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All of Us Data Sheds Light on Health of Young Cancer Survivors



Cancer is often associated with an aging population, but something is changing in the demographics of cancer survivors — they are younger. There are projected to be 85,980 new cases of cancer in individuals between ages 15 and 39, according to the National Cancer Institute. Decade trends show that this number has been rising an average of 0.3% each year.  Even though most young adults and teens with cancer are expected to survive for five years following their diagnosis, researchers are trying to understand why young survivors often face long-term health impacts, such as nerve pain and memory loss.   For example, a recent study – using All of Us Research Program data – found that four conditions that affect the brain or nerves were more common in young cancer survivors ...

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Houston’s Latino Children Struggle with Diabetes, Health Challenges



Nearly one of every two people are Latino in Harris County, Texas, which is home to Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city. As the Latino community rises, equitable health, education, and opportunity is critical. That is why two Houston organizations, Children at Risk and Child Health Policy at the Baker Institute, published the 2024 Latino Child Health Initiative Report to examine the state of Latino child health in Precinct 2, one of four precincts in Harris County. The report identified high rates of type 2 diabetes and obesity among Latino children in Houston, as well as barriers to mental health services and kindergarten readiness. Let’s dive into the report and how it reflects the overall US Latino population. Latino Children and Risk for Diabetes, Obesity In ...

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Dr. Carlos Salama: Protecting Latinos Against Infectious Diseases



Carlos Salama’s father helped people every day as a physician. Inspired by what he saw, Salama knew at an early age that he, too, wanted to help others the way his father did. “People were just very, very grateful for what he provided them. I thought, ‘I want to do this,’” Salama said. Salama was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Argentinian parents. Salama’s mother and father first came to the United States in the mid-1960s for his father’s residency after he completed medical school at the University of Buenos Aires. Salama recalls helping his parents and two siblings in the doctor’s office. “I used to go with my father to the office, sometimes on the weekends, and help them. My mother was the office assistant, but I would do it sometimes, and I just ...

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Data: Unlocking America’s Screen Time Habits



As technology has evolved, so has the way we receive, view, and disseminate information.   With the invention of the smart phone and devices like tablets, access to the outside world can be done with the touch of a button.  But, as convenient as it is to unlock a phone and type something into the search engine or open an app is, we can’t help but wonder what kind of effect staring at a screen for hours on end is having on our health?  The average American between the ages of 16 and 64 spends over seven hours a day online, according to an article by AllConnect.  This amount of time is well over the two-hour recommended screen time for adults.  Screen Time by the Numbers  65.7% of the world population is online. During the third quarter of 2023, people spent an ...

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Webinar: How to Equitably Respond to Local Cancer Needs



Do you how cancer impacts your local population? How can you help? Find new strategies to address the local cancer burden at UT Health San Antonio’s webinar, “How to Identify and Equitably Respond to Local Cancer Needs,” recorded live at 10 a.m. Central on Thursday, April 25, 2024. This webinar featured experts from the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida, Genentech, as well as a patient advocate, who together explored local cancer issues. Panelists shared how to strategically listen, engage, and respond to local cancer needs to guide cancer research, care, and outreach tailored to address the needs of local communities. This is a part of a webinar series, “Let’s Address Health Equity Together.” The series is a ...

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Report: Number of Hispanic-Serving Institutions Increases



There are a now 600 U.S. colleges and universities designated as Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), a 5% increase over last year’s 572 recognized institutions. HSIs are accredited, degree-granting public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education with 25% or more total undergraduate Hispanic full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment. “The rate that Hispanic-Serving Institutions continue to grow emphasizes their importance to the communities they serve,” said Antonio R. Flores, leader of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), in a press release. Let’s observe the numbers and how this impacts Latino students. HSIs By the Number HSIs enroll 5.2 million students and two-thirds of all Latino undergraduates, according to HACU. As ...

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How to Improve Healthcare Worker Burnout



Nearly half of healthcare workers say they often feel burned out. That is why CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently launched the Impact Wellbeing Guide: Taking Action to Improve Healthcare Worker Wellbeing. “The role of healthcare workers in taking care of all of us is absolutely vital to our society, to our economy, and to our culture. But our healthcare workforce needs to feel supported, too,” said Dr. John Howard, NIOSH director, in press release. Let’s explore the guide, its six action steps, and how it can benefit Latino healthcare workers! What is the Impact Wellbeing Guide? NIOSH and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation designed the Impact Wellbeing Guide to help hospital leaders and executives accelerate or supplement ...

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Dr. Amelie Ramirez: Helping Latino Cancer Survivors Share Their Journeys


Amelie Ramirez - UT Health San Antonio 1

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, recently shared the need to help Latino cancer survivors on "Science & Medicine," an audio collaboration of Texas Public Radio and UT Health San Antonio. Bonnie Petrie, TPR's bioscience and medicine reporter, hosted the segment. Ramirez spoke to Petrie about her project to improve care and life for Latino cancer, called “Avanzando Caminos (Leading Pathways): The Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship Study.” "Our big goal is to really have more equitable care for everyone, not only in South Texas, but nationwide, and that their outcomes for survival are also improved,” Ramirez said during the segment. Listen to the full audio here. About the Avanzando Caminos Research Project Avanzando Caminos ...

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