As we fight the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to make sure we’ve got all the right facts. Public health experts are seeing a lot of misinformation about COVID-19 spread on social media. Whether conspiracy theories or jokes about side effects, experts are concerned about the implications it could have. Misinformation could especially hurt Latinos, who are being disproportionately hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic and have shown hesitancy about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. “It’s the repetition [of misinformation] that worries me,” said Eveyln Pérez-Verdía, a strategist who tracks Spanish disinformation, according to NBC News. "People are seeing this constantly.” What is some of the misinformation being spread about COVID-19? Let’s check the myths and facts. UPDATE ...
Immigration is difficult and often traumatic. People who immigrate to the U.S. often face a dangerous journey only to be met with aggression and xenophobia at the border. It can lead to loss of hope, anxiety, depression, and even suicide. Cheryl Aguilar wants to help families experiencing the trauma of immigration and adjusting to new life in the U.S. Aguilar immigrated from Honduras as a teenager, an experience that helped guide her to give back to immigrant communities. Aguilar is a clinical social worker and founding director and therapist at the Hope Center for Wellness. “As a therapist, one of the things that I do is help individuals, families, and communities heal from whatever distress, trauma, or experiences they might have encountered. I believe in holistic healing, ...
Alzheimer’s disease is an illness that affects the lives of many, and it impacts some Americans more than others. In fact, studies show that U.S. Latinos are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's than their White peers. That number is only going to get worse over time if dedicated action isn't taken. The number of Latinos living with Alzheimer’s is projected to grow from 430,000 in 2014 to 3.2 million in 2060. That is more than an alarming seven-fold increase. Yet Latinos are underrepresented in clinical research across the board. Fortunately, Texas officials and researchers are working on this issue.
How Big a Problem is Alzheimer's Disease in Texas and Among Latinos?
The problem is huge in Texas, according to the experts. "In Texas in 2019 alone, 1650 ...
Multiple COVID-19 vaccines are now authorized for emergency use, but uncertainty lies ahead. Several new studies show that older Americans, especially Latino and Black adults, are skeptical of the safety and efficacy of a COVID-19 vaccine. The results indicate mistrust between communities of color and public health officials, likely due to historical racism in health care and implicit bias. This mistrust concerns health care officials, as a vaccine is key to controlling the pandemic. “Effective vaccines will be crucial to getting this pandemic under control and preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19, especially among people over 50 and those with underlying health issues,” said Dr. Preeti Malani, the poll’s director and a specialist in geriatrics and ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, discussed Latina breast cancer in a livestream interview for the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium on Dec. 7, 2020. Watch the full interview (in Spanish). Ramirez has led Latina-focused breast cancer research for over 20 years. She has studied patient navigation, genetic testing, clinical trials, quality of life, and survivorship issues. "Cancer prevention is a critical way to save people’s lives today," said Ramirez, who also hosts the biannual Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference. "If we applied what we know works through prevention, we could reduce cancer by half."
Dr. Ramirez & Her Healthy Equity Research
Ramirez is an ...
Does someone smoke in your apartment complex? You might be inhaling your neighbor's secondhand smoke. Inside multifamily dwellings, secondhand smoke can travel through doorways, halls, windows, ventilation systems, electrical outlets, and gaps around fixtures and pipes. Secondhand smoke, already a cancer-causing killer of millions, also might contribute to the spread of coronavirus. While there is no definitive link as of yet, there is enough scientific understanding of how particles travel to cause concern that smoke from cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products could be transferring COVID-19, said Dr. Loren Wold, a researcher at The Ohio State University. “We know that the virus can attach to particles and can travel three, four, or five times farther than they ...
Apply now for the 2021 Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program and optional $3,250 internships from the Institute for health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio! Each year, Éxito! recruits 25 U.S. master’s level students and professionals to participate in a five-day, culturally tailored Éxito! summer institute to promote pursuit of a doctoral degree and cancer research. COVID-19 postponed the 2020 Éxito! program. Now applications for 2021 are open with limited spots available. At the next Éxito! summer institute, set for June 7 -11, 2021, in San Antonio, participants will interact with Latino researchers, mentors, and doctoral experts. They will learn about Latino cancer, succeeding in a doctoral program, and the diversity of careers ...
Since the start of coronavirus’ spread throughout the country, Latinos have lacked the resources to battle against widespread rates of infection, death. Soon, that community will have a voice on President-Elect Joe Biden’s recently announced COVID-19 Taskforce, which includes two Latinos — Dr. Luciana Borio, former assistant FDA commissioner, and Dr. Robert Rodriguez, a professor of emergency medicine at UCSF School of Medicine. This kind of representation is critical to combat the horrific experiences Latinos and other people of color have experienced during this epidemic, especially as winter arrives, said Dr. Leana Wen, the former Baltimore health commissioner. “[Biden’s] work needs to begin right now. He needs to begin communicating the urgency of actions with the ...
Breast cancer affects different women differently. That's why the Breast Friends Forever (BFF) support group enables young breast cancer survivors to share their experiences in San Antonio, Texas (64% Latino). Recently, some BFF leaders joined the "Health Conversations with Anna Smith" Podcast. They talked about the need for the group and its origins in celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. These include: Sandra L. San Miguel, BFF co-founder and program director at the National Cancer Institute; Brenda Garza, BFF co-founder and a survivor; Stanlie Murray, BFF executive director and a survivor; and Erica Ann De Zaiffe, BFF member and a survivor. Listen to the podcast Part 1 and Part 2. "BFF was a pioneer in those days, combining outreach and education activities with ...
