Bobby Marines: Using Art to Spark Difficult Conversations Within the Latino Community



Art can convey a story or a message. So what if you could use art to spark a conversation about issues in your community? That’s the question that Bobby Marines asked himself when realizing he could use his talent to lead important conversations in the Latino community. To find the answer, Marines launched Voces y Visiones, a web series that features Marines’ art to lead a conversation about hot topic issues within the Latino community, with the help of the Southeast Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC) and Alliance of Chicanos, Hispanics and Latin Americans (ACHLA). “The overall goal is to use arts as catalysts for social and community discourse,” Marines said. From Eighth Grade Dropout to Successful Visual Artist It took hitting rock bottom for Marines to find his ...

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New Bilingual Materials Boost Awareness of Latino Mental Health


Latino mental health sad Latina with face mask covid

Latinos are the least likely group to get help with mental health treatment, according to a recent survey. This is due to stigma against mental illness, systemic distrust in mental health services, or lack of access to and knowledge of treatment, all of which is worsened amid COVID-19. This is why the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) offers free brochures and fact sheets on mental health disorders and related topics for patients and their families, health professionals, and the general public — in English and Spanish. "NIMH offers basic information on mental disorders and related topics in Spanish for patients and their families, health professionals, and the public," according to NIMH information. "Printed materials can be ordered free of charge and are available ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 3/30: Let’s Protect Mental Health and Stop Cyberbullying


Salud Tues Cyberbullying Mental Health

Nearly one in five American adults lives with a mental illness. Even more are undiagnosed or unable to get treatment. Social media can have a negative impact on mental health, especially when cyberbullying or online discrimination is involved. Studies show exposure to racial and ethnic discrimination on social media is correlated with higher levels of anxiety and depression for people of color, particularly among young Latino men. Join #SaludTues on March 30, 2021, at 1:00 PM EST to tweet about how we can protect mental health and stop online discrimination. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Let’s Protect Mental Health and Stop Social Media Discrimination” DATE: Tuesday, March 30, 2020 TIME: 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST (10:00-11:00 p.m. PST) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag ...

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Why Do Latinos Have Untreated Mental Health Issues?


Mental Health Latinos

Latinos and other people of color often have untreated and unaddressed mental illnesses. This is due to a variety of reasons, such as a stigma against mental illness, distrust in mental health services, or lack of access to treatment. As we discover more barriers to mental health treatment, we can become aware of how to bring equity and greater access to culturally competent mental health treatment. How Latinos Compare to Other Groups with Mental Health Treatment Latinos and other people of color are less likely to seek treatment for mental illnesses compared to white people. “Among U.S. adults with mental disorders, racial/ethnic minorities are only half as likely as Whites to get treatment; they are also more likely to drop out before completing their treatment,” ...

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New Study: Social Media Discrimination Leads to Depression, Anxiety for Latinos


social media discrimination

Exposure to racial and ethnic discrimination on social media is correlated with higher levels of anxiety and depression for young Latino men, according to a new study by researchers at Florida International University. “Surprisingly, there is a lot of research about cyberbullying and social media but there really wasn't a thorough study that looked at how exposure to ethnic discrimination on social media impacts mental health,” said Miguel Ángel Cano, lead author and principal investigator of the study at FIU’s Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, according to a press release. This study has severe implications for Latinos, who tend to suffer from mental health issues and have less access to mental health services. It also indicates how ethnic ...

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Drug Overdose Deaths During COVID-19: A Historical Spike Among Latinos?


COVID-19 Mental Health Latinos Impacts

More Americans have died from a drug overdose in the last 12 months than at any other point in history. New research has found a historical 21% spike in drug overdose deaths amid COVID-19. This data comes during a pandemic that has disproportionately affected Latinos — moreover, it's worsening already harsh historical inequities this group faces. One of those disparities is a higher rate of drug use among people of color. “Unfortunately, opioid-related deaths have reversed the trend we saw in 2018 and 2019, and COVID-19 is largely responsible,” Steven J. Martin, the dean and a professor at Ohio Northern University Rudolph H. Raabe College of Pharmacy, told General Surgery News. “All health care professionals should provide basic screening for persons suffering from drug ...

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Cheryl Aguilar: Providing Mental Health Support to Families with Immigration Trauma



Immigration is difficult and often traumatic. People who immigrate to the U.S. often face a dangerous journey only to be met with aggression and xenophobia at the border. It can lead to loss of hope, anxiety, depression, and even suicide. Cheryl Aguilar wants to help families experiencing the trauma of immigration and adjusting to new life in the U.S. Aguilar immigrated from Honduras as a teenager, an experience that helped guide her to give back to immigrant communities. Aguilar is a clinical social worker and founding director and therapist at the Hope Center for Wellness. “As a therapist, one of the things that I do is help individuals, families, and communities heal from whatever distress, trauma, or experiences they might have encountered. I believe in holistic healing, ...

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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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Latino Participation Vital in Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials


Latino Alzheimer Clinical Trials

Across the board, Latinos are underrepresented in clinical research. Without adequate Latino and minority representation in clinical trials, researchers cannot find differential effects among groups nor advance public health and medicine. To address this, researchers across the country, like those at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio, are creating educational interventions to recruit certain racial/ethnic groups in diseases like Alzheimer's that are on the rise among minorities. "Studies should represent the demographics of the country," Dr. Jonca Bull, an assistant commissioner on minority health at the Food and Drug Administration, said in a recent statement. "We need to close that gap so we can better ...

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