Read More Healthy Families & Schools Articles



Are COVID-19 Vaccines Free for Children?



Latino and Black parents were less likely than White parents to say they felt their child was “very safe” from COVID-19 when they were at school, according to a recent study.  How can you protect your children?   Vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your children against the worst outcomes of the virus – and COVID-19 vaccines are available and free for children!  Let’s explore how “You’re Covered” against COVID-19!  COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations for Children  As of Sept. 12, 2023, CDC recommends that everyone ages 5 and older get one dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19.  CDC recommends the 2023-2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax, to protect against ...

Read More

You’re Covered: How to Get a Free COVID-19 Vaccine!



U.S. Latinos continue to suffer a large share of COVID-19 cases.  This not only interrupts important parts of our daily lives, but also put people at risk of serious illness and death.  Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your familia against the worst outcomes of COVID-19.  But who should get the vaccine? Are they free? Where?  Let’s explore how “You’re Covered” against COVID-19!  Are COVID-19 Vaccines Free?  Yes.  COVID-19 vaccines continue to be available to everyone in the United States free of cost, according to the COVID-19 Vaccine Education ... Project.  Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio is partner in the project’s “You’re Covered” campaign.  “You may have heard about upcoming ...

Read More

CDC’s Project Firstline Infection Control Micro-Learns: Draining Wound


draining wound saludfirstline infection control cdc blood scrape

Access to practical and valuable infection control training is crucial for all healthcare workers. That’s why CDC’s Project Firstline 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. These short and easy-to-understand learning opportunities can help healthcare workers recognize and minimize infection control risks to protect themselves, coworkers, and patients from infectious diseases. Let’s explore the Infection Control Micro-Learn on Draining Wounds. What Should You Do When You See a Patient with a Draining Wound? A draining wound is a break in the skin or other tissue that has liquid ...

Read More

3 Ways to Support Latino Men’s Health



Did you know 12.1% of men are in fair or poor health?  Similarly, the average life expectancy of men in the United States is almost 5 years less than women (76.2 compared to 81).   November is National Men’s Health Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of men’s physical and mental health while encouraging support for men facing prostate, testicular, and other cancers.  In November (and beyond), here are some ways you can support men’s health!   Latino Men’s Health  Latino men face many health differences when it comes to physical and mental health.   For example, while national suicide rates decreased, the rates went up 6% for Latino men, according to a 2022 article from Texas Public Radio.   Machismo and other forms of stigma can play a large part ...

Read More

Check Out Washington State Department of Health’s Project Firstline Podcast!



Healthcare workers, looking for your next informative – and entertaining – infection control resource?! Look no further, the Washington State Department of Health’s Project Firstline Podcast covers a variety of infection control topics, from healthcare-associated infections to multi-drug-resistant organisms. The podcast is part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Project Firstline, which provides all healthcare workers the infection control training and resources they need to protect themselves, their patients, and their coworkers from infectious diseases. With 17 episodes to choose from, you’ll be sure to learn something new. Let’s dive in! A Glimpse at the Episodes Dating back to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the opening episodes ...

Read More

#SaludTues Tweetchat 12/5: Why Should You Try a Clinical Trial?


latino doctor patient clinical trial 2

Clinical trials have led to the development of better treatments, life-saving medicines, and new prevention strategies for cancer and other diseases. Still, clinical trials have lacked volunteers who are Latino. We need a variety of participants in clinical trials to ensure health and medical discoveries are fair for all populations. To promote clinical trials, let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, to discuss reasons why Latinos and all people should consider joining a clinical trial! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: Why Should You Try a Clinical Trial? TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: LatinaStrong Foundation (@LatinaStrongDr); Public Health Maps ...

Read More

“I Couldn’t Feel More Blessed”: How Amber Lopez Found Hope Through Her Cancer Journey



News of a cancer diagnosis is the last thing anyone wants to hear.   It can be especially devastating for a teenager with no family history of cancer.   That was reality for Amber Lopez.  Lopez, a San Antonio resident who began experiencing symptoms around age 14, was eventually diagnosed with cervical cancer a few years later at 18.   “When you hear that word cancer, you’re kind of like, 'Oh, my God. OK. So, does that mean like, I’m going to pass away? How does this work?'” Lopez said.  Since her diagnosis, Lopez has overcome many challenges in her cancer journey.   Now she’s sharing her story through the Avanzando Caminos study at UT Health San Antonio to give hope to other Latino cancer survivors.   Navigating Her Cancer Diagnosis   Latinas ...

Read More

Why are Other Nations Outperforming America on Health Outcomes?


Why are Other Nations Outperforming America on Health Outcomes

Spending on health is rising in America. Yet, ironically, health outcomes are getting worse. In fact, people here experience the worst health outcomes overall of any high-income nation. U.S. residents are more likely to die younger, and from avoidable causes, than residents of peer countries, according to a 2023 report from The Commonwealth Fund. Let’s compare health outcomes with peer countries to provide an important baseline for where we are in health outcomes and set a target for where we could be. The U.S. and 5 Important Domains of Healthcare Systems A 2021 study by The Commonwealth Fund compared five performance domains of health care systems across 11 high-income countries. Researchers found the U.S. ranks last on four of five domains: access to care (last) ...

Read More

Watch: Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez on the Importance of Cancer Screening


Chasing Cancer Screening Amelie Ramirez Washington Post

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, joined The Washington Post's live show to share how cancer screening can help patients get diagnosed and treated earlier. The show, "Chasing Cancer: The Path Forward," sponsored by AstraZeneca, took place Nov. 8, 2023. In the first part of of the show, Renee Wegrzyn, director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), and Eric Topol, executive vice president of Scripps Research, discussed how technological advancements and AI are changing how cancer is diagnosed and treated. In the second part of the show, Ramirez teamed with Dr. Gladys I. Rodriguez, a medical oncologist with the START Center for Cancer Care, to discuss innovative initiatives make it easier to access early screenings for ...

Read More