Many Latino children have pressing mental health needs but are not getting adequate mental health care, studies have shown. COVID-19 didn’t help, either. The pandemic heightened social isolation, dependence on smartphones and social media, and mental health issues among young people. Meanwhile, opportunities declined for physical activity – a proven method for treating disorders such as depression and anxiety. Loss of physical activity can harm physical, emotional, social, and mental health. This is why a PhD student at Michigan State University is offering a free online program geared to increasing physical activity to improve mental health in Latino children between the ages of 7 and 11.
About the Physical Activity Program
The program is part of a ...
Growing up in Puerto Rico, Tony Rentas dreamed of joining the U.S. military. He wanted to serve his country, set a good example for his son, and make sure his family was taken care of. In 2009, he joined the U.S. Army, making his dream a reality. Tony served as a military intelligence specialist. Over a dozen years, he deployed twice, traveled around the world, made great friends, experienced different cultures, helped people, and provided for his family. Then he got some harrowing news. After suffering a temporal lobe seizure, Tony – a husband and father of two children –was diagnosed with a low grade glioma, a type of cancerous brain tumor, in June 2020. “I remember walking out of that appointment, sitting in the car, just trying to process things. A couple of tears ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, a native of Laredo, Texas, and leader of Salud America!, 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 challenges among Latinos and all people. 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 issues, improve health, and increase participation in ...
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 non-medical drivers of health that are creating challenges to ...
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 ...
From what you wear and sit on to the ingredients found in products you use to clean your home; chemicals are all around us. For example, a range of “forever chemicals” – known as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – are found in many industrial and consumer products, such as paints, fire-fighting foam, metal plating, and cleaning agents. PFAS have been linked to major health problems in humans and animals, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). That’s why the EPA is proposing to add several PFAS chemicals to its hazardous waste management list under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulations, in an effort to protect “communities and drinking water supplies” near hazardous waste facilities. Before any action is ...
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 Research Agenda, which will outline research priorities identified by South Texas cancer survivors, caregivers, and community members. The coalition is directed by a core team led by Jones and an executive committee led by Jason Massiatte, president and CEO of Ma Hila’s Heart Children's Cancer Foundation. Join the Creando Conexiones coalition! "We know that research has the most impact when guided by voices of cancer survivors and community ...
Some big changes in 2022 and 2023 have set up the healthcare sector to advance screening for non-medical drivers of health (NMDoH) in 2024 and beyond. This is great news as we work to address NMDoH, improve health outcomes, and reduce health issues. But one key NMDoH-related need – transportation – isn’t getting the attention it deserves. Transportation is a foundational NMDoH-related need and often co-occurs with other needs and/or acts as a challenge to resolving other needs. Yet transportation is often poorly conceptualized, thus is poorly operationalized in NMDoH-related need screening tools and related justifications. In this post, we review the following big changes as they relate to transportation as non-medical drivers of health: Big Change 1: In 2022, ...
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 non-medical drivers of health in San Antonio and how we can leverage the All of Us Research Program to promote health and health research. Some studies suggest that non-medical drivers of health 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 ...
