Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, an internationally recognized expert in health disparities research, has received the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Distinguished Lecture on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities award. The award, sponsored by Susan G. Komen, honors an investigator with a far-reaching impact on the etiology, detection, diagnosis, treatment or prevention of cancer health disparities. Ramirez is the leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. Ramirez has more than 30 years of experience developing robust health communication models, research interventions, community outreach, public and scientific speaking engagements, and training of young minds. Her studies and programs have contributed to reduced cancer and disease among Latinos, including ...
About $10 million worth of free flu shots are coming to Walgreens thanks to a collaboration between the drug store and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The effort, now in its seventh year, offers free flu shot vouchers to improve flu immunization rates among uninsured Americans. Latinos have the highest uninsured rates. Eligible individuals can call 866-994-6757 to find the nearest location where flu shot vouchers may be available. “Since 2010, this partnership has helped us make substantial strides in addressing disparities in flu vaccination coverage by providing free flu shots for more than 1.4 million people,” said Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, deputy assistant secretary for minority health and director of the HHS Office of Minority Health. “As the flu ...
In the rural areas of the western United States, a growing population is becoming more and more vulnerable due to an increasing lack of quality healthcare. The elderly, disabled, and uninsured (Latinos represent the largest uninsured population in the U.S.) in these areas are facing a growing crisis. These individuals are farther from healthcare and are often more vulnerable during emergencies, such as heart attacks, severe lacerations, or strokes, reported High Country News.
// Delta County in western Colorado (14.45% Latino population) is an example cited of an area with serious problems. Since 2010, the number of residents aged 65 or older has jumped 19%; however the patient-to-doctor ratio is more than 1,300 to one. In extreme examples, some Western counties have had their ...
Latinos and other minorities suffer many inequities, such as less income, education, access to healthcare, and more. This puts them at greater risk for obesity and disease. That's why we're excited the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is spending $1.5 million to create Allies for Reaching Community Health Equity (ARCHE). ARCHE is a yearlong health equity initiative to strengthen families and communities and build a culture of health, led by the Center for Global Policy Solutions. The program will advance equitable public health strategies across the social determinants of health that work to combat disparities by race, gender, geography, and income while supporting healthier kids and communities. "Health is often overlooked as a key indicator of socioeconomic inequality," ...
Many people know vaccines can help keep infants and children healthy during the early childhood years. But vaccines are just as important for when children grow into adolescence, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As children grow, protection from some childhood vaccinations begins to wear off. Other vaccinations also work better when they’re given during adolescence. Latinos and other racial/ethnic minorities face barriers to immunizations that range from a lack of knowledge about their importance, to cultural and language differences to limited access to these preventative services, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend four important vaccines that ...
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in collaboration with Walgreens, one of the nation's largest drugstore chains, will help provide more than $10 million worth of free flu shot vouchers this flu season to improve flu immunization rates among uninsured Americans. “Since 2010, this partnership has helped us make substantial strides in addressing disparities in flu vaccination coverage by providing free flu shots for more than 1.4 million people,” said Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, deputy assistant secretary for minority health and director of the HHS Office of Minority Health. “As the flu season approaches, our continued collaboration will help protect hundreds of thousands of people from influenza, which can make chronic health problems worse or lead to ...
A Spanish-only webinar will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 2:00-3:00pm ET that will discuss helping Latinos understand how to get the most from their healthcare coverage. Hosted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health, the webinar is entitled “From Coverage to Care (C2C)” this free webinar will be an opportunity to learn more about the C2C campaign. 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 made large gains in reducing their uninsured population thanks to the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Participants will be able to provide input and feedback, discuss how to help ...
Poverty rates remained much higher among Latino and Black children compared to White children, despite a decline in the overall U.S. poverty rates, according to new Census data. The overall poverty rate decreased to 13.5% for last year, a drop of 1.2 percentage points and the biggest decline since 1999, UPI reports. Poverty rates also dropped for Whites, Blacks and Latinos, and children and seniors. In all, 3.5 million people have risen out of poverty. "Today's report from the Census Bureau shows the remarkable progress that American families have made as the recovery continues to strengthen," according to a joint statement from the White House and other agencies. But communities of color are still disproportionately affected by poverty, especially children. The latest ...
Latinos age more slowly at the molecular level than other ethnic groups, according to a new study, the L.A. Times and Raycom News Network report. Researchers studied the DNA from blood of 6,000 people from two African groups, African Americans, Caucasians, East Asians, Latinos and Tsimane, an indigenous people in Bolivia. The DNA from blood reveals the health of a person’s immune system. The blood of Latinos and the Tsimane aged more slowly than the blood of other groups. Why? Latinos' slower aging may result from their Native American ancestry, the study's main author, Steve Horvath of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, told the L.A. Times. The process cannot be explained by Latinos' diet, education, obesity or socioeconomic status, factors for which the ...
