A new study of cancer survival among Hispanics found important variations by Hispanic subgroup. The study, published in the journal Cancer Causes Control, indicates that, for cancers of moderate outcome, the adjusted risk of death was higher among all Hispanic populations in comparison with non-Hispanic Whites: 6% higher for Cubans, 11% for Puerto Ricans, and 13% for U.S.-born Mexicans. Foreign-born Mexicans, even with incomplete follow-up, had a 24% higher risk of death. No evidence of a Hispanic advantage was found in cancer survival. The researchers, who studied all 1.2 million cancer cases diagnosed during 1995-2003 in Florida and Texas, suggest improvements are needed in mortality follow-up procedures for Latinos, especially for those without a valid social security number. "By ...
Rates of arthritis vary among different Hispanic groups, but its overall effects appear to be substantial across groups, according to an analysis of national CDC survey data, MedPage Today reports. According to the report:
Subgroups of Hispanic patients reported different rates of doctor-diagnosed arthritis, with 11.7% of Cubans and Cuban-Americans saying they had some form of arthritis, compared with 21.8% of Puerto Ricans -- similar to rates of 22.6% among non-Hispanic whites and 21.4% among non-Hispanic blacks, reported Louise Murphy, PhD, of the CDC, and colleagues.
At the same time, more than 20% of all Hispanic subgroups with some form of arthritis also reported suffering one or more of its effects -- activity and work limitations and severe joint pain -- Murphy and her ...
The percentage of white adolescents who received any major depression treatment was higher (40%) than blacks (32%), Hispanics (31%), and Asians (19%), according to a new study. Black, Hispanic, and Asian adolescents were also significantly less likely than whites to receive treatment for major depression from mental health professionals or medical providers, and to have any mental health outpatient visits (all after adjusting for demographics and health status). The adjustment for socioeconomic status and health insurance status accounted for only a small portion of the estimated differences in major depression treatment measurements and outpatient utilization across racial/ethnic groups. Other factors, such as stigma and limited proficiency in English, possibly contributed to ...
For clinicians providing health care for vulnerable populations, such as low-income patients, ethnic minorities or immigrants who speak little English, educating about the risks of diabetes can be daunting, but it is especially critical among Hispanics, the Clinical Advisor reports. Health care practitioners may need to navigate language barriers, cultural differences and health-literacy challenges to effectively educate patients, according to the news report. Diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S. Hispanics face many grim diabetes disparities, according to the report: 10.5% percent of Hispanics ages 20 or older have diabetes
8.2% percent of Cubans
11.9% percent of Mexican Americans
12.6% percent of Puerto Ricans Other data show that Hispanics ...
Rates of liver cancer in U.S.-born Hispanic men in California have increased by 87%, according to scientists at the Cancer Prevention Institute of California (CPIC), who looked at a recent 16-year span of statewide cancer registry data, Hispanically Speaking News reports. These men are at a significantly higher risk of liver cancer than California Hispanic men born outside of the U.S. Liver cancer risk is also higher among both Hispanic males and females in more ethnically isolated and lower income areas of the state. The results of this study, which is the first to examine liver cancer rates by neighborhood acculturation level and socioeconomic status, were recently published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. “California Health Interview Survey data show ...
Heart Disease is the No. 1 killer of Hispanic women, taking the life of one woman a minute. However, despite this heightened risk, most are still unaware of the threat to themselves and their families. The treatment of diseases like high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, and high cholesterol is guided by a set of general recommendations that the American Heart Association has been publishing since 1999 as a critical “weapon” in the fight against heart disease. Recently, these official guidelines were updated to include new research information, especially with regard to heart health in women. The updated guidelines also emphasize the importance of recognizing racial and ethnic diversity and its impact on cardiovascular disease. "These recommendations underscore the ...
Black and Hispanic women newly diagnosed with breast cancer often face delays in care of more than a month, a large study has found, according to a news report. The study, which appears in the February issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, found that 62.4% of African-American women and 59.3% of Hispanic women received a diagnosis of stage II or stage III breast cancer compared with 48.9 percent of white women. Delays in treatment were apparent in the new study, as African-American and Hispanic women had higher risks of 30-, 60- and 90-day delays compared to white women. The risk of a 60-day treatment delay was 76% higher among black patients with private insurance than that of white patients with comparable insurance. Hispanics with private insurance had ...
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center's free Web-based teen smoking-cessation and prevention program, ASPIRE, now speaks Spanish. ASPIRE (A Smoking Prevention Interactive Experience) aims to prevent middle-school and high-school teens from smoking or help them quit before it becomes a lifelong addiction. The site integrates interactive media, customized messages, graphics, animations and streaming videos. "We've found that participating students are more aware about the dangers of smoking, are making more informed decisions about smoking and are less tempted to start in the first place," said developer Dr. Alexander V. Prokhorov, a professor at MD Anderson. "Removing the language barrier will help tremendously in reaching and educating Hispanic teens, especially those ...
Congrats to Dr. Deborah Parra-Medina! The researcher at our Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR), the team behind SaludToday, is one of two researchers at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio to get a grant in the new round of prevention research awards from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Dr. Parra-Medina will receive $297,173 for a peer education and outreach program encouraging use of the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer among Latina mothers and daughters living in Texas-Mexico border communities. The program will train “promotoras,” or community health workers, who will be assisted by female college students to educate Latina mothers and daughters about cervical cancer risk factors and the HPV vaccine, which prevents cervical ...
