Study: Foreign-Born Adults, Especially Hispanics, Less Likely To Get Vaccinated



Foreign-born U.S. adults—especially Hispanics—are less likely to get vaccinated than those born in the United States, according to a new study, the Latin Times reports. The study, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, found that foreign-born adults had lower vaccination rates for: influenza; PPV to prevent pneumococcal diseases, especially pneumonia; tetanus; Tdap (which prevents tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis); hepatitis A; hepatitis B; shingles; and HPV, the human papilloma virus. For example, 34% of foreign-born adults received the flu vaccine, vs. 40% of U.S.-born adults. And 51% of foreign-born adults were vaccinated for vaccinated for tetanus, vs. 65% of U.S.-born adults. Hispanics were the least likely foreign-born adults to be vaccinated. "As their ...

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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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Report: Latinos Need 5.5M More College Degrees by 2020 to Get U.S. Back on Top of Education



Latinos must earn an additional 5.5 million college degrees for America to regain world leadership in college degrees by 2020, according to a new report. The report, from Excelencia in Education and the United Negro College Fund, examines Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) alongside historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to bring attention to minority student access. While HBCUs and HSIs only represent 20% of all U.S. institutions, they educate nearly half of all black and Latino students, according to the brief. "The combined growth of Latinos and blacks in our population, and in higher education overall, requires more intentional focus on institutions that serve them," said Sarita Brown, president of Excelencia in Education. A few key points of comparison ...

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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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