It’s that time of year again! Summer is ending and children are returning to school. Just as you prepare your child for the upcoming school year with school supplies, consider preparing them for a healthier life free from Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers with an HPV vaccine. Now is the perfect time to schedule your child’s annual wellness visit to receive the vaccine – before life gets hectic again.
What is HPV?
HPV is short for human papillomavirus. There are many types of HPVs, some of which can be sexually transmitted and cause cancer later in life, according to the American Cancer Society. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the US. HPV is so common that almost every sexually active person will get HPV at some point in their lives if ...
As a child, A.J. Williams was exposed to domestic violence. Now a police officer in Fort Worth, Texas, Williams is making sure children like him are getting the support they need in school through the Handle With Care program, where police notify schools when they encounter children at a traumatic scene, so schools can provide support the next day. After COVID-19 derailed an idea to team up Fort Worth police and schools for a local Handle With Care program, Williams reinitiated plans with help from a Handle With Care action pack from Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. He trained police and school leaders about the program and brought regional education leaders to the table who helped create a region-wide notification system. Now police departments and schools in the ...
Research suggests that Latinos are more likely to live near Superfund sites with contaminated drinking water, increasing risks for adverse health effects. This health inequity contributes to a larger issue of Latinos generally having less access to clean, safe drinking water in the US. Join us as Salud America! explores this health disparity through a three-part series on Latino drinking water contamination. Part 1 focused on nitrates in drinking water, how prevalent nitrate-contaminated drinking water is in Latino communities, and how the nation is promoting safer water for Latinos and all people. Today, in Part 2, we will address contaminated drinking water at Superfund sites, its impact on Latinos, and current efforts to promote safer drinking water in these ...
How can you stand up to the tobacco industry? On March 31, you can participate in Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action! Take Down Tobacco, a fresh take on Kick Butts Day, is the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ signature platform for empowering people to speak out against the tobacco industry. You can: Join the movement
Host an event
Play games in the Take Down Tobacco Arcade
Plan events or share on ocial media with #TakeDownTobacco The team behind Salud America! is working to help young adults quit smoking with Quitxt, our free English or Spanish text-message service that turns your phone into a personal “quit smoking” coach from UT Health San Antonio. To get help, text “iquit” (for English) or “lodejo” (for Spanish) to 844-332-2058. “On ...
Many Latinos and other people of color were not counted in the 2020 Census. Latinos have historically been undercounted, but the 2020 Census undercounted Latinos by more than three times the rate for that group in the 2010 census, CNN reports. Learn what led to the census undercount, why it matters for Latinos, and how we can fight inequities in our communities.
What Happened with the 2020 Census?
Overall, about 0.24% of the country’s population, or about 782,000 people, were not counted in the 2020 Census. The undercount rate for Latinos was 4.99%, according to NPR. Latinos are often undercounted because the Census has a harder time reaching marginalized communities. “The census has historically undercounted populations that are harder to reach through surveys, phone ...
Dolores Huerta taught us sí se puede—yes we can. This was Huerta's rallying cry as she inspired Latino farm workers to demand fair wages and better working conditions in the 1970s. In the decades after she co-founded the United Farm Worker's Union with César E. Chávez and made many gains for workers, she has continued to serve as a powerful voice to develop leaders and advocate for the Latino working poor, women, and children. Huerta, now 94, "travels across the country engaging in campaigns and influencing legislation that supports equality" and "speaks to students and organizations about issues of social justice and public policy," according to the Dolores Huerta Foundation. "A lot of people don’t realize that they actually can make a difference. That’s what we ...
The COVID-19 vaccination gap continues among Latinos. In fact, most people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine were White (58%), while only 17% were Latino. State-level data show that Latinos are vaccinated at a much lower rate, even as they face heavier case and death burdens from the disease. This makes it critical to find innovative ways to reach Latinos to get vaccinated. “One of the main reasons for inequities in vaccination rates by race and ethnicity is the significant misinformation about vaccines and lack of health education,” writes Dr. Jay Bhatt, an internal medicine physician and an instructor at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, in a recent op-ed. “Through targeted outreach, one-on-one conversations and concerted efforts ...
In the next 20 years, Latinos could face a 142% rise in cancer rates. Latinos also experience cancer differently—from genetics to healthcare access to survivorship. This is why Dr. Amelie Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, is hosting the Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos 2022 conference on Feb. 23-25, 2022 in San Antonio! "Our vision is to unite researchers, physicians, healthcare professionals, patient advocates and students from across the nation to discuss research advancements, identify gaps, and create action to translate basic research into clinical best practices, effective community interventions, and professional training programs to eliminate cancer disparities in Latinos," said Ramirez, whose Institute for Health Promotion Research ...
Across the country, COVID-19 cases are on the rise again, despite the vaccine being widely available. This due to the delta variant, a mutation of COVID-19 that is highly contagious. But what does the rise of the delta variant mean for Latinos, those who are vaccinated and those aren’t? Learn the important facts about the delta variant and how Latinos can stay safe.
What is the Delta Variant?
The delta variant is a highly contagious strain of COVID-19 that was first identified in India and has spread across the world. “The Delta variant is the fastest, fittest and most formidable version of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 the world has encountered, and it is upending assumptions about the disease even as nations loosen restrictions and open their economies, ...
