Ah, February. The month dedicated to celebrating love and relationships. But before you take a deep dive down the Valentine’s Day candy aisle, consider a healthier way to show yourself and loved ones some love. February is American Heart Month, a time for Latinos and all people to focus on their cardiovascular health. Join us in raising awareness of heart disease, the driving forces behind it, and how to address it throughout the month of February and beyond.
What is Heart Disease?
Heart disease refers to several types of heart conditions, according to the CDC. The most common type of heart disease in the US is coronary artery disease, which can restrict blood flow to the heart and cause a heart attack. Other forms of heart disease include irregular heartbeats, ...
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps one in eight Americans put food on the table. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, millions of Americans lost their jobs and experienced reduced incomes – causing Congress to make temporary emergency changes to SNAP. As a result, SNAP recipients experienced a boost in benefits, either receiving an additional $95 in benefits or an additional benefit valued up to the maximum benefit for their household size, whichever value was greater, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. While these emergency allotments have ended in many states, the Lone Star State has continued providing eligible households with an increased food budget. However, Texans may feel the pinch in the next few weeks, as Congress ...
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be debilitating and place a significant burden on patients, their families, employers, and the government. While genetics and health inequities do play a role in the development and progression of RA, social issues, such as lack of family and friend support, can also play a role in the progression of the disease. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center want to learn more about how social and genetic factors affect RA in Latinos, who often face social issues when it comes to health. You can help by participating in a clinical trial no matter where you live in the US!
Rheumatoid Arthritis Study Qualifications
To be eligible for this clinical trial, you must be age 18 or older and of Hispanic/Latino heritage. You may ...
We use a lot of shared devices and equipment in healthcare. But these devices and equipment are all surfaces that can have germs on them. Because healthcare workers use and share devices and equipment many times a day and for many different tasks, it’s important to understand the role that these devices can play in the spread of germs.
Medical Devices
Medical devices are used on a patient’s body, such as a stethoscope or blood pressure cuff. They’re also used in a patient’s body, such as an IV needle, an endoscope, or an artificial hip. When devices are used on or in a patient’s body to provide care, any germs on those devices can spread to places in or on the patient’s body. That’s how devices can be the germ’s entryway into the body. Devices that are ...
Consuming cold-water fish and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids could preserve brain health and enhance cognition in middle age, according to a recent study led by researchers at UT Health San Antonio and the Framingham Heart Study. “Our results, albeit exploratory, suggest that higher omega-3 fatty acid concentrations are related to better brain structure and cognitive function in a predominantly middle-aged cohort free of clinical dementia,” according to the study.
What Are Omega-3s?
Omega-3s are a family of essential fatty acids that play an important role in the human body. “Although evidence is mixed, studies indicate that omega-3 fatty acids can protect against all sorts of illnesses, including breast cancer, depression, ADHD, and various inflammatory diseases,” ...
Good news for Texans! A $3 million grant will help UT Health San Antonio train 275 new community health workers (CHWs) and support an additional 75 CHWs in maintaining state certification. The grant, issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services/Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), will train CHWs across 38 South Texas counties from Brownsville to Laredo, including the area’s rural communities. The grant is part of the federal government’s $226.5 million investment in the nation’s community and public health workforce, announced in September 2022.
The Importance of CHWs
Also known as promotoras de salud and patient navigators, CHWs connect patients to healthcare and facilitate communication between healthcare providers and patients, including ...
U.S. Latinos face heavier burdens of stomach, liver, and cervical cancers, and worse outcomes for many cancers, than their White peers. But why? Unfortunately, many factors cause these disparities, from poverty and a lack of healthcare access to cultural barriers, acculturation, and genetic heritage. That's why it takes everyone working together to address Latino cancer. To this end, UT Health San Antonio has published a new open-access book, Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos: Building Collaboration for Action. The book is a collection of articles based on presentations at the 2nd biennial Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference on Feb. 26-28, 2020, in San Antonio, co-hosted by Mays Cancer Center and the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) ...
We all want the best for our children. While the thought of enrolling your child in a clinical trial may sound scary, but there are plenty of benefits to trial participation. Some of these benefits include diagnosing, preventing, treating, and sometimes even curing childhood diseases. However, there are some potential risks to trial participation, too. Here’s everything you need to know about enrolling your child in a clinical trial.
What is a Clinical Trial?
Clinical trials are studies with volunteers that help researchers learn how to slow, manage, and treat different diseases. There are different kinds of clinical trials with different intended purposes. There are also four phases of clinical trials that each help scientists answer different ...
Hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes are where people come for care, so there is a high chance some patients will have an infection. When a person has an infection, their immune system may be weakened, making them more vulnerable to developing other infections or illnesses. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the things we do in healthcare that can put patients at greater risk of infection. For example, if a patient needs an IV, there’s a risk for infection if germs on their skin are pushed into their body by the needle, or if germs on the needle or another piece of equipment get into their body. In healthcare, we are more concerned about some germs than others based on: The amount of them in the environment.
If they can cause an outbreak in a healthcare ...
