Knowing where germs live and thrive is important for infection control in healthcare. When you understand where germs live and how they can spread from place to place and make people sick, the infection control actions you take to keep them from spreading become second nature.
How Do Germs Spread?
Germs must be moved from person to person, place to place, or between places and people for them to potentially get someone sick. When you’re thinking about the risk for germs to spread in healthcare, the first step is to think through where germs live. A “reservoir” is a place where germs live and thrive. Like a habitat. Reservoirs can be in the human body – the skin, the gastrointestinal system, the respiratory system, including the nose, throat, and lungs, and the ...
Did you know that our health is influenced by many non-medical factors? That’s right. The conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work, and age – known as non-medical drivers of health – can greatly help or harm our health. As a result, more healthcare facilities are screening patients for non-medical drivers of health through written questionnaires or verbal questions. Screenings can cover a variety of topics, such as mental and financial health and access to healthy food, transportation, and affordable medication. Non-medical drivers of health screenings can help medical providers better understand and address patients’ social needs, which can be beneficial for overlooked patients who face health differences, such as Latinos. If patients screen positive for ...
This is part of the "Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos: 2022 Conference Proceedings," which summarizes findings and discussions of the 2022 Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos Conference on Feb. 23-25, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas.
Conclusion
To eliminate cancer differences in Latino populations, Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos brought together researchers, scientists, physicians, healthcare professionals, patient advocates, and students from across the US and Latin America. These presenters shared research advancements, identified gaps, developed actionable goals, updated clinical best practices, described effective community interventions, and detailed professional training programs aimed at addressing differences. In the process, most of the speakers made ...
This is part of the "Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos: 2022 Conference Proceedings," which summarizes findings and discussions of the 2022 Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos Conference on Feb. 23-25, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas.
Updates in Genomics of Breast Cancer among Latina Women
Dr. Elad Ziv is a Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), with a research focus on human genetics of cancer susceptibility and hematological traits. Genomics Explained To set the stage for his presentation, Dr. Ziv explained genomics in a lay-friendly way, describing it as a long series of letters. A change of one letter in this series, from an A to a G for example, can lead to anything from a change in height to a disease susceptibility. Not ...
This is part of the "Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos: 2022 Conference Proceedings," which summarizes findings and discussions of the 2022 Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos Conference on Feb. 23-25, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas.
Addressing Differences to Advance Health Improvement for Latinos
Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith is an internal medicine physician, the Associate Dean for Health [Improvement] Research at Yale School of Medicine, and the Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement at the Cancer Center. Dr. Nunez-Smith served as chair of the Presidential COVID-19 Health [Improvement] Task Force, and is one of the nation's foremost experts on differences in healthcare access. Health Differences Affecting Neglected Communities Dr. Nunez-Smith spoke ...
Latinos and other people of color face heavy burdens of cancer, diabetes, and more. These disparities are driven by systemic racism and discrimination that make it harder for people of color than their White peers to get equitable healthcare, education, and more. That is why Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio is a part of the Collaborative for Anti-Racism and Equity (CARE), a group that provides tools and resources to help people make connections and inform solutions to advance health and racial equity. As part of this group, we are excited to share a new case study from the Greensboro Health Disparities Collaborative (GHDC). The GHDC – a group of community leaders, advocates, public health researchers, and healthcare professionals – resolved racial disparities in ...
What’s the deal with COVID-19? Is the pandemic really over? Or should we brace for another wave of the coronavirus as winter approaches? While the number of cases, deaths, and hospitalizations from the virus are currently trending downward, there are still more than 100,00 new cases being reported by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) on some days. There are also days where more than 700 people have died from the virus. So, it’s still “COVID” out there, even though the “weather” has generally improved since the initial outbreak, which took a heavy toll on Latinos. There’s no crystal ball that can tell us the future, but public health leaders and data provide some insight as to just how “COVID” it will be this winter.
Yes, There Could Be ...
Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones have new reason for hope after positive results from clinical trial of a new treatment called lecanemab. Lecanemab – a drug designed to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by targeting amyloid plaque buildup in the brain – reduced the progression of cognitive decline among trial participants by 27% over 18 months, compared to placebo, according to UsAgainstAlzheimers. “This is very important and quite positive news that gives our nation’s 6 million Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones reason to hope again. In fact, the data is a reminder that each drug in this class of therapies is quite different,” said George Vradenburg, chair and co-founder of UsAgainstAlzheimers. What do the results show, and how will ...
Hurricanes are one of mother nature’s most dangerous forces, causing flooding, heavy rainfall, high winds, and even tornados. Some hurricanes, including Hurricane Harvey (2017), Hurricane Katrina (2005), and Hurricane Sandy (2012) are infamous for destroying communities and entire cities, leaving many survivors without homes or possessions. Because hurricanes can be so destructive, it’s important to prepare in case one hits your area. Latinos, here’s everything you need to know about hurricane safety.
When is Hurricane Season?
Hurricane season varies depending on where you live in the United States. The hurricane season for the Eastern Pacific region, including California (40.2% Latino), lasts from May 15 – November 30. The Atlantic hurricane season, including ...
