Rosa Cobian Aguilar, like many Latinos, immigrated from Jalisco, Mexico, and grew up with no insurance and big struggles for healthcare access. But she overcame this adversity, with help from her hard-working, hyper-organized, Zumba-dancing Mom. Now Aguilar is a first-generation college grad who is working on her master’s degree in psychology at San Diego State University, working in the Cancer Disparities and Cancer Communication Research Lab. After college, she worked as a case manager and Spanish interpreter, at a community mental health clinic. She aspires to continue working in health disparities research and assure research findings reach underserved communities. To further her experience and education, Aguilar applied for the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership ...
Toxic exposures in the air can trigger severe health problems — worse, certain pollutants are so small that they can enter and harm any part of the body. These microscopic "nanoparticles," emitted from a wide range of products, from candles to cars, can cause numerous illnesses, according to published research. Illnesses include the well-established condition Toxicant-Induced Loss of Tolerance (TILT). Nanoparticles even have resulted in death. "The biggest killer of all never makes the headlines, isn't regulated, and is barely talked about beyond niche scientific circles: it's nanoparticles," according to Tim Smedley, author of "Clearing The Air," in BBC Future. "Nanoparticles can reach, and wreak havoc in, any organ in the body."
What are Nanoparticles?
Certain ...
Decades of decisions fueled by structural racism have built a society with no health equity, where many groups lack a fair, just opportunity to be their healthiest. This is especially true in our transportation system. Past and present planning, policy, and funding decisions have failed to provide equitable, affordable, safe, convenient, and reliable transportation options for all, from the local to federal levels. Dismantling these inequities requires intentional effort. That’s why Smart Growth America conducted a field scan to explore promising opportunities to achieve equitable public infrastructure, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The report spells out the six biggest challenges to health equity facing our transportation system (and the 40 ...
Throughout the modern era, single-family zoning and redlining practices institutionalized economic as well as racial segregation in America. Although redlining is now illegal, single-family zoning—which still occurs to this day—reinforces both racial and economic segregation. Moreover, it contributes to the racial wealth gap seen across the country. "The practice of zoning most residential land exclusively for single-family detached homes is a major cause of affordable housing shortages and long commute times," Eric Kober, an adjunct fellow at the Manhattan Institute and former director of housing, economic, and infrastructure planning at the New York City Department of City Planning, writes in a recent CNN Business editorial. "In expensive cities, this policy makes it ...
Monica Villarruel is concerned about the unmet health needs of Latina mothers. Seeing her own mother struggle with gestational diabetes while pregnant with her little brother fueled her interest in birth and health outcome disparities among Latinas. She learned how language and other barriers can hurt patient-provider relationships. Villarruel, who recently earned her master’s degree in public health at Washington University in St. Louis, is already on the right path to make a difference. Villarruel has spent nearly a decade in program implementation and evaluation, especially in community-based participatory research involving Latinos. She has worked as a research and program assistant for university- and community-based nonprofits in both Los Angeles and St. Louis. Her ...
As the fate of the Affordable Care Act currently hangs in the balance and won't be decided until at least 2021, the amount of people with no health insurance coverage continues to rise. Latinos especially lack health coverage, which jeopardizes their health. "Going without coverage can have serious health consequences for the uninsured because they receive less preventive care; and delayed care often results in serious illness or other health problems," according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. "The financial consequences of not having insurance [can also lead] to difficulties paying medical bills and higher rates of medical debt among the uninsured."
What's the Fate of the Affordable Care Act?
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, took effect in 2010. The U.S. Supreme ...
The future of humanity depends on building healthier food systems. Why? Because our current food and farming systems make us sick in these ways: Unhealthy working conditions
Contaminants in the water, soil, or air
Specific foods are unsafe for consumption
Unhealthy diets
Lack of access to adequate, acceptable food That is why the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES Food) published a report to identify five leverage points for building healthier food systems.
1. Promote Food Systems Thinking
It’s time to overcome political and scientific silos. It’s time to reconnect people with the realities of the food on their plates. The way food impacts health isn’t an isolated event. We need to promote “food system thinking” ...
Growing up around the borders of Mexico, New Mexico, and Texas, Crystal Costa was immersed in Mexican culture. She experienced good, like the red chili peppers for traditional meals. She experienced bad, like seeing how doctors didn’t explain health issues to her mother. Costa’s experience drove her keen interest in working with underserved populations and building capacity among community leaders to improve public health, especially when it comes to environmental justice and health advocacy. Today Costa is working on her master’s degree in public health at the University of Texas at El Paso. She also works with an interdisciplinary research team and provides support to pregnant and postpartum women recovering from substance use disorder and trauma. To further her ...
Our food systems affect our health in good and bad ways. For example, some of the most severe health impacts of food systems trace back to some of the core industrial food and farming practices. These include chemical-intensive agriculture, intensive livestock production, and mass production and marketing of processed foods. That is why the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES Food) published a report to identify five ways our current food systems make us sick, seven challenges to understanding and addressing them, and five leverage points for building healthier food systems. Here are five ways our current food system makes us sick:
1. People Get Sick Because They Work in Unhealthy Conditions
Pesticides are responsible for an estimated 200,000 acute ...
