Search Results for "rural"

How Cancer Centers Are Addressing Local Needs


UCM Oncology Food Pantry

More than 2 million people in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with cancer this year. No two among them will experience cancer exactly the same way. Even so, certain groups of people will share similar cancer experiences—experiences marked by deep disadvantage. Latinos face higher rates of cervical, liver, and stomach cancers. Black women with ovarian cancer don’t live as long as White women with the disease. People living in rural areas are less likely to get regular cancer screenings than those who live in cities. And people who live in areas where poverty has been the norm for decades are more likely to die of cancer than those living in more affluent areas. These patterns of worse outcomes among specific groups of people are called cancer disparities. Although ...

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How the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline Helps Latinas and All Mothers


Worry Young Mother Holding Newborn Baby On hands And Talking On Cellphone

Every year an unprecedented number of pregnant women in the US suffer mental hardships.  The American Academy of Medicine (AAMC) estimates that 1 in 5 women endure a mental health or substance use disorder during a pregnancy and up to a year after birth.   In fact, mental health conditions are one of the leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   What’s more, 80% of these deaths are preventable.  That’s why the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) created the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline.   Let’s dive into the hotline, how it helps Latinas and all mothers, and what HHS is doing to get the word out about it.  What is the National Maternal Mental Health ...

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Report: Over a Third of US Counties Are Maternity Care Deserts


Daughter touching the belly of her pregnant mother

The US is experiencing a maternity healthcare crisis where pre-term labors and infant and maternal mortality rates are up due to a lack of access to prenatal and postpartum care.  Many of these women live in areas designated as maternity care deserts. These are areas where pregnant individuals and mothers have limited or nonexistent access to vital prenatal and postpartum health care.  Maternal care deserts exist in 35% of US counties — encompassing 2.3 million reproductive aged women, according to the March of Dimes’ annual report, Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts in the US.  According to the report, living in these areas greatly increases their risk for infant and maternal mortality, pre-term labor, and untreated conditions that could harm the lives of the mother or ...

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State of Latino Obesity


Portrait of a latin beautiful woman smiling while coming to the doctor's office for a medical check-up

Obesity is one of the biggest modifiable risk factors for cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea.  It’s also plaguing the health of Americans, especially in people of color.   Latinos continue to be disproportionately affected by obesity with a prevalence of 35% or higher in Latino adults living in 34 US states and territories, according to updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Let’s dive into the new statistics on adult obesity in the US, what’s driving it, and what interventions can help address it.   Adult Obesity  All states and territories in the US had an obesity prevalence higher than 20% in 2023, which is the equivalent of 1 in 5 US adults, according to the CDC.  The highest obesity prevalence in the US was in ...

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Experts to Address Cholangiocarcinoma, a Rare Cancer


Nurse Comforting Patient Receiving Chemotherapy Treatment

In a lifetime, four in 10 US adults will be diagnosed with cancer, according to WebMD. Most of these cancers will be found in the breast, prostate, lung, colon, bladder, kidney, skin, and pancreas. Meanwhile, others may receive a rare cancer diagnosis, such as cholangiocarcinoma, which is a rare form of cancer that affects the bile duct. Due to their low incidence, less is known about these rare cancers and there are fewer opportunities available to change that. To learn more about cholangiocarcinoma, the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation is partnering with the MD Anderson Cancer Center to put on the 2024 Houston Cholangiocarcinoma Symposium: A Gathering of Knowledge, Support, and Hope on Dec. 13, 2024. Cholangiocarcinoma Symposium The 2024 Houston Cholangiocarcinoma Symposium ...

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Helping Latino Cancer Survivors (and Caregivers) Be More Active


Helping Latino Cancer Survivors and Caregivers Be More Active - exercise 1

Physical activity can have many benefits for cancer survivors, from improving their quality of life to potentially making it less likely that their disease will come back. Yet studies have shown that many cancer survivors struggle to get the recommended levels of physical activity, particularly those affected by health inequities. Now, according to the results of a new study, a program in Texas has shown it can get these cancer survivors moving more by supporting them in the communities where they live, and by getting their caregivers to become more active as well. The cancer survivors and caregivers, who were mostly Latino, were participants in a 12-week program called Active Living After Cancer. After completing the program, the percentage of survivors getting recommended ...

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State of Substance Use Treatment Among Latinos


Group of Multiethnic Millennial People talking about their addiction

Drug misuse continues to be a pervasive problem in the US. Use of illicit drugs can have disastrous health consequences, especially for disadvantaged populations like Latinos, and can lead to premature death. While there are methods to combat addiction, lack of information, lack of insurance, and less access to treatment facilities can get in the way of seeking treatment. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released its annual report on the state of mental health and substance use in the US. Based on results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States covers mental health and substance use, including tobacco, illicit drugs, and more. So far, we have covered alcohol, tobacco and ...

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Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa: The First Latino Chancellor of The University of Texas System



Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa, UT Health San Antonio’s Malú and Carlos Alvarez Center for Transplantation, Hepatobiliary Surgery and Innovation Director, still remembers the greatest gift he’s ever received.   It didn’t come in the form of an award, a plaque, certificate, or even a baked good.  It came from a 6-year-old patient.   Cigarroa was astonished when the girl he had operated on a few months prior opened her mouth to sing a song meant especially for him.   He cried.  “To this day it’s still the most beautiful gift I’ve ever gotten, and she had the voice of an angel,” Cigarroa recalled. “Sometimes the greatest gifts come in the most unexpected ways.”  Cigarroa has held many titles over the course of his illustrious career, including being ...

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National Latino Physician Day: Spotlighting Healthcare, Education Disparities


National Latino Physician Day 2024

Latinos currently make up 19.5% of the US population.  Yet only 7% of physicians are Latino, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).  What’s more, only 2% of the 7% are Latina, according to the publication Latina Women in the U.S. Physician Workforce: Opportunities in the Pursuit of Health Equity.  Latino representation is vital to achieve health equity for all patients, including Latinos.  This glaring disparity can increase instances of racial and ethnic bias, delay preventative care, influence what kind of treatment someone receives, and cause a stronger mistrust of the healthcare system – all of which can disastrously impact Latino health.   During Hispanic Heritage Month we are honoring Latino physicians on National Latino Physician ...

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