Latinas suffer a high burden of cervical cancer, which is often caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). In fact, Latinas have the second-highest rate of dying from cervical cancer after Black women, according to the US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Cervical cancer screening – commonly referred to as a Pap smear – can help reduce this disease burden. However, Latinas and other women of color face numerous barriers to cervical cancer screening, such as lack of health insurance and fear of cervical exams, which can be uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing. Enter University of North Carolina researchers Jennifer S. Smith and Noel T. Brewer. The duo are part of the research team behind the My Body, My Test 3 clinical trial, which explored the ...
Latinos face inequities in social determinants of health (SDoH), from housing to healthcare, making it harder to achieve health equity. Watch the UT Health San Antonio webinar — “How to Systemically Address Social Needs in Healthcare Settings” — which was held at 11 a.m. CST on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, to explore how healthcare settings can care for patients' medical and SDoH needs. Panelists from UT Health San Antonio, Nemours Children's Health, HOPE Clinic in Houston, the American Cancer Society, and Genentech unpacked SDoH screening, a strategy that clinics, hospitals, and healthcare systems can use to check patients for social needs and connect them to needed resources. This is a part of a webinar of a series, “Let’s Address Health Equity Together.” The ...
CDC's Project Firstline knows that healthcare workers are short on time, but this shouldn’t limit access to practical and valuable infection control training. 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 rashes!
What to Do When You See a Patient with a Rash
A rash is abnormal skin that is usually red, ...
The Susan G. Komen Foundation is working to discover cures for breast cancer faster with ShareForCures. ShareForCures is a breast cancer research registry that connects researchers with information from people who have or had breast cancer. “The goal of ShareForCures is to focus on research that will have the most significant impact for people affected by breast cancer,” according to the registry website. Here’s how you or someone you know can participate in ShareForCures!
Join ShareForCures
Individuals interested in participating in the registry can start by creating a free MyKomen + Health account and complete the ShareForCures registration. Participants are asked to complete informed consent and medical release forms. “Information that could ...
Thomas Brittain and his immediate family gathered in the neurologist’s office, eager to hear the health status of their beloved family member, 67-year-old Sarah Cadena. “Your mother has a cognitive impairment,” the neurologist said. “We recommend that she transition to living with family for her own safety.” Without a second thought, the Brittain family began planning how to care for Sarah Cadena. That was 13 years ago. Since then, Sarah Cadena has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a disease that can lead to progressive memory loss and ability to perform daily activities. Thomas, Sarah Cadena’s son, a retired San Antonio police officer, is now her primary caretaker. Sarah Cadena lives with Thomas and his family, and as far as caretaking goes, Thomas said he and ...
A cool breeze hits Carlos Olivas III’s face and suddenly the smells of fresh, warm coffee and donuts hits his nose. He enjoys a short, tranquil moment at a bakery as part of his daily routine alongside his father, Carlos Olivas Jr., also known as Charlie. Carlos is a full-time caregiver for Charlie, who is living with Alzheimer’s in Sacramento. Carlos saw what caregiving looked like from a young age. He watched his mother and father care for his grandmother and, later, his father care for his ailing mother. “My dad was the caregiver for my mom, who was dealing with breast cancer, diabetes, and congenital heart failure. In 2008, she passed. Reflecting back, that was the first time, the real hero,” Carlos said. “He set the stage as a male caregiver, without knowing ...
In early 2019, Gabriella “Gaby” Godines got the news that she wasn’t accepted to medical school. She was understandably disappointed, but she’s a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Looking back, Gaby can confirm that medical school wasn’t the right path for her at that time. Instead, her opportunity to pursue a career in medicine would come later – after a few more years of patience, hard work, and compassion, and an internship at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio. “Everyone has different journeys toward their goal,” Gaby said. “I’m really grateful for where I am.”
Journey to Medicine
Growing up in Laredo, Texas, a border town, Gaby spent a lot of time in her father’s medical clinic where he ...
Cancer patients with unmet needs for support – in areas from finances to emotions – are more likely to experience worse clinical outcomes, according to a new study led by Dr. Frank Penedo of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami. Who are the cancer patients at highest risk for having unmet needs? Latinos, Blacks, and people who experience anxiety, depression, pain, poor physical function, and low health-related quality-of-life scores. "Our findings offer strong evidence that unmet supportive care needs are associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes, particularly higher risk for ED visits and hospitalizations," Dr. Penedo said, according to a news release. Let’s dive into unmet needs and what they mean for Latino cancer ...
CDC Project Firstline knows that healthcare workers are short on time, but this shouldn’t limit access to practical and valuable infection control training. That’s why CDC 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 blood!
What to Do When You See Blood
As a healthcare worker, you will work with a variety of patients ...
