One in 10 US adults older than 65 will experience dementia, and another 22% will have some form of mild cognitive impairment, according to Columbia University researchers. The good news is that you can reduce your risk of Alzheimer's Disease and dementia. Here are 10 positive changes that you can make to lower your risk for cognitive decline and improve your overall health, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
1. Protect Yourself from Brain Injuries Traumatic brain injuries have been linked to an increased risk for developing dementia. According to a published study examining the relationship between injury and cognitive decline, traumatic brain injuries can increase dementia risk between 2-and 4-fold. One of the best ways of preventing traumatic ...
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. There are roughly 147,000 new colorectal cancer cases in the US each year as of 2022, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What’s more, colorectal cancer was linked to 53,779 deaths in the US in 2023. These statistics make colorectal cancer the fourth-most common type of cancer and the fourth-largest cause of cancer-related deaths across all age groups, according to the CDC. Many of these cases and deaths are in individuals from overlooked populations, including Latinos, which were brought on by non-medical drivers of health, such as lack of access to quality cancer care and limitedaccess to screening. In honor of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we are diving into the 8 ...
How can we help our abuelos and other loved ones who are dealing with Alzheimer's disease? Clinical trials! These are studies with volunteers that help researchers learn more to help slow, manage, and treat Alzheimer’s for current and future family members. But without volunteers for clinical trials, the benefits may miss certain groups. That's why Salud America! is joining the San Antonio Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Population Aging and Social Studies (CAPAS). CAPAS will unite researchers from UT San Antonio, the Center for Brain Health, the Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, and others. Community Impact, a local news agency across Texas, featured the effort in an article and interviewed Dr. Amelie G. ...
2025 was filled with plenty of ups and downs in the world of health for Latinos and all people. However, there were some significant highs that drove health in 2025. For instance, 2025 gave us two campaigns that put readers in the driver’s seat of country-wide change and Salud America! received several opportunities to help make a difference in the lives of all people. But most of all this year gave us hope in the form of stories of survivorship and perseverance. Here were the top 10 stories driving Latino Health in 2025.
1. Linda Mota Shares Her Breast Cancer Survivorship Story
Breast cancer was the last thing on Linda Mota’s mind. She was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer — a disease that greatly affected her ...
Firefighters are at higher risk of cancer than the general population. That is the reason for the new San Antonio Firefighters Cancer Prevention Program. The program aims to better understand and reduce the cancer burden among local firefighters and emergency medical services personnel. It is a partnership of the San Antonio Fire Department, UT Health San Antonio, and Sylvester’s Firefighter Cancer Initiative at the University of Miami. Now the program is featured in an article in San Antonio Medicine, a publication of the Bexar County Medical Society. The article was written by Dr. Rachelle Hamblin, a family medicine physician at Health by Design, the SAFD Retiree Police and Firefighter Clinic; Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT ...
Last year, the US earned a D+ for preterm birth on the March of Dimes Report Card. The March of Dimes Report Card is an annual report that signifies where states and the rest of the country are in terms of infant and maternal mortality and morbidity. This year, the US is following up its last poor rating with another D+, making it the fourth consecutive year the country has earned the substandard score. Of the births that occurred in the US in 2024, nearly 380,000 babies were born preterm, accounting for every 1 in 10 births, according to the report. Let’s take a closer look at the March of Dimes Report Card and what it means for infant and maternal health in the US.
Preterm Births in the US
March of Dimes, which pushes for better maternal and infant ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! and cancer health researcher at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, has been selected for the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA). The award honors individuals who have "demonstrated a significant and lasting impact on improving the lives of older adults, particularly Hispanic older adults," by promoting health and building healthy communities. Ramirez received the award at the 2025 NHCOA Awards Ceremony on Dec. 18, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Watch the livestream of the award ceremony. "I am truly humbled to be selected," Ramirez said. "NHCOA’s work is deeply meaningful, and to be recognized by an organization so dedicated to advancing the well-being and dignity of our ...
The Salud America! program, led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of UT Health San Antonio, has received the National Health Award from the National Association of Medical Spanish (NAMS) and the Medical Organization for Latino Advancement (MOLA). The award was given during the MOLA-NAMS Annual Conference in November 2025 in San Antonio. "I am truly humbled and honored to accept this recognition on behalf of our Salud America! program, and the countless storytellers, community leaders, and cancer survivors who walk with us on this journey toward better health for all people," Ramirez said. Ramirez launched Salud America! in 2007 to create data-driven news report, role model stories, and action opportunities for better health for all. "Thanks to our passionate team and network, we’ve ...
Volunteering for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s helps other people. It gives the volunteer a nice emotional boost, too. So why not volunteer your “digital voice” or “actions”? We at Salud America! invite you to take or start these 17 actions to promote health for Latino and all families this holiday season!
1. Get Your Town's Health Report Card!
How is the state of health in your community? Find out by downloading a Salud America! Health Report Card for your town! Enter your county name and get auto-generated local data with interactive maps and comparative gauges on several health indicators. This can help you visualize and explore local issues in education, housing, transportation, food, health, and more. See how your county stacks up compared to the ...
