Pedestrian fatalities have increased 50% since 2009. Autonomous vehicles—those driven by automated driving systems rather than a human—are often suggested as a solution by politicians, planners, even some safety advocates. But with our nation’s struggle to regulate the automobile industry and failure to protect people walking, many worry about the decades-long shift to autonomous vehicles because cars will still dominate roads and road design. Moreover, many worry that electric driverless vehicles district from the social, economic, and health issues cities are facing today. “Public health will benefit if proper policies and regulatory frameworks are implemented before the complete introduction of [autonomous vehicles] into the market,” according to David Rojas-Rueda ...
Hispanic Heritage Month is here! This annual U.S. observance, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. We at Salud America! invite you to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in these awesome ways.
1. Learn How Hispanic Heritage Month Started
U.S. Congressmen Edward R. Roybal of Los Angeles and Henry B. Gonzales were among those who introduced legislation on the topic in 1968. President Lyndon Johnson implemented the observance as Hispanic Heritage Week that year. U.S. Rep. Esteban E. Torres of Pico Rivera proposed the observance be expanded to cover its current 30-day period. President Ronald Reagan implemented the expansion to Hispanic ...
When Gilberto Lopez was visiting his family in California at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he realized his community wasn’t getting the information they needed about safety precautions. “Information that was coming through to my academic bubble, I call it ‘The Harvard Bubble,’ was completely different than the information about COVID that was coming down to the immigrant community,” said Lopez, who comes from a farm-working community in the Central Valley. He wanted to do something to make sure Latino communities learned about COVID-19 and vaccines in culturally relevant ways, like art. Lopez is an assistant professor at Arizona State University's School of Transborder Studies, where he focuses on the health and wellbeing of immigrant, Mexican communities in the ...
For the third time, Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez's Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program at UT Health San Antonio has been named a finalist for Excelencia in Education's "Examples of Excelencia." The awards spotlight evidence-based programs that support Latino students in higher education. Éxito! was also a finalist in 2018 and 2019. The winning “Examples of Excelencia” in four categories—associate, baccalaureate, graduate, and community-based organizations—will be announced virtually at Excelencia in Education’s annual Celebracion de Excelencia on Oct. 28. 2021. Excelencia in Education is a national group that promotes Latinos in higher education. Éxito! recruits 25 Latino students and health professionals annually for a culturally tailored ...
Today, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) designated UT Health San Antonio and UT Texas Rio Grande Valley as an Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center to boost research and reduce the Alzheimer's burden among Latinos, who suffer disparities in dementia. The new center is the first in South Texas. It joins 32 other centers nationwide that are accelerating research on effective Alzheimer’s and dementia prevention, diagnostics, and treatments, and improving support for families and caregivers. Salud America! is a center partner to promote its research and clinical trials. "This federal designation by NIA will be transformational as we seek cures and provide the best possible care, based on the most up-to-date knowledge and technology, ...
Pregnant Latinas have some of the lowest vaccination rates against COVID-19 compared to other ethnic/racial groups, according to a report from the CDC. The disparity is likely due to less culturally competent and accessible healthcare in communities of color, as well as vaccine misinformation about fertility and pregnancy. The CDC encourages all people who are eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and that pregnancy should not be a barrier. “COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future,” according to the CDC’s website. With more culturally relevant resources regarding vaccine safety for fertility and pregnancy, vaccine ...
Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in Latinas. Systemic health inequities contribute to lower rates of breast cancer screening among Latinos, which leads to cancer diagnoses at later disease stages. This is why we're sharing Susan G. Komen’s 2021 ongoing webinar series on metastatic breast cancer (MBC)! The next two webinars, "MBC in the Hispanic/Latino Community," are set for 6 p.m. CT Sept. 23, 2021, in English and 6 p.m. CT Sept. 30, 2021, in Spanish. Panelists are: Dr. Filipa Lynce, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Director, Inflammatory Breast Center, Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Jose Pablo Leone, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Director, Program for Breast Cancer in Men, Harvard Medical School Panelists will foster a safe, collaborative space to discuss ...
In the next 20 years, Latinos could face a 142% rise in cancer rates. Latinos also experience cancer differently—from genetics to healthcare access to survivorship. This is why Dr. Amelie Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, is hosting the Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos 2022 conference on Feb. 23-25, 2022 in San Antonio! "Our vision is to unite researchers, physicians, healthcare professionals, patient advocates and students from across the nation to discuss research advancements, identify gaps, and create action to translate basic research into clinical best practices, effective community interventions, and professional training programs to eliminate cancer disparities in Latinos," said Ramirez, whose Institute for Health Promotion Research ...
El cáncer es un camino difícil, miedoso y peligroso para la vida, especialmente para las mujeres de color. Por esto es que los investigadores realizan estudios clínicos, que son estudios para encontrar tratamientos más efectivos o para lograr un mejor entendimiento del cáncer de seno y la supervivencia en las minorías. Pero, para progresar, los estudios clínicos necesitan voluntarios diversos, como Elsada Wilson. Wilson participó en un estudio clínico del Mays Cancer Center de UT Health San Antonio y encontró esperanza para ella, su familia y el futuro. "Sentí que estaba ayudando a avanzar los estudios y el conocimiento", dijo. "Si me ayuda, entonces podré ayudar a mi familia y ayudar a otras personas que necesitan ayuda. Quería ayudar a los demás. Me dije a mí ...
