In the fictional hospital TV show The Pitt, a Latino family man is rushed to the hospital after passing out at his job. The cause of his fall? The man, who has diabetes, had only been taking half of his prescribed insulin dose following a loss in insurance coverage. Despite the threat to his health, he opts out of treatment due to its high cost, his family’s medical debt, and loss of work pay. He then leaves the hospital without being discharged only to return later the same day — this time on the brink of death. While this man’s story may be fictional, it represents a reality far too many Latinos and other people encounter — the choice between affording medical care and death. A recent KFF poll found that half of US adults can’t afford the rising ...
Starting April 1, 2026, Texas recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will have new food purchase restrictions, including no candy and sugary drinks. These changes were made to comply with Senate Bull 379, which passed in June 2025 and is one of three bills under Texas’ “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, prohibiting the use of SNAP benefits to purchase less healthy foods and encouraging the purchase of more nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables. “In August 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service approved a healthy foods waiver that was submitted by Texas and allows the state to implement the SNAP limitations,” according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. With this in mind, let’s dive ...
With so many unknowns when it comes to Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers continue to investigate potential causes, risk factors, and treatments. Clinical trials are a major tool to help researchers make progress. These are studies with volunteers that enable advances that can slow, manage, and treat diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s for current and future family members. However, these trials only benefit everyone if they have a pool of participants that look like the rest of the population. For many reasons, including myths, lack of access to transportation, and time commitments, too few under-researched populations join clinical trials. But closing the gap on clinical trial participation doesn’t have to be a burden. Here are 3 clinical ...
As a state that has yet to expand Medicaid, Texas continues to fall behind other states when it comes to healthcare access, including maternal healthcare. Much of this has to do with the lack of access to affordable health coverage. According to a new report from UnidosUS, Texas is the country’s worst state when it comes to providing healthcare coverage for children. The report found that over 1 million children in Texas lacked health coverage in 2024 – a metric that accounts for 14% of the childhood population of the state. This is compared to the 6% of US children that were uninsured. What’s more, a staggering 66% of uninsured children in Texas were Latino. “Being born in Texas more than doubles the likelihood that a child will grow up ...
In 1998, the U.S. Surgeon General released a landmark report calling for tobacco control interventions for Hispanic and Latino and other populations. Has this goal been met? To find out, Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of UT Health San Antonio analyzed public health efforts since 1998 and identified a mix of replicable successes and remaining challenges in tobacco control, according to her recent article in JNCI Monographs. "Although progress has been made in the years since the report's release, [Latino and other] tobacco users continue to have limited access to cessation medication and support services," Ramirez wrote. "Cultural barriers and tobacco industry marketing have also complicated cessation efforts." "Despite these challenges, some outreach and cessation efforts have shown ...
One in 10 US adults older than 65 will experience dementia, and another 22% will have some form of mild cognitive impairment, according to Columbia University researchers. The good news is that you can reduce your risk of Alzheimer's Disease and dementia. Here are 10 positive changes that you can make to lower your risk for cognitive decline and improve your overall health, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
1. Protect Yourself from Brain Injuries Traumatic brain injuries have been linked to an increased risk for developing dementia. According to a published study examining the relationship between injury and cognitive decline, traumatic brain injuries can increase dementia risk between 2-and 4-fold. One of the best ways of preventing traumatic ...
Dr. Rebecca Jones, assistant director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, shared important community engagement strategies at the 2026 AACI Catchment Area Data Excellence (CADEx) Conference on March 9, 2026, in Atlanta. The event brought together National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center data experts, geospatial statisticians, and representatives from government and industry to address emerging topics in cancer prevention and control analytics. Jones was part of a panel that explored how to use catchment-area data to improve access and outcomes. "Panelists discussed how data inform their choices, focusing on the importance of community engagement for understanding where barriers exist and how access can be improved. Listening sessions ...
Durante los últimos años, Los Hispanos/Latinos que viven en el Sur de Texas han compartido sus historias de cáncer con el equipo del estudio de cohorte de supervivencia al Cáncer Hispano/Latino Avanzando Caminos Hispanic en UT Health San Antonio. Pero hasta ahora esas historias se limitaban a sobrevivientes de cáncer de próstata, colorrectal, pulmón, estómago, hígado, endometrio, mama, cuello uterino y riñón. Ahora es el momento de que los sobrevivientes de cáncer de vejiga, melanoma, ovario, tiroides y linfoma también compartan sus experiencias. El estudio Avanzando Caminos ahora está inscribiendo a participantes que hayan completado sus tratamientos primarios contra el cáncer para uno de los tipos de cáncer designados en los últimos 10 ...
Artificial intelligence, better known as AI, is part of everyday life for many people. In fact, experts say people interact with AI almost constantly or several times a day, from looking up information to creating something to making decisions. That goes for health decision-making, too. “AI is rapidly becoming a key player in many people's medical decisions. According to OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, more than 40 million people consult the platform every day for health information,” NPR reports. Let’s dive deeper into what this means and how trustworthy AI is for health advice.
Making the Right Medical Choices with AI?
One in six American adults consult AI chatbots for health information at least once a month, according to a recent study in Nature Medicine. The ...
