Public health advocates often talk about health in an “upstream-downstream” fashion. They want to highlight the importance of health promotion and the influence of social, economic, environmental and cultural factors health equity for Latino and all people. It is a parable: A man and a woman were fishing on the river bank when they saw a woman struggling in the current. They rescued her. Soon, they saw a man struggling. They rescued him, too. This continued all afternoon. Finally, the exhausted pair decided to go upstream to find out where and why so many people were falling in. They discovered a beautiful overlook along the river’s edge without any warning signs or protective barriers. The couple went to community leaders to report the number of victims they had rescued ...
Syphilis cases passed from pregnant women to newborns have doubled in four years, reaching a 20-year high, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cases in newborns jumped from 362 in 2013 to 918 in 2017. Cases were reported in 37 states. Louisiana had the most with 93.4 cases for every 100,000 births. Four of the five other states with the most cases have largely Latino populations—–California (39% Latino), Texas (39%), Arizona (31%), and Florida (24%). “When passed to a baby, syphilis can result in miscarriage, newborn death, and severe lifelong physical and mental health problems,” said Dr. Jonathan Mermin of the CDC. “No parent should have to bear the death of a child when it would have been prevented with a simple ...
Grant County, New Mexico (50% Latino). Luna County, New Mexico (65% Latino). Two counties. Both rural, largely Latino, with high poverty. Only 68 miles apart. Yet health is failing in one county, and prospering in the other. Why is this? What can we do?
Health Ratings: Luna vs. Grant
U.S News & World Report's new Healthiest Communities rankings use a 100-point scale to assess well-being in 3,000 U.S. counties. Metrics include economic, educational, and health outcome Grant County scored 62 of 100. Luna County scored 31 of 100. Grant ranks in the top-third of counties. They rank 20th among other rural communities with up-and-coming economies. Luna ranks in the bottom-third of counties. In health outcomes, Grant is doing better than Luna in many aspects: ...
The U.S. burden of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias will more than double within 50 years, and Latinos will suffer the biggest rise, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC indicates the total number of Alzheimer's cases will rise from 4.9 million in 2014 to 1.4 billion in 2060. But themost staggering rise is among Latinos: Latinos living with Alzheimer's will rise from 430,000 in 2014 to 3.2 million in 2060. That is a more than seven-fold increase in that span.
African Americans living with Alzheimer's will rise from 573,000 million in 2014 to 2.2 million in 2060.
White (non-Latinos) living with Alzheimer's will rise from 3.7 million in 2014 to 7.4 million in 2050, before starting to decline to 7.1 million in ...
40 million low-income people across the U.S. are in danger of losing a critical lifeline as federal funding for SNAP, commonly known as the food stamp program, hangs in the balance. But just who are these families? What would losing benefits mean? Two new research reports provide an answer.
SNAP & Families
SNAP provides temporary support to help people and families afford food. It is the nation’s largest nutrition assistance program, with $70 billion in funding in fiscal-year 2017. Latinos comprise more than 20% of SNAP participants. But 1 in 11 households who receive SNAP benefits would no longer be eligible under a revised House Farm Bill, according to data from Mathematica Policy Research cited by the recent State of Obesity report from Trust for America's Health ...
We know that U.S. Latinas are 2-4 more likely to get gestational diabetes during pregnancy than non-Latinas, which is a serious threat to these women's health. But did you know sleep habits impact your risk for gestational diabetes? What can we do to help?
Why is Gestational Diabetes Problematic?
Gestational diabetes mellitus is a serious health challenge for pregnant women. It increases risk for caesarean birth and hypertensive disorders. It also can increase the risk of complications during pregnancy and delivery. Still, careful management to maintain normal blood glucose levels can mitigate some of these risks.
How Does Sleep Impact Gestational Diabetes?
Women who average less than 6 hours sleep a night had a 1.7-fold increase in the risk of being diagnosed with ...
People these days are talking about mental health more than ever before, from real mothers to nonprofit groups to NBA stars to entire TV shows. But it's not always clear how to start your own mental health journey. This is especially unclear among Latinos, who face higher rates of depressive symptoms than many of their peers. And fewer Latinos (8%) than whites (14%) reported that their child had ever used mental health care services, according to a Salud America! research review. "If you’re just embarking on your mental health journey, it’s a scary and stressful time," writes Joe Rodriguez of remezcla.com.
6 Big Tips
Rodriguez talked with Latina mental health activist Dior Vargas (formerly of Project UROK) and therapist Omar Torres to create a six-step guide to "help you ...
At Salud America!, we're excited to discuss Latino health during Hispanic Heritage Month! This annual U.S. observance, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
How did this observance start?
U.S. Rep. Edward R. Roybal of Los Angeles introduced legislation on the topic. President Lyndon Johnson implemented the observance as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968. U.S. Rep. Esteban E. Torres of Pico Rivera proposed the observance be expanded to cover its current 30-day period. President Ronald Reagan implemented the expansion. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988.
Why is the date of this observance important?
Sept. 15 is significant ...
Adult obesity rates reached 35% in at least 7 states and saw increases in 31 states across the U.S. from 2012-2017, while no significant drops in obesity rates were seen in any state, over the last year. These are the latest findings from a report from the Trust for America's Health and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The report developed using data from the CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) goes on to highlight how adult obesity continued to rise in at least 6 states: Iowa, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and South Carolina, between 2016-2017. In the case of Iowa and Oklahoma, this is the first time these states reach the 35% obesity threshold. The states with the highest levels of obesity by rank are: #1- West Virginia ...
