Tweet with Us 11/4/14: How to Solve the Latino Doctor/Nurse Shortage



Latinos comprise 17% of the U.S. population—but only about 5% of doctors and 5% of nurses. This shortage of Latino doctors and nurses makes it harder to build strong doctor-patient relationships, deliver preventive care, and focus on Latino-specific health conditions or cultural barriers. Let’s focus on what we can do to solve the problem by using #SaludTues to tweet about innovative programs, campaigns and other resources to increase the number of Latino health professionals: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Solving the Latino Doctor/Nurse Shortage” DATE: Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014 TIME: Noon CT (1:00 PM ET) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludToday CO-HOSTS: @NHMAmd and @LatinoDoc (Dr. George Flores of the California Endowment) We’ll open the ...

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Studies: Obesity Increases Breast Cancer Risk in Latina, Black Women



Two new studies provide compelling evidence that obesity increases the risk of the most common type of postmenopausal breast cancer among both black and Hispanic women, EMaxHealth reports. The studies, which are being unveiled at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) annual conference Oct. 29-31, 2014, in Washington, show that associations between body weight and breast cancer risk seen among white women also hold true for black and Hispanic women. In the first study, researchers at Cancer Prevention Institute of California found that "healthy-weight Hispanic women who gain pounds through adulthood have increased risk for estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) positive tumors after menopause." In the second study, researchers at the Rutgers Cancer ...

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Tweet with #SaludTues 10/28/14: What All Latinos Need to Know about Mental Health



More than 16% of Latino adults experienced a mental illness during the previous year, and communities of color are more likely to lack access to care to meet their behavioral health needs. This makes mental health awareness important in Latino communities. Let’s tweet about the education and access Latinos have to mental health and wellness, as well as what cultural barriers Latinos face with addressing mental health issues: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Mental Health and Latinos” DATE: Tuesday, October 28, 2014 TIME: Noon CT (1:00 PM ET) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludToday CO-HOSTS: @APApsychiatric @SAMHSAgov We’ll open the floor to your stories and experiences as we explore: Why mental health is important for Latinos Cultural ...

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In Spanish: How to Keep the Workplace Safe



Workplace death rates are higher among Hispanics than other racial/ethnic groups, especially among Spanish speakers. Hispanics often work in higher-risk industries, including agriculture and construction, and they face cultural and language barriers, which undermine "the effectiveness of safety materials and hazard warnings printed in a language they don’t speak or read," the Albuquerque Journal reports. This makes Spanish-language safety materials critically important. So the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a Spanish website with workplace safety materials, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a wealth of Spanish publications and other resources for employers and employees. Employers are urged to review these ...

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Study: 27% of Hispanics Report High Levels of Depressive Symptoms; Puerto Ricans Most Depressed



About 27% of US Hispanics reported high levels of depressive symptoms, according to a new study, Medical Express reports. The study, part of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), indicates that depression and anxiety rates differ widely among Hispanic groups. The highest rates of depressive symptoms were reported by Puerto Ricans (38%). The lowest rates were among Mexicans (22.3%). "Our study has found that mental health problems differ among the various groups comprising this population, suggesting that healthcare workers should look more closely at subgroups of Hispanics and Latinos to deliver appropriate mental health services," said lead author Dr. Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller, co-principal investigator of HCHS/SOL at the Albert Einstein ...

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5 Facts about Low-Income Latino Families



Understanding the Latino family is vital as organizations work to improve the health of Latino kids, two-thirds of which live in low-income homes, NBC News reports. That's why a new report provides a snapshot of these families. The report, by the National Research Center On Hispanic Children and Families, indicates that family structure looks vastly different depending on if parents were U.S.- or foreign-born, and most Latinos kids are born into two-parent households. Here are five key facts from the report, highlighted by NBC News: -Most births to low-income Hispanics occur in some type of co-residential union, especially among those who are foreign-born. Sixty seven percent of Latinas are either living with a partner or married when their first child is born. -About half of ...

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Tweet with #SaludTues on 10/14/14: “Latinos and HIV/AIDS: Problems + Solutions”



Every year, 21% of new HIV/AIDS cases are diagnosed among Hispanics in the US. Let’s focus on changing this by using #SaludTues to tweet about innovative campaigns to improve prevention and programs to find solutions to HIV/AIDS in the Latino community: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Latinos and HIV/AIDS: Problems + Solutions” DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014 TIME: Noon CST (1:00 PM ET) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludToday CO-HOSTS: @NLAAD (National Latino AIDS Awareness Day), @AIDSgov (AIDS.gov), and @TalkHIV (CDC) On Oct. 14, the eve of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, we’ll open the floor to your stories and experiences as we explore: Why is HIV/AIDS such a big issue for Latinos? What factors and challenges contribute to increases ...

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Spanish Campaign: Tackling COPD among Latinos



The rising U.S. Latino population makes it important to educate Latinos about the nation's third-leading cause of death—chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). That's why the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), in collaboration with Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc., launched Tome Un Respiro, the first Spanish-language campaign to raise awareness among Latinos about COPD prevalence, treatment, and disease management. Nearly one of two cases of COPD goes undiagnosed, according to CHEST. “Early detection of COPD is critical in helping to combat this life-threatening disease,” said Mark J. Rosen, MD, Master FCCP, medical director for CHEST. “We see a major gap in awareness and education about COPD in the Hispanic community and want to ensure that everyone has the ...

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Census: More Than 1 in 4 Hispanics Still Have No Health Insurance (Especially Immigrants)



More than 1 in 4 Hispanics still have no health insurance coverage, by far the lowest rates of health insurance coverage in the United States, according to new data from the Census Bureau, Voxxi News reports. Only 1 in 10 non-Hispanic whites lack coverage. Hispanic immigrants overall also are more than twice as likely as U.S.-born Hispanics to lack health insurance coverage, according to the Census data: Hispanic undocumented immigrants: 49% uninsured Hispanic immigrants with citizenship: 21% uninsured U.S.-born Hispanics: 17% uninsured Hispanic immigrants also have higher uninsured rates by age compared to U.S.-born Hispanics. Among those ages 18-64, 24% of U.S.-born and 43% of foreign-born lacked insurances, as well as 2% and 8% of those ages 65 and older, ...

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