The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking another step forward in its campaign against “forever chemicals,” also known as perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS).
On April 10, 2024, the EPA announced its final ruling on the first-ever PFAS drinking water standard in the country.
The EPA ruled in favor of the legally enforceable standard that limits PFAS, which has been linked to adverse health effects such as impacts to fetal growth and increased cancer risk, in drinking water.
The final ruling on the matter comes nearly a year after closing public comment on the issue, which garnered 121,969 comments — 832 of them from Salud America! members who submitted a model comment in support of the regulation.
Read all comments. PFAS Drinking Water ...
In December 2023, the National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released the sixth edition of the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC). The MMUCC is a voluntary guideline of standardized data for state and local agencies to collect on motor vehicle crashes. This can help compare crash trends across and between states and guide the design and assessment safety countermeasures and their effectiveness. Earlier in 2023, NHTSA had sought public comment on their revisions to the fifth edition of the MMUCC. Roughly 500 comments were submitted, most by Salud America! members. Unfortunately, it is unclear how NHTSA considered the solicited comments. Because the MMUCC is a voluntary guideline rather than a rule, NHTSA is not required to publish a summary of comments ...
Some big changes in 2022 and 2023 have set up the healthcare sector to advance screening for non-medical social needs in 2024 and beyond. This is great news as we work to address social determinants of health (SDoH), improve health outcomes, and reduce health disparities. But one key social need – transportation – isn’t getting the attention it deserves. Transportation is a foundational social need and often co-occurs with other needs and/or acts as a barrier to resolving other needs. Yet transportation is often poorly conceptualized, thus is poorly operationalized in social need screening tools and related justifications. In this post, we review the following big changes as they relate to transportation as a SDOH: Big Change 1: In 2022, the Centers for Medicare ...
Latinas make, on average, 52 cents for every $1 that white, non-Hispanic men make. This historic pay gap has worsened over time and contributes to poor health, especially in Latinas with expensive, chronic conditions, such as breast cancer. Breast cancer is one of the most expensive cancers to treat. It also happens to be the most diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer death among Latinas. In honor of Latina Equal Pay Day (Oct. 5, 2023) and Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October), we’re highlighting how Latina equal pay negatively impacts Latina breast cancer health outcomes and survivorship.
Why Does the Latina Wage Gap Exist?
Women in general earn 82% of what men earn. The reasons for this wage gap are multifaceted, according to Pew Research. Half of US ...
Latinos make up more than 19% of the total US population, but account for only 6% of US physicians. In fact, less than one in four Latino adults report sharing a racial, ethnic, or language background with their physician. This lack of Latino representation in medicine negatively affects Latino patient health. For example, studies show that a lack of diversity in healthcare workers contributes to heath inequities, such as higher rates of maternal health issues in Latinas and worse health outcomes for Latino cancer patients, compared to their white counterparts. Additionally, a lack of Latino representation in healthcare adds additional barriers for Latino patients to obtain culturally and linguistically concordant care. In response to this critical shortage of Latino ...
Despite Latinos making up over 19% of the United States population, Latinos are vastly underrepresented in the media and have been for decades. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re exploring this issue and highlighting one Latino who is working toward change.
It’s About Time
In summer 2023, the smash hit Blue Beetle made its debut at movie theaters nationwide. The movie, which depicts a Mexican-American superhero, is one example of how Latino representation on the big screen and behind the scenes via directors, writers, etc., is improving. While many rave about the cultural significance of the movie, one question remains: “It's 2023. What took so long?” said Edward Dennis, artist and children’s book author. Edward is right to ask this question. Latinos ...
June 16, 2023 was a big win for low-income Texas families. Gov. Greg Abbot signed House Bill 12, which extends Medicaid health coverage for Texas mothers from just 60 days after giving birth to a full year. This new bill, which is expected to take effect by the end of 2023, has massive potential to improve newborn and maternal health outcomes for Latinas and all mothers statewide. Here are several big-as-Texas reasons to celebrate the signing of House Bill 12!
Improved Access to Prenatal and Postpartum Care
Half of women having babies in Texas get their healthcare coverage through Medicaid, according to data gathered by March of Dimes. Many of these women are low-income Latinas who may not be able to afford another healthcare coverage option. Going without health ...
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of paid sick leave (PSL) policies in the workforce. Unfortunately, 21% of America’s working population still does not have access to PSL three years after the initial COVID-19 outbreak, according to Change Lab Solutions. Here’s why PSL continues to be so important, and how advocates can work toward achieving local, state, and national PSL policies that promote the health of Latinos and all people.
What Does Paid Sick Leave Look Like in America?
Shockingly, the US is one of only three high-income countries in the world without any form of national paid sick leave, according to Change Lab Solutions. The need for PSL for all Americans is stronger than ever, especially as government leaders end various pandemic-era public ...
Did you know that your Zip code is more important than your genetic code in predicting how long you will live? That’s right – where you live can have a big impact on your health. In fact, our health is influenced by a variety of non-medical factors, such as the conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work, and age. These conditions are known as social determinants of health (SDoH). Addressing SDoH is key to improving health for Latinos and all people. Numerous studies suggest that SDoH accounts for between 30-55% of health outcomes and SDoH influences individual health behaviors, which account for another 30% of health outcomes. Fortunately, healthcare systems are placing more emphasis on screening patients for SDoH. This means that when patients come to medical ...
