Latino and black patients were less likely to be offered an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, a potentially lifesaving device that shocks the heart when it detects a dangerously irregular heart rhythm, according to a recent study cited by American Heart Association News. The study confirms that long-standing disparities are not going away. Something needs to be done, said Dr. Samir Saba, a cardiac electrophysiologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, who was not involved in the study, told American Heart Association News. “Very few insights exist into the root causes,” said Saba, who has treated patients with heart failure for nearly two decades. “Here we are in 2017 … and still we are speculating about what could be going on.” The study, ...
Where you live could be impacting your stress levels (and overall health). SmartAsset, a financial company, recently examined the positive and negative factors of the largest 500 U.S. cities to determine the stress levels facing those residents. They rated things like sleep time, commute time, physical activity, and unemployment. Boulder, Colo. (13.9% Latino) ranked as SmartAsset's least-stressed city. The top-10 “most-stressed” cities, sadly, were heavily Latino-populated areas in the Southern U.S.
Why Do Latinos Face Stress?
Unchecked stress can impact your mental and physical health. It can also contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes, which disproportionately impact Latinos. Broward County, Fla. (27% Latino), provides one ...
As the Latino population continues to grow in numbers – 1 in every 4 people by 2035 is expected to be Latino – their influence on the overall country is expected to mirror that growth. Despite their large numbers, many Latinos still face inequities in several key health indicators that prevent them from obtaining quality healthcare and financial stability. In an effort to promote awareness for important Latino issues The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Policy Studies Center will host the inaugural Latino Policy Symposium from May 4-5. The event will bring together Latino leaders, community advocates, and researchers from across the heavily Latino-populated state of Texas (38.42% Latino population). Texas is currently the state with the second-largest Latino population in ...
For many Latinos a lack of access to opportunities keep them from achieving health equity and obtaining financial security. However, a recent study from the financial website WalletHub paints a very positive picture of where things could be heading. Latinos are already the largest ethnic and racial minority in the country and their numbers are growing at consistent and exponential rates. They are already sizable contributors to the nation's economy and with their increasing numbers, they were already expected to add more to in the coming years. However, WalletHub anticipates these numbers to be “nothing short of monumental.” In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, ...
Food and physical activity are both continuous and cumulative habits. Small changes every day can drastically improve your health and quality of life. However, the built world, whether intentional or not, influences the human experience. Many people live and work in places that impede or reduce physical activity and sell or promote unhealthy food. The National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research (NCCOR) brings together four of the nation’s leading research funders—the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—to accelerate progress in reducing childhood obesity in America. Their new white paper builds on a series of behavioral ...
We know it’s not easy to quit smoking. You can do it with Quitxt! Quitxt is a UT Health San Antonio service that sends text messages with culturally and regionally tailored support to help South Texans quit smoking. The service, now available in Spanish and English, turns a user’s phone into a personal quit coach by providing texts and links to online support, educational content, music, and videos. This helps with motivation to quit, setting a quit date, handling stress, and more—and are proven to double your odds of quitting. To join in English, text “iquit” to 844-332-2058. For Spanish, text “lodejo” to 844-332-2058. “If you’re thinking about quitting smoking and you’re always on your phone, Quitxt is a perfect program for you, whether you speak ...
Sabemos que dejar de fumar no es fácil. ¡Tú puedes hacerlo con Quitxt! Quitxt es un servicio nuevo en español y en inglés que envía mensajes de texto con apoyo cultural y regionalmente adaptado para ayudar a los Sureños de Texas a dejar de fumar. El servicio convierte tu teléfono en un coach personal para dejar de fumar enviándote textos y enlaces en línea a contenido educativo, apoyo, música y videos. Esto te ayuda a estar motivado, fijar una fecha para dejar el cigarrillo, manejar el estrés y más – lo que ha sido comprobado que duplica tus chances de dejar de fumar. Para unirte a Quitxt en español, envía “lodejo” al 844-332-2058 o visita quitxt.org/spanish. Para unirte a Quitxt en inglés, envía “iquit” al 844-332-2058 o visita ...
Findings from a new report shed light on the state of Latino children and the education gap many face as they enter kindergarten. According to a study entitled “Making Math Count More for Young Latino Children” by Child Trends, Latino students are three months behind in math literacy compared to their white peers. Citing poverty in Latino households as one of the main causes, the study cautions that the education gap would only grow if not addressed immediately in the classroom. As the Latino population in the U.S. continues to grow – they are already the largest ethnic and racial minority in the country – this problem is going to be critical going forward. One in four U.S. kindergarteners today is Latino and in California and New Mexico, Latino children are already in the ...
A newly released study of the Berkeley soda tax, a joint effort of the Public Health Institute and the University of North Carolina covering over 15 million supermarket transactions, shows that the Berkeley soda tax is working. Soda sales have been down by 10%, and water and milk sales have gone up! Residents are buying fewer sugary-sweetened beverages water sales are up 16%, plus, according to the study. Also, in opposition to what was suggested by the American Beverage Association, grocery bills have not gone up. Not only has all this helped deter consumption of unhealthy beverages for health but also $1.5 million has been raised for nutrition & health programs! Nancy Brown, CEO, from the American Heart Association, told PLOS Medicine: “This study adds to the ...
