Primary care practices that employ nurse practitioners (NPs) are more likely to serve low-income communities than practices with no NPs on staff, according to researchers from the Columbia University School of Nursing. Dr. Monica O’Reilly-Jacob, assistant professor and study leader, along with her colleagues looked at 79,743 primary care practices across the United States. Of these practices, 53.4% employed NPs in 2023, a large jump from 21% in 2012. Let’s go beyond the surface of these results and explore how it impacts others.
The Importance of Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that as of May 2023, 280,140 organizations employed nurse practitioners (NPs) nationally. According to the researchers, practices with NPs were more likely ...
March is recognized as National Nutrition Month.® During this time, folks can prioritize better nutrition and take advantage of many resources that can help improve the health and nutrition of all families. Let’s dive deeper into resources that can be helpful to you and your families in achieving the best nutrition possible.
1. ‘Food Connects Us’ from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics created National Nutrition Month® in 1973. With this year’s theme of “Food Connects Us,” the Academy’s annual campaign encourages people to make informed food choices and develop strong eating and physical activity habits. “Health, memories, traditions, seasons and access can all impact our relationship with food. While these factors ...
Cancer continues to be a top cause of death of all people, only second to heart disease. This makes the need for cancer interventions is vital in places like San Antonio, Texas (64.4% Latino; US Census). That’s one of the reasons that UT Health San Antonio is one of two study sites for the Avanzando Caminos Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship Research Study — a one-of-a-kind study that aims to unpack the behavioral, mental, biological, and medical influences on post-cancer life. Since 2021, the study team has diligently been collecting the stories of hundreds of cancer survivors in the South Texas area in hopes of identifying ways to help improve cancer outcomes. But there’s still more work to be done. The Avanzando Caminos study is looking to enroll 1,500 ...
From what you put into your body to what you do with it, just about anything can impact your health when you’re pregnant. It can also impact the health of the unborn child. That’s why it’s important to take the steps necessary to ensure the health and safety of both the expectant mother and baby. The best way to start is to ensure you get the recommended amount of physical activity each week. The truth is that Moving Matters! Let’s review the physical activity guidelines for pregnant and postpartum women and learn about the benefits of movement before and after pregnancy.
Physical Activity Recommendations
Like anyone at any stage of life, physical activity is vital to maintaining good health leading to a better quality of life. For pregnant ...
Scientists and collaborators at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai recently identified novel genetic interactions that may contribute to congenital heart disease. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a problem with the heart’s structure at birth. Let’s go beyond the surface and learn more about what the research means and how it can help others!
The Health Impact of Congenital Heart Disease (CHD)
When a disease or condition is congenital, it means someone is born with this condition. Congenital heart diseases or defects occur when “when the heart, or blood vessels near the heart, don’t develop normally before birth. Such defects result when a mishap occurs during heart development soon after conception — often before the mother is aware that she is pregnant,” ...
Cancer continues to be tied with heart disease as the top cause of death for all people, including Latinos. People of different backgrounds suffer higher rates of certain cancer types, are diagnosed at later stages, and are more likely to die from the disease. This is often due to issue with non-medical drivers of health in communities. That’s why researchers choose to keep studying the intersection between background and health issues so that science and medicine can improve cancer outcomes for these individuals and everyone. Here are three cancer studies that focus on cancer and background.
1. Trends in Incidence of Testicular Cancer
Testicular cancer remains the second -most common cancer in men aged 15-39 worldwide, according to a study published in the National ...
Cancer screening can save lives by detecting cancer early, when it’s most treatable or before it starts. Watch a webinar about cancer screening at UT Health San Antonio’s webinar, “The Thing that Could Save Your Life,” which took place at 1 p.m. Central on March 4, 2025. The webinar featured experts from the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, Genentech, and a cancer survivor, who explored available cancer screenings and how to access them in South Texas and beyond. Panelists examined common myths and barriers to routine cancer screening, including the non-medical drivers of health, and strategies to overcome those myths and barriers. Panelists also shared other cancer prevention strategies from risk reduction and participating in clinical trials. This is a ...
Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the country, impacting 38 million adults in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The long-lasting condition also contributes to heart disease and cancer. That is why it’s important to address the non-medical drivers of health – such as access to transportation, healthy foods, and green spaces for safe play and exercise – which can influence risk for diabetes, especially for those genetically predisposed to it. Let’s dive into some new studies that explore diabetes and its impact on all people.
1. Issues with Diabetes for Those in Tough Financial Situations
Poverty can be a huge factor in the development of diabetes, especially in early childhood with those who ...
Physical activity is an important key to overall health. For example, studies have shown that dance can improve memory retention and even 10 minutes of physical activity can help destroy cancer cells. But what happens after you are physically active? Studies also found that increased physical activity was often followed by extended rest, which may reduce long-term benefits. Now, a recent research study has found that replacing rest between exercise sessions with additional ecologically relevant physical activities may help improve cognitive decline among Spanish-speaking Latino adults. Let’s dig deeper into this study and how it impacts older people.
What is Ecological Momentary Intervention?
Dr. Ulf G. Bronas at the Columbia School of Nursing and his research team ...
