Germs are everywhere, including in dirt and dust! When we think of dirt in our daily lives, we usually think of potted plants and gardens. When we think of dust, we think of the kind that we clean in our house and workplaces. But fine dust can also be present at construction and maintenance projects inside a building, like taking out parts of a wall or renovating a room. Also, when construction and maintenance projects that move a lot of dirt and dust around happen in or near a healthcare facility, it can send germs that are in the dirt and dust into the air. These germs can harm certain patients with weakened immune systems.
What Kind of Germs Are in Dirt and Dust?
Dirt and dust contain many germs, including a fungus called Aspergillus. Aspergillus and other fungi ...
While many US restaurants removed sugary drink options from kid’s menus in recent years, 44% of the top 200 chains still offered soda or other sugary drinks, according to a recent study from the Center For Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Sugary drinks contribute added sugars in a child’s diet, which can then contribute to obesity. Yet sugary drinks were the most common children’s beverages offered at the top 200 restaurant chains in 2019 and 2021, the report found. “It’s time for all restaurants to drop children’s sugary drinks. To complement industry efforts, states and localities should pass legislation that requires restaurants to make healthier beverages the default kids’ drink offering,” according to CSPI. “Healthier children’s meals, served with ...
Health equity is where everyone has a fair, just opportunity to be healthier. How can we reach this ideal, especially as Latinos face cancer and chronic disease health disparities rooted in systemic inequities in access to clinical trials, income, health care, food, housing, and discrimination? You're invited to a webinar series, "Let’s Address Health Equity Together," a collaboration of the Salud America! program at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, and Genentech. Here are the three webinars planned for 2024: 4/25/24: How to Identify and Equitably Respond to Local Cancer Needs
7/15/24: How to Support Latino Cancer Survivors
9/10/24: How to Fight Back Against El Asesino ...
In a modest house in Los Angeles, California, a young girl buried her nose in a book. She focused on the book’s colorful graphics of doctors helping sick patients. Closing her eyes, she pictured herself in this role. Her mother’s words echoed in her mind, “Education is the key to opening doors in life.” The young girl wasn’t sure how, but she decided she was going to go to medical school, and she was going to become a doctor. Decades later, the young girl — now a grown woman – has a successful career in medicine. Dr. Marlene Martin is an associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and a hospitalist at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH). In these roles, Marlene combines her passion for clinical care ...
Did you know that your Zip code is more important than your genetic code in predicting how long you will live? That’s right – where you live can have a big impact on your health. In fact, our health is influenced by a variety of non-medical factors, such as the conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work, and age. These conditions are known as social determinants of health (SDoH). Addressing SDoH is key to improving health for Latinos and all people. Numerous studies suggest that SDoH accounts for between 30-55% of health outcomes and SDoH influences individual health behaviors, which account for another 30% of health outcomes. Fortunately, healthcare systems are placing more emphasis on screening patients for SDoH. This means that when patients come to medical ...
Clinical trials are studies with volunteers that help researchers learn how to slow, manage, and treat different diseases. There are four phases of clinical trials that each help scientists answer different questions. Phase 1 clinical trials are the first step in testing a new treatment in people. They focus on evaluating the safety, side effects, best dose, and timing of a new treatment, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Phase 1 clinical trials usually include a small number of patients who have not been helped by other treatments. In the past, participants in phase 1 trials for cancer treatment generally had low tumor response rates. And, because phase 1 trials are focused on assessing safety of treatments, doctors have hesitated to refer patients to these ...
Have you ever had a conversation with a doctor that left you feeling confused? These situations can be frustrating, especially when it hurts your health. Unfortunately, poor doctor-patient communication is common, even though doctors acknowledge they should avoid medical jargon when talking with patients. In a new study in JAMA Network Open, researchers surveyed 215 adults and found that when medical jargon was used by physicians, participants frequently misunderstood and often interpreted the exact opposite of what the physician intended. This confusion can lead to adverse health outcomes, according to the study. "You could be the smartest doctor in the world, yet you're useless if your patients don't understand what you are saying," Dr. Michael Pitt, study author and ...
We use a lot of shared devices and equipment in healthcare. But these devices and equipment are all surfaces that can have germs on them. Because healthcare workers use and share devices and equipment many times a day and for many different tasks, it’s important to understand the role that these devices can play in the spread of germs.
Medical Devices
Medical devices are used on a patient’s body, such as a stethoscope or blood pressure cuff. They’re also used in a patient’s body, such as an IV needle, an endoscope, or an artificial hip. When devices are used on or in a patient’s body to provide care, any germs on those devices can spread to places in or on the patient’s body. That’s how devices can be the germ’s entryway into the body. Devices that are ...
As we begin a new year, it’s important to take a step back and appreciate our achievements. But it’s also critical to recognize our shortcomings – especially in public health, which affects everyone. Here’s your reminder why racism is still a public health crisis in 2024, and how you can help support the health of all people.
What is Racism?
Racism is the discrimination or prejudice of others based on their race or ethnic group. Racism has existed for thousands of years globally and is deeply rooted in our nation’s history. Populations of color, such as Blacks and Latinos, often experience racism. Racism against others can happen directly, such as denying someone a job because of their race, or indirectly, such as through structural policies that perpetuate ...
