) have gained health insurance coverage, lowering the uninsured rate among Latinos by 7.7%. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, and get involved. “With 8.8 million Americans signed up for coverage through HealthCare.gov, more than last year at this time, it is clear that Americans want ...
Did you know, 1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence? Maurice Gomez of Los Angeles knows this personally. In 1996, Gomez received news that his girlfriend had been raped and killed by a stranger. The tragedy eventually led him to dedicate his life teaching women to protect themselves. Gomez, an L.A. Police Department tactical self-defense instructor, has offered free self-defense classes for women since 2010, according to a fantastic profile of Gomez by Monica Luhar of NBC News. "It was a real point in my journey where I knew this was something that I wanted to do for the rest of my life," Gomez told Luhar. Most women who participate in Gomez's classes are Latina. Luhar's profile of Gomez indicates that there has been a national surge in enrollment in ...
In November 2015, the Unicode Consortium approved 51 new emoji's, and breastfeeding is one, according to Forbes. Based on requests and popular demand, the Unicode Consortium decides which emojis will be available for mobile devices, laptops, desktops and wearables. Interventions or policies aimed at improving breastfeeding rates among Latina mothers may be critical to promoting physical and mental health; however, Latina moms often face social, political, environmental, and cultural barriers to reach their own breastfeeding goals. In order to build a culture of health it is critical to support breastfeeding and empower women to live healthier lives. The emoji should be available in 2017. Spread the ...
Barriers to health have long existed for Latinos due to numerous factors, including economic concerns, and a lack of access. Often times, Latinos have not been able to get the treatments that they need for many serious medical conditions, especially mental or behavioral issues. A new policy from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) looks to help ease this burden. CMS has adopted a new policy on “Collaborative Care,” adding behavioral health care management and consultations with a mental health specialist to primary care. It will now be easier for all patients to get all of the treatment that they need. Collaborative Care, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, has been found to improve quality of care, patient satisfaction, and both physical and ...
Being a first-time parent can often be a stressful experience. The uncertainty about what is or is not a medical concern often causes parents stress and greatly impacts their finances. A new study has found that a home visit program for new parents helped reduce their use of medical services for their infants, and this in turn helped out parents in other ways. The study, based in New Mexico (47.03% Latino population), included 244 first-time parents who were randomly assigned to either a control group that didn’t get any additional help or a group enrolled in a program where healthcare workers and parent educators made home visits during the first year of their child’s life. Typically, an infant is expected to have seven well-child visits during the first year, according to ...
More mothers are joining the workforce than ever before, especially Latinas. In 2015, 42% of all U.S. moms were the “breadwinner” (earning at least half of their family’s income) for their households, and 22% were co-breadwinners, according to a report by the Center for American Progress. The report found that, regardless of the family composition, the vast majority of adults with “custodial children” are part of the labor force. "With the majority of women working for pay, and their earnings being so vital to the economic well-being of their families, the days of full-time, stay-at-home mothers are long past," according to the report. "Women are crucial economic actors for their families, local communities, and the overall U.S. economy." The rates of breadwinning ...
The latest phase of Open Enrollment for the Healthcare Marketplace will wrap up on Jan. 31, 2017. As of last December, over 4 million people had selected plans using HealthCare.gov since Open Enrollment began November 1. This includes over 1.1 million new consumers and 2.9 million renewing their coverage. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, and get involved. Latinos have been one of the groups who have benefited the most from the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Health Insurance Marketplace. Over 4 million have obtained health care coverage and have reduced their rate of uninsured individuals to historic lows. “Millions of Americans have ...
