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Study: Latino Mortality Advantage Disappeared amid COVID-19



COVID-19 “completely erased the mortality advantage” that the Latino population had compared to the White population, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Let’s dive into the new data on Latino mortality. What Is Excess Mortality? The Census Bureau refers to excess mortality as deaths from any cause above what is expected from recent mortality trends. Excess mortality is calculated as the difference between the actual mortality rate and the mortality rate expected to see in the hypothetical absence of the COVID-19 pandemic. “An additional 573,000 people died in the United States during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic but ‘excess mortality’ at the national level masks substantial variations by state, age, sex, and race and ethnicity,” ...

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UT Health San Antonio Approved for a $250,000 Engagement Award for Cancer Research in South Texas


UT Health San Antonio PCORI Engagement Award for Cancer Research in South Texas

Dr. Rebecca Jones of UT Health San Antonio has been approved for a 2-year, $250,000 funding award through the Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Awards (Engagement Awards) program, an initiative of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The funds will support the creation of the Creando Conexiones: Cancer Health Equity Research Agenda, which will outline research priorities identified by South Texas cancer survivors, caregivers, and community members. Join the Creando Conexiones coalition! "We know that research has the most impact when guided by voices of cancer survivors and community members," said Jones, assistant director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research and part of the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio. "With their input, we ...

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Food Insecurity Linked to Rise of Fatty Liver Disease in Latino Children



Childhood cases of fatty liver disease have risen over the last decade, prompting researchers to search for answers in risk factors such as genes, birthweight, and malnutrition. While studies involving adults that have fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis and food insecurity have been conducted, few focused on children — until now. A recent study assessed the influence food insecurity – living without enough food for a healthy life for all family members – on the development of fatty liver disease in 4-year-old Latino children, and discovered that food-insecure Latino children experienced a higher risk for the disease. Results of the Fatty Liver Disease Study The study involved two groups of San Francisco Latino mothers and followed their child’s development from pregnancy ...

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CDC Project Firstline Infection Control Micro-Learns: Diarrhea



CDC’s Project Firstline has developed Infection Control Micro-Learns – a series of guided infection control discussions that can be easily incorporated into team meetings or huddles facilitated by an experienced team member with infection control expertise. Each micro-learn focuses on a single infection control topic and connects these concepts to immediate, practical value. With the help of these micro-learns, healthcare workers can easily apply key points to their daily work and perform the recommended actions to keep germs from spreading. Let’s explore Infection Control Micro-Learn on diarrhea! What to Do When You See a Patient with Diarrhea Diarrhea is loose, liquid stool. Some people have chronic diarrhea, it is their normal bowel function. When diarrhea ...

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Report: The Tech Industry Needs More Latinos



Latinos continue to be one of the most underrepresented ethnic groups in high-paying jobs, such as careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Of the 34.9 million Americans working in STEM fields, only 8% are Latino as of 2021. Latinos are fewer than 10% of the workforce in the fields of health careers (9%), life science (8%), physical science (8%), computers and math (8%), and engineering (9%). The technology industry also lacks Latino representation. One in every five US workers is Latino, and only one in 10 of them have a job in tech. There even fewer in leadership tech roles, according to a new Kapor Foundation report. This paints a stark contrast to the growing number of Latinos in the US. Latinos currently make up 19.1% of the US population, and are ...

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The 5 Biggest Issues Driving Young Latino Parents to the Polls



The 2024 calendar year marks a potential turning point in the federal government as the presidential election is set to take center stage in November. Latino voters could help decide the outcome. Of the over 246 million Americans projected to be registered to vote in 2024, 36.2 million are Latino, according to data published by Pew Research Center. That’s a 3.9 million increase from the last presidential election, representing the second-largest increase of any minority ethnic group. The recent rise in projected voter registration means that Latinos will have a 14.71% say in what happens in the upcoming election. So, what’s on the mind of the Latino voter? To answer, Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors partnered with UnidosUS and BSP Research to survey 1,500 Latino parents with ...

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Survey: Latinos Among Students Most Likely to Withdraw from College



Latino and Black students have the greatest risk of withdrawing from post-secondary education programs, according to a recent survey by the Lumina-Gallup State of Higher Education. This finding comes at a time when institutions offering bachelor’s degrees are seeing a significant drop in enrollment — a situation exacerbated by COVID-19. Over the last decade, college enrollment has declined by 7.4%, which is the equivalent of 1.5 million students, according to Best Colleges. The biggest decline – 900,000 students – came during the pandemic years of fall 2019 and fall 2023. While the enrollment of underrepresented students such as Latinos and Blacks has somewhat improved, they are also considered to be more likely than their white peers to leave. Survey Results on College ...

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Watch Webinar: All of Us in the Alamo City Matter



We know you care about the health of people in San Antonio. Watch our webinar, “All of Us in Alamo City Matter: Where You Live Impacts Your Health,” at 10-11 a.m. CT, Wednesday, March 20, 2024! The webinar explored the state of social determinants of health (SDOH) in San Antonio and how we can leverage the All of Us Research Program to promote health equity in health research. Some studies suggest that SDOH plays a role in about 30% to 55% of our health outcomes. This means that nearly half of our health issues are a result of our environment and life circumstances. Hear more from our expert panelists, including representatives from South Texas Blood & Tissue, Mexican American Unity Council, and Salud America! at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health ...

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Update: Coronavirus Case Rates and Death Rates for Latinos in the United States


hispanic latino child girl student home coloring work wearing face mask amid COVID-19 coronavirus

The coronavirus, COVID-19, can affect anyone. But reports show Latinos and other people of color are disproportionately affected, amid worsening historical inequities. What are the data really showing? UPDATE 3/5/24: CDC releases new COVID-19 death rates by race/ethnicity. COVID-19 Case Rates for Latinos The U.S. population recently rose to 19.1% Latino. At the outset of the pandemic, COVID-19 disproportionately sickened Latinos. Variants like Delta and Omicron sparked case surges, too. Latinos comprised 24.3% of COVID-19 cases in the United States, second only to Whites (53.8%), according to CDC data on health equity and cases on April 19, 2023. As of March 5, 2024, CDC is no longer maintaining incidence rates by race/ethnicity on this web page. Several states ...

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