Study: Latino LGBTQ Youth at High Risk for Suicide



Latino LGBTQ youth are 30% more likely to attempt suicide than non-Latino LGBTQ youth, according to a new study by the Trevor Project, a non-profit focused on suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth. Part of the reason is the stress-related stigma, discrimination, and difficulties expressing gender and sexual identity, which many LGBTQ people of color face. But, unfortunately, Latino LGBTQ youth also often deal with the stress of immigration, which can take a heavy toll on a person’s mental health. “The higher risk of attempting suicide among Latinx LGBTQ youth compared to non-Latinx LGBTQ youth can be explained by greater worries about themselves or family being detained or deported due to immigration policies,” according to the Trevor Project. LGBTQ and Mental Health Members ...

Read More

#SaludTues Tweetchat 10/6: Let’s Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Our Abuelos and Abuelas, Like Coco


coco theme tweetchat on alzheimer's for abuelos for hispanic heritage month

Just like in the movie Coco, our abuelos and abuelas are more susceptible to Alzheimer's Disease. Studies suggest that Latinos in the United States are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than white non-Latinos. This is because of genetics, lifestyle, socioeconomic risk, and other factors, even amid the coronavirus pandemic. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, to tweet about how we can prevent dementia and Alzheimer's in our abuelos and abuelas, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. WHAT: #SaludTues: Let’s Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Our Abuelos and Abuelas, Like Coco TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. EST (Noon-1 p.m. CST), Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS:@UsA2_Latinos ...

Read More

Why a Large Scale Alzheimer’s Study is Critical for Latinos


Large Scale Alzheimer Study Latinos

Among the countless disparities Latinos face, the way in which people's brains age might differ based on their race. That is what researchers at University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth will study after reciving increased funding for large-scale Alzheimer's biomarker study from the National Institute of Health (NIH). Mainly, they will be looking into health gaps in brains aging between Mexican Americans compared to their white peers. "To successfully battle and ultimately prevent or treat a complex disease such as Alzheimer's, we need to understand how this disease and other forms of dementia affect our nation's diverse communities differently," Dr. Eliezer Masliah, director of the NIA Division of Neuroscience, said in a press release. This award was made ...

Read More

#SaludTues Tweetchat 6/30: How Coronavirus Impacts People with Dementia


dementia alzheimers people walking tweetchat slaudtues

Many data suggests that older adults are the most vulnerable to the worst effects of the coronavirus outbreak. We still have a lot to understand about dementia and risk for COVID-19. Evidence seems to indicate dementia-related behaviors, increased age, and common health conditions may increase risk. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, to tweet about the latest research about dementia and coronavirus! WHAT: #SaludTues: How Coronavirus Impacts People with Dementia TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. EST (Noon-1 p.m. CST), Tuesday, June 30, 2020 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: @UsA2_Latinos, @AlzheimersLA, @Diversealz, @DiverseElders @WellmedCharitab @CaregiverSOS @PublicHealthMap @VocesenSalud ADDITIONAL HASHTAGS: #COVID19, ...

Read More

7 Reasons Not Everyone Can Just Hop on a Telehealth Video Call


Address Equity in the Telehealth Revolution

Delaying medical care can cause catastrophic health and financial problems. That’s why early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services temporarily expanded its telehealth coverage so physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists and licensed clinical social workers would be reimbursed for telehealth services. Other payers followed suit. Unfortunately, not everyone can just hop on a telehealth video call. Many Latinos and other vulnerable populations—older people, people experiencing domestic violence, and families with low income—face insurance, language, health literacy, digital literacy, and digital access barriers to telehealth services. Moreover, telehealth can be challenging for people with autism, intellectual and developmental ...

Read More

Telehealth for Latinos in the Age of Covid-19


Telehealth Latinos Age Covid-19

As shelter-in-place orders swept the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare providers’ implementation of telehealth expanded rapidly. In telehealth sessions, those seeking routine check-ups, mental health care, or other services can meet with their provider virtually using computers or other smart devices. This novel way of treating patients aims to look for ways to deliver care to patients in their homes to limit the transmission of the novel coronavirus. "The current public health emergency and the resulting accelerated growth potential in telehealth services is an opportunity for providers to enhance their care practices and for insurers and policymakers to recognize the value of telemedicine," a recent report from UCLA's Center for the Study of Latino health and ...

Read More

#SaludTues Tweetchat 6/23: Telehealth for Underserved Communities During COVID-19


#SaludTues Telehealth for underserved communities

To minimize exposure to and transmission of COVID-19, providers have rapidly transitioned to telehealth to care for patients at a distance. However, there is an absence of best practices and necessary infrastructure to expand telehealth services, particularly in underserved and Latino communities. Latinos are particularly vulnerable to this disruption in care for many reasons, such as: they have highest uninsured rates of any racial or ethnic group in the U.S.; they are less likely to have a usual source of health care; they face barriers related to differences in culture, language and beliefs; they are less likely to have broadband subscription than whites; and they face higher rates of COVID-19 due to their jobs in the service industry. Join #SaludTues on June ...

Read More

Mental Health, COVID-19, and Their Impacts on Latinos


Mental Health COVID-19 Impacts Latinos

The current novel coronavirus afflicts more than just the lungs. For Latinos and other people of color, COVID-19 has caused disproportionately higher rates of cases and death, job loss, and other inequitable impacts. These groups are also experiencing more mental health issues than in previous eras, according to Dr. Madeline Aviles-Hernandez, the Outpatient Services Director at the Gándara Center. “This crisis is making life much more difficult for [Latinos, African-Americans and other culturally diverse populations] we serve, including those in recovery and people who have yet to be treated for such problems as anxiety and depression,” Aviles-Hernandez said in a statement. “Minorities have been—and continue to be—less likely to receive mental health ...

Read More

Salud Talks Podcast Episode 29: “Stress and Cancer”


STE29 Stress and Cancer Webpic

Stress has become a part of most of our lives every day as the current novel coronavirus continues to spread throughout the U.S. and the world. Still, feelings of anxiety can lead to other health complications, according to Cathy Samayoa, an adjunct assistant professor at San Francisco State University's Health Equity Research Lab. Samayoa and Dr. Daniel C Hughes, with the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, join Salud Talks to discuss her research into the connections between stress and breast cancer development, and how it impacts some groups more than others. For those who are experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety during this crisis, please listen to our previous episodes coving these topics, "Mindfulness During an Epidemic," and ...

Read More