Promotores de salud are trained community members who promote everything from proper sleep to reducing child abuse among Latinos. Did you know even janitors can be promotores de salud? In fact, the nonprofit Building Skills Partnership and the U.S. Office of Minority Health conducted a workshop in June 2018 to help organizations secure health grants and train low-income male custodians to promote early detection of HIV and Hepatitis C to their Latino friends and family. The project had two phases: A three-day grant-writing workshop for organizations like Para Los Niños, the National Health Foundation, Esperanza Community Housing, The California Hispanic Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, El Centro de Ayuda, the Arthritis Foundation, and the Los Angeles Alliance for ...
Vehicles. Carpools. Bicycles. Public transit. Feet. What’s the best way to commute to work? For workers at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, new heat map technology is planning out their optimal commute route in hopes of saving people time and money─and increasing the use of multimodal transportation options that are good for health and the environment. The new technology, Modeify, is being used by Arlington Transportation Partners and Mobility Lab to help hospital workers learn multimodal commute options they may not know about. “Modeify makes it easy for commuters to see the health, financial, and environmental advantages of switching from driving their own car to sustainable transportation options,” according to Mobility Lab.
How Modeify Works Modeify is ...
Goodbye, boring health fairs. Hello, block parties for health. City leaders and health advocates in Wilmington, Del. (12.2% Latino), will host about 30 block parties this summer to promote family time, play, and neighborhood health in areas with high rates of obesity, diabetes, and cancer, delawareonline reports. The block parties, called "Play Street," will take place from June through August. They're part of the New Castle Healthy Neighborhoods program made possible by a federal grant. At each block party, officials block off a part of the streets so families can partake in activities like basketball and jump rope. Healthy snacks and drinks will be on tap. Health screenings will be available. But no more than two health info booths will be set up. "We want kids to ...
Latinos comprise almost half of all youth in Austin, Texas. These kids are more likely than their peers to deal with mental health issues, from fear of being deported to bullying to financial stress, according to a Salud America! Research Review. And, sadly, these issues go largely untreated. One group—The Austin Child Guidance Center—took notice and is trying to make a positive change. “We’ve just been seeing a lot more fear and a general sense of unpredictability, which raises everybody’s anxiety level,” Julia Hoke, director of psychological services for the Austin Child Guidance Center, told the Austin American Statesman. “We want to be a counterpoint to that.”
The Austin Child Guidance Center
The center started a task force to meet the needs of their ...
The road from high school to college isn’t easy for Latinos. They may speak mainly Spanish. They often lack resources and legal documentation. Some aren’t prepared for complex financial aid and college applications. That’s why one college readiness program uses cultural competency to help Latinos. The Juntos program, a six-week Spanish-language workshop offered through Oregon State University, prepares Latino high-school students for higher education and includes ongoing advisement for students and families, according to The Daily Astorian. Juntos helps Latinos deal with high school graduation requirements, college admission, and getting financial aid─and the workshops include dinner and childcare. “[Juntos gives Latinos] the keys to be able to open the door to ...
Gilbert de Hoyos opened Barrio Barista because he enjoys serving coffee to West Side residents in San Antonio (67% Latino). He also likes to cook. So de Hoyos added a small menu. And he didn't want it full of unhealthy options, either. De Hoyos is among a growing number of eateries that have joined a city health program, ¡Por Vida!, that unites nutritionists with restaurants to promote healthier menu options. “San Antonio and especially the West Side have a reputation of not having healthy foods and I want to change that by cooking delicious foods that also support a healthy life," de Hoyos said. “It’s my way of giving back to the community." One of those options is his roasted vegetable tacos with remoulade sauce served on a corn tortilla, Kens5 reports. The ...
Climate leadership comes in all shapes, sizes, and places. The Let’s Lead on Climate guide features stories from faith-based and community groups that engage their constituents to elevate climate action and solutions across the nation. “Whether you are a locally elected leader, pastor, nurse, or other community leader, this guide will help you take the first steps toward local climate leadership,” the guide states.
The Guide Can Help Latinos and Many More
Latinos are worried about global warming, but fewer Latinos view themselves as activists, according to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Latinos thus may not feel comfortable reaching decision makers or taking action. What can they do? The Let’s Lead on Climate shows key insights and lessons ...
More than 1 in 4 Latina high-schoolers have thought about committing suicide. Suicide attempts among Latina teenagers are at a higher rate than their non-Hispanic White female and Hispanic male peers, according to a Salud America! research review. That’s why it is important to explore the reasons why─and what to do about it.
Latinas and Mental Health
In the Latino community, mental health problems often are not spoken about. There is a stigma attached to it. Or people just don’t know enough about it, according to an article. That’s especially true for Latinas. “The expectations of what makes a ‘good’ Latina are often rooted in propriety and maintaining appearances, specifically when it involves something as personal as mental health or illness,” wrote Liz ...
Colorado moms in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) can text peer counselors any time of day for breastfeeding advice, thanks to a new program being expanded across the state. WIC is a federal program that boosts healthcare and nutrition for vulnerable women and children. Latinos comprise nearly half of the 8.8 million WIC participants. WIC aims to improve breastfeeding rates, curb obesity, and boost early childhood development. Could texting help WIC moms get breastfeeding support they need? “We know breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed babies, but sometimes new moms need extra support,” Heidi Hoffman, director of WIC in Colorado, said in a news release. “Using technology, we can help more moms in more places for less ...
