Smoking kills, and it’s not just lung cancer — but heart disease, too. Smoking, especially those who begin at a young age, seriously increases a person’s risk of cardiovascular issues, including incidences of mortality, according to recent data from the Journal of the American Heart Association. Smokers, especially those who began the habit before adolescence, showed a correlated increase in cardiovascular-related deaths. “Age at starting to smoke is an important, but underappreciated, determinant of adult cardiovascular mortality, and this study indicates that the [roughly] 5 million US smokers who began before age 15 years are at especially high risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease if they do not quit,” the study states. “If the associations between ...
Nearly three-fourths of all coronavirus cases in some of the country’s most critical industries are happening among Latinos, the group already experiencing harsh burdens from the virus. Of the 5,721 workers in food processing, food manufacturing, and agriculture fields who tested positive for COVID-19 early in the outbreak, 72.8% were Latino, according to October 2020 data from the CDC. These numbers shouldn’t come as a total surprise, based on the conditions these laborers face in the workplace, said Dr. S. Patrick Kachur, a population and family health professor at Columbia University. "Workers come and go from the workplace on a daily basis,” Kachur told TODAY Food. “If they are living in communities with widespread transmission, or households with other persons who ...
Breast cancer affects different women differently. That's why the Breast Friends Forever (BFF) support group enables young breast cancer survivors to share their experiences in San Antonio, Texas (64% Latino). Recently, some BFF leaders joined the "Health Conversations with Anna Smith" Podcast. They talked about the need for the group and its origins in celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. These include: Sandra L. San Miguel, BFF co-founder and program director at the National Cancer Institute; Brenda Garza, BFF co-founder and a survivor; Stanlie Murray, BFF executive director and a survivor; and Erica Ann De Zaiffe, BFF member and a survivor. Listen to the podcast Part 1 and Part 2. "BFF was a pioneer in those days, combining outreach and education activities with ...
Across the country, police departments are making efforts to diversify their workforce to better reflect the populations they serve. With more Latino, Black, and other non-white police officers, law enforcement may have a better opportunity to connect with the community. “Having better representation within the department may help address some of the reservations about police,” according to WGN9. However, many police departments are facing challenges in recruiting diverse officers.
Cities That Are Diversifying Police Departments
Despite hiring more people of color in the past 30 years, the majority of police departments are still predominately white and do not proportionately represent people of color. “The share of minority officers nationally has nearly doubled in ...
Latinos will account for the largest non-white voter demographic in history, as 2 million Latinos are expected to vote during the 2020 presidential election. Moreover, every 30 seconds, a young Latino in the United States becomes eligible to vote. This data, collected by the Pew Research Center and the U.S. Census, respectively, makes one thing clear: the Latino vote will play a key for the 2020 election outcome. Due to the numerous disparities impacting this community, especially amid COVID-19, issues like the economy and health care—not immigration—will drive the Latino vote in 2020, according to a new report by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative. “Latinos will be critical in deciding the most consequential election of our lifetime,” Sonja Diaz, founding ...
Fake news. Alternative Facts. Propaganda. In an election year, disinformation is rampant. Political candidates and organizations may aim to mislead the public about their opponents to get voters in their favor. In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in disinformation from foreign countries seeking to confuse Americans even more. Latinos are particularly at risk of being victims of disinformation in an election year. Many false claims about voting and candidates take aim at Latino voters. It’s important that we learn what disinformation is, how it affects Latinos, and how to avoid it this election season.
What is Disinformation?
Disinformation is false information deliberately and often covertly spread in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth, according to ...
Latinos and other people who have diabetes are getting more access to much-needed supplies amid COVID-19. Beyond Type 1—a diabetes nonprofit organization—launched a new bilingual tool last week: GetInsulin.org. This online platform is a tool to help those using insulin find inexpensive options. It also has assistance programs for patients in any financial circumstances. “The job losses we’ve seen during COVID-19 mean that many individuals who lost their employer-based health insurance due to COVID-19 are experiencing insulin access issues for the first time in their lives,” Christel Marchand Aprigliano, Beyond Type 1's chief advocacy officer, told Healio. “List prices for insulin are high, so a sudden insurance loss may leave an individual facing a high price tag at ...
HIV and AIDS are a serious threat to the Latino community. Latinos make up about 26% of new HIV diagnoses, despite being 18.5% of the population, according to the CDC. The number of HIV diagnoses among Latinos is growing, especially in the LGBTQ community. About 85% of Latinos who have HIV/AIDS are gay or bisexual men, according to a new research report from ViiV Healthcare, an organization focused on fighting HIV. The study, released shortly before National Latino AIDS Awareness Day on Oct. 15, indicates the need to address this vulnerable community.
About the Study: Here as I Am
ViiV Healthcare’s new report is called Here as I Am: A Listening Initiative with Latinx Gay and Bisexual Men Affected by HIV. The report includes a six-month community-based research study with ...
Children of color continue to struggle with obesity. Obesity rate continues to be significantly higher for Latino (20.7%) and black children (22.9%) than for white children (11.7%) ages 10-17, according to the new State of Childhood Obesity report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). Obesity—and other chronic diseases—are more prevalent among those of color and those in poverty because discriminatory systems have disinvested in healthy policies and basic resources for them. In the midst of the current COVID-19 pandemic, which is worsened by obesity, it is more critical than ever to prioritize children’s health. Latino children and young adults account for over 40% of the COVID-19 deaths among people ages 0-24, according to the CDC. To prioritize children’s ...
