Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, a native of Laredo, Texas, and leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, delivered the keynote address at the 2024 Commencement of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine. Ramirez is an internationally recognized researcher in cancer and chronic disease health disparities among Latinos. At UT Health San Antonio, she is chair and professor of Population Health Sciences at UT Health San Antonio, where she also is founding director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research and associate director of community outreach and engagement at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio. Over the past 30 years, Ramirez has led over 100 studies and programs to reduce health disparities, improve health equity, and ...
Every year, 240,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That’s why healthcare providers recommend women ages 50 to 74 get a mammogram – an X-ray of the breast that can help screen and diagnose cancer – every two years. However, only about 3 in 4 women in that age group has had a mammogram in the past two years, as of 2022, according to a new study by the CDC. For women who experience health-related social needs, even fewer haven’t gotten one. This is alarming because, while mammograms can reduce the number of breast cancer deaths by 22%, this cancer is the top cause of death among Latinas. Let’s explore the social determinants of health (SDoH) that are creating barriers to ...
Alzheimer’s disease is a condition that impairs brain function and, over time, can cause memory, cognitive, and behavioral issues and eventually lead to death.
The condition greatly impacts the health of the aging — especially Latinos.
14% of the American Latino population older than 65 are living with Alzheimer’s, compared with 10% of the White population.
Alzheimer’s is projected to increase in older Latinos by 175% between 2018 and 2040, compared with a 32% increase in the White population, according to a new report, 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures, from the Alzheimer’s Association.
Let’s explore the data from the report. Alzheimer’s in America
Nearly 7 million older Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease as of 2024.
That’s about the same ...
The last thing a person wants to hear from their doctor is “You have cancer.” Unfortunately, that’s the reality for the thousands of Americans, including many Latinos, diagnosed with cancer each year. After a diagnosis, people dealing with cancer discuss treatment options with their medical care team, which may include participation in clinical trials. Clinical trials are studies with volunteers that test ways to find, prevent, and treat cancer and other diseases. They may also help improve the quality of life for volunteers affected by cancer or reduce the side effects of treatment. Despite the benefits of participating in clinical trials, only about one out of every five (21.9%) people with cancer enroll in clinical research, according to a new study in the ...
Researchers at Texas Tech University are interested in learning more about you and your family caregiver's experience with cancer. The research team is seeking participation from people who are 18 or older, speak English, identify as Latino or non-Hispanic White, and have been diagnosed with any form of cancer at any stage. Caregivers who want to participate must be 18 years or older, speak English, and identify as Latino or non-Hispanic White. If you or your loved one meets these qualifications, you may be eligible to take part in this study, which consists of three different surveys. These surveys will be spaced out and take 30 to 45 minutes to complete, and can be done online, by mail, or over the phone with the help of a research assistant. The first will be given ...
Marielle Santos McLeod thought she knew a lot about cancer care. Years as a health professional had given her time to learn about cancer care and gain a closer look at the barriers Latinos face in getting equitable treatment. That’s why, when the mother of four was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 36, she was shocked by just how little she really knew. However, it was enduring the disease as a young Latina that guided her toward her life's purpose – serving as a patient advocate to uplift the voice of Latino cancer survivors. “I love advocacy .... It's like one of the things that I'm convinced that I was put on this earth to do. I just had to get cancer to get to it first,” Santos McLeod said.
Spanish-Language Influence
Santos McLeod doesn’t believe ...
ChangeLab Solutions recently updated their interactive web tool, Undoing the Drivers of Health Inequity, with new resources to support policy strategies to advance health and justice. The tool points to five fundamental drivers of health inequity. “The fundamental drivers of health inequity are systemic factors that shape people’s physical and social surroundings in ways that create barriers to health,” according to ChangeLabs Solutions. “[We] use legal and policy strategies to undo the drivers of inequity by changing the distribution of resources and power.” Let’s explore this tool and how it can help Latino communities!
1. Structural Discrimination
Some people, especially Latinos and other people of color, face health barriers because of structural and systemic ...
After decades of underrepresentation, whitewashing, and villainizing, a spike of positive representation of ethnic minorities, such as Latinos, has swept into Hollywood and mainstream media.
Latino pioneers like José Ferrer, Edward James Olmos, and Rita Moreno broke systemic barriers to play defining roles in an industry dominated by White actors, paving the way for future Latino actors and Latino-led projects to break from the mold.
This success has led to a new wave of notable Latino standouts and projects.
America Ferrera, a U.S.-born Latina of Honduran heritage, nabbed an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Barbie (2023). Pedro Pascal, born in Chile, delighted audiences in the titular role of The Mandalorian before taking the lead in HBO’s TV adaptation of video game ...
An estimated 17.5 million Latino voters will cast ballots in the 2024 Election in November, a record high, according to a report from the NALEO Educational Fund. This is a 6.5% increase in Latino voter turnout from Election 2020. “With more than one of every 10 voters in 2024 expected to be Latino, our community is poised to play a decisive role in the presidential election and others throughout the nation,” said NALEO Educational Fund CEO Arturo Vargas in a press release. Let’s dive into the numbers and explore how this impacts Latino voters!
Latino Voter Projections
Overall, 11.1% of all voters are projected to be Latino in Election 2024. While the national Latino vote is projected to increase 6.5% from 2020 turnout numbers, the national ...
