Latinos continue to be a growing population in the US. However, at 19.5% of the population, Latinos only comprise 6% of all physicians, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Fewer Latino physicians to meet the growing population can lead to worse health outcomes for Latinos, who rely on physicians that look and sound like them to build trusting patient-doctor relationships. To shine a light on this issue, National Latino Physician Day occurs every Oct. 1 during Hispanic Heritage Month to honor Latino physicians and share the need for more. Let’s go over how National Latino Physician Day came to be and why Latino physicians are integral for closing the gap on health differences for Latinos and all people.
How Did National Latino ...
Today, the Mays Cancer Center at The University of Texas San Antonio Health Science Center, along with 61 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Centers with leading national organizations and the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center have endorsed a joint statement urging the nation’s health care systems, physicians and other health care providers and professionals, parents, and caregivers, and the public to promote and choose human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for cancer prevention. HPV vaccination is safe and works to prevent six types of cancer (oropharyngeal, cervical, anal, vaginal, vulvar, and penile). Recently released National Immunization Survey (NIS)-Teen data show no gains in HPV vaccination over the last few years indicating urgent ...
In the last 15 years, U.S. mortality rates have leveled off or worsened, according to a new report from the National Institutes of Health. One of the lesser-known reasons for this trend is educational level. “Notably, research has found that mortality is [better] among people with a higher level of education,” according to NIH. Let’s dig deeper into this research and what it means for our communities.
What Research Found on Educational Levels
The NIH cites a recent study, published in JAMA Health Forum and led by Boston University School of Public Health. The study examined U.S. mortality rates by educational attainment before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics and the U.S. Census ...
Your liver is a key to overall health, performing hundreds of essential functions in your body. Find out the latest in liver health issues and solutions at UT Health San Antonio’s webinar, “What You Should Know about Your Amazing Liver,” which occurred at 11 a.m. Central on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. This webinar featured expert panelists from Mays Cancer Center, UT Health San Antonio, Texas Liver Institute, Genentech, and more to explore the state of liver health in South Texas. Panelists examined the oversized impact of liver disease and liver cancer and its causes among South Texas residents, who are predominantly Latino, and beyond Texas. Understanding the reasons why this is happening can reveal how to address this health issue and prevent liver cancer among Latinos and ...
As we continue to deal with COVID-19, the seniors in many of our familias are still at high risk for the virus’ serious health impacts. Between 2020 and 2025, seniors ages 65 and older were among those with the highest rates of death due to COVID-19, accounting for 936,523, or 76%, of all COVID-19 deaths in the US, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine has significantly slowed and reduced cases, many seniors remain burdened by complications from the virus for several reasons. These include vaccine hesitancy, challenges to vaccine access, and the spread of incorrect information about the vaccine. That’s why our friends at CVEEP are reminding seniors and other immunocompromised individuals ...
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 ...
Despite advances in modern medicine, the US continues to have one of the worst infant and maternal mortality rates in the developed world. In 2021, there were 32.9 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Fast forward to 2022 and the maternal mortality rate is down to 22.3 deaths for every 100,000 live births, according to a new March of Dimes report. The new rate marks a significant departure from the time of the pandemic when maternal mortality rates were at an all-time high. However, not everything is back to pre-pandemic levels. Here are the five key takeaways from the 2024 March of Dimes Report Card and what they mean for the health of mothers across the country.
1. ...
This content is from the "Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos: 2024 Conference Proceedings."
Cancer Center Priorities for Addressing Latino Cancer Health Gaps: A Fire-side Chat with Cancer Center Directors
This special session occurred at 9:00 a.m., Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, at the 4th biennial Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference. Dr. Yolanda Sanchez is the Maurice and Marguerite Liberman Distinguished Chair in Cancer Research, Professor in the University of New Mexico (UNM) Department of Internal Medicine Division of Molecular Medicine, and UNM Cancer Center Director and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Sanchez discussed the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) and its mission to reduce the cancer burden and overcome the tremendous ...
This content is from the "Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos: 2024 Conference Proceedings."
Obesity and Cancer: What We Know Now About Individual and Other Factors
Dr. Monica C. Serra is Associate Professor and Research Health Scientist in the Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology & Palliative Medicine and the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies at University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UTHSCSA). Obesity and cancer Dr. Serra began by discussing obesity and severe obesity, which have become more common in the US in recent years. In 2011, 27% of adults 18 years of age or older had obesity or severe obesity, and by 2020, 32% of adults 18 years of age or older had obesity or severe obesity. Furthermore, in ...
