Increasing rates of obesity and diabetes may be contributing to a steep rise in liver cancer, or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), among Latinos in the U.S., particularly in Texas. Overall U.S. HCC rates grew from 1.7 cases to 5 cases per 100,000 from 1980 to 2005, and reached 7.5 cases per 100,000 among Latinos, according to data presented at a recent American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) conference by Dr. Amelie Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday. Dr. Ramirez and her colleagues also found that Latinos accounted for about 33% of HCC cases in Texas and 75% of cases in South Texas, while also documenting corresponding increases in the prevalence of obesity ...
Rates of liver cancer in U.S.-born Hispanic men in California have increased by 87%, according to scientists at the Cancer Prevention Institute of California (CPIC), who looked at a recent 16-year span of statewide cancer registry data, Hispanically Speaking News reports. These men are at a significantly higher risk of liver cancer than California Hispanic men born outside of the U.S. Liver cancer risk is also higher among both Hispanic males and females in more ethnically isolated and lower income areas of the state. The results of this study, which is the first to examine liver cancer rates by neighborhood acculturation level and socioeconomic status, were recently published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. “California Health Interview Survey data show ...
As a doctor’s son, Daniel Ruben Flores grew up in his family’s pediatric clinic. He and his siblings hammered away at their math and reading homework after school at the clinic, while their parents helped the sick. Flores often paused to admire the handwritten letters – and drawings of his father with a stethoscope – on the wall from patients thanking the pediatrician for caring for them. “Wow, all these other kids really appreciate my dad and all the work he’s doing,” Flores recalled fondly. “I feel like that just kind of motivates you ... to go into the field.” Witnessing his father’s work and the impact he had on his patients helped spark a fire in Flores to pursue medicine and help people, too. He’s taking big steps now – like ...
The month of July is UV Awareness Month! While enjoying the summer rays, it’s important to protect yourself and loved ones against the UV light that comes from the sun. As the summer heat continues and outdoor activities begin, let’s dive into best practices for UV protection and how they can help prevent sunburns, sun damage, and more!
What are UV Rays?
CDC defines UV rays as an invisible kind of radiation from the sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps. UV radiation is divided into 3 main groups: UVA: While they have the least energy of UV rays, UVA radiation makes up 95% of the all the UV rays that make it to the Earth’s surface. They can cause skin cells to age and can cause some indirect damage to cells’ DNA.
UVB: UVB radiation makes up only 5% of the UV rays ...
When the world shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, jobs went virtual and educational institutions switched to online learning. Many people struggled to financially to pay for Internet to meet these demands. In response to the need for affordable internet access, the government established the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program) to temporarily help low-income households pay for broadband service through reimbursement and discounts. For a long-term solution to the internet service affordability problem, Congress created the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to replace the EBB Program in late 2021. Funding for the program ended at the beginning of 2024, and the program provided its final month of assistance in April 2024, leaving thousands of ...
Every month the Salud America! team at the Institute of Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio showcases the latest health news, clinical trials, research study results, and stories impacting the Latino community. Salud America! is led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez. “Our mission is to inspire people to drive change for health equity for Latino and all families,” said Ramirez, professor and director of the IHPR at UT Health San Antonio. June was jam-packed with stories of how social determinants of health affect the health outcomes of Latinos, comment campaigns designed to spark change, and a very special webinar. Let’s take a deeper dive into some of the topics, news, and stories published in June that are making waves in the Latino ...
You can help create a healthier future. Volunteers for registries, research programs, and clinical trials can help researchers learn how to slow, manage, and treat cancer and other diseases. “With diverse research participation, researchers have more opportunity to create better prevention and treatments that work for all people,” said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. Here are seven research opportunities based in San Antonio and beyond to explore this month!
1. Latina Health Reproductive Health Screenings
University of Texas at San Antonio researchers are seeking Hispanic and Latina women between ages 50 and 65 living in San Antonio to comment about their last Pap ...
As of 2023, there are 169 million women and 166 million men living in the US.
While men and women share many of the same health risks and concerns, women have their own unique challenges, such as reproductive cancers and maternal health, and are more prone to certain diseases and adverse health conditions.
Women, especially women from racial/ethnic and underserved populations, including Latinas, are exposed to barriers to healthcare resulting in worse health outcomes.
Let’s explore six disparities impacting women’s health in the US.
1. Cancer Screenings
Several cancers affect women more than men, or specifically impact women, such as cervical and ovarian cancers.
This makes cancer screening so important for women. However, women, especially women of color, face a lot of ...
As COVID-19 exposed cracks in our healthcare system and racial/ethnic health inequities, community health workers rose to the challenge to educate communities on virus prevention, dispel misinformation, and advocate for the vaccine. Community health workers – called promotoras in Latino communities – are non-medical public health workers who connect people to healthcare and social services. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) is seeking public comments on the use of community health workers to increase “cultural competency in educational campaigns on public health vaccines and prevention, including but not limited to influenza and COVID-19.” Submit this Salud America! model comment to tell HHS about the importance ...
