Do you get enough sleep? If not, your lack of shut-eye could be harming your health. In fact, for Latinos, lack of sleep contributes to heart attacks, obesity, and other big health issues. That’s where the “Los trastornos del sueño y la promoción del sueño saludable” (the sleep disorders and the promotion of a healthy sleep) program comes in. Los trastornos del sueño trains community health workers, called promotores, to teach people about the importance of sleep. The program's 600 promotores—300 in the U.S. and 300 in Mexico—teams up with nurses and clinicians to deliver bilingual and culturally relevant education to improve sleep habits. This helps reduce health care needs for sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome. Now they've won an ...
Univision, one of the world's largest multimedia companies, has launched a new campaign to promote better Latino health. Univision Contigo focuses on promoting healthy habits by providing simple, easy, at-home tips and ideas that families can integrate into their everyday lives. The goal is to get people more active and eating healthier. Healthy eating, regular physical activity and balancing the number of calories you eat with those you burn are key to maintaining a healthy weight. “One way Univision [is committed to Latino health] is through Univision Contigo, our award-winning corporate social responsibility and community empowerment platform,” according to a news release. “[The campaign] focuses on three specific verticals, building strong minds from 0-30, promoting ...
Motorcycle groups are popularly known for being big, bad bikers. But one group—Latin American Motorcycle Association (L.A.M.A.)—has squashed that stereotype with their amazing work to help their community. In particular, the L.A.M.A. Empire State (New York) chapter has joined many "for a cause" rides. They support Latino scholarship events. They plant trees. They escort military veterans on rides and memorials. They help with Puerto Rican hurricane relief efforts. They have strong family and community values. This work has earned the chapter the Richard K. Wager Inclusive Champion Award. The group received the award at the community’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast Jan. 19, 2018, reports the Poughkeepsie Journal. “We call ourselves ‘La Familia’ and, as ...
The San Antonio City Council voted 9-2 today to approve a measure to raise the tobacco sale age from 18 to 21 within the city limits, according to FOX29-TV. San Antonio (68% Latino) now is the first city in Texas to have raised to the minimum age. The city also joins five states and over 280 communities in 13 states. Health experts lauded the measure. Tobacco use claims 480,000 lives each year, including 28,000 in Texas, and causes $8.8 billion in direct health care expenses. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Latino men and the second-leading cause among Latinas. “UT Health San Antonio seeks to make lives better through improved health for all,” said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San ...
John Hernandez coached football in three disadvantaged school districts in Texas. When a player missed practice, Hernandez took it on himself to visit their home. He knew many players faced poverty and other home problems. He would check in on them and offer rides, so the players wouldn’t miss practices and games. Today, Hernandez directs student services at East Central Independent School District in San Antonio. He continues to see students facing poverty and trauma, resulting in missed school, which has disciplinary and even criminal consequences. However, his district didn’t have a program to identify, support, or counsel these students. Hernandez took it on himself to start one.
The Problem of Chronic Absenteeism
As director of student services, Hernandez is in ...
Sit and wait. That's what most people do at bus stops. Robert de León, a business management analyst with the city of McAllen, thought people could be more active while waiting for buses in McAllen, Texas (85% Latino). In fact, he and other McAllen city employees wanted to turn a bus stop into a play area with swings, hopscotch, and fun for the whole family. Could they turn a sit-place into a play-place, and boost health in McAllen?
Sorry State of Health in Hidalgo
De León knows health is a problem in McAllen, the largest city in Hildalgo County (91% Latino) in South Texas, which sits next to the Mexican border. Many county residents are living in poverty (26.4%) and report poor or fair health (26.7%), with an obese population of 34.4%. In McAllen, 7.6% don't own ...
We at Salud America! are dedicated to helping people drive healthy community change for Latino and all kids. That's why we’re excited to announce our efforts have won two Digital Health Awards from the Health Information Resource Center. The Center is a national clearinghouse for professionals who work in consumer health fields that recognizes the world’s best digital health resources: Fall 2017 Digital Health Awards, Gold, Salud America! YouTube Channel
Fall 2017 Digital Health Awards, Bronze, Salud America! Website “We’re humbled by the recognition of our communication work from groups like the Health Information Resource Center,” said Dr. Amelie Ramirez, director of Salud America! at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. “Our ...
We at Salud America! are dedicated to helping people drive healthy community change for Latino and all kids. That’s why we’re excited to announce that our newly revamped Salud America! website has already won two W³ digital content awards and one Davey Awards from the national Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts: 2017 W³ Awards, Silver, Activism for Websites, Salud America! website
2017 W³ Awards, Silver, Aesthetics for Websites, Salud America! website
2017 Davey Awards, Silver, Film/Video-Health & Wellness for Non-Broadcast, Salud America! Video: Bebidas Azucaradas “We’re excited by the recognition of our communication work from groups like the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts,” said Dr. Amelie Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT ...
Latino communities are getting help to tackle obesity and mental illness, thanks to $5 million in new grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH). The money is for 15 local groups from across the country. The groups will use the money to drive solutions among Latino and other minority populations that suffer higher burdens of obesity, mental illness, and opioid addiction. “We selected the opioid crisis, childhood obesity and serious mental illness as our top three clinical priorities at HHS because they are three of the country’s most pressing public health concerns,” said Dr. Tom Price, HHS leader, in a news release.
Who Will Help Latinos?
The 15 groups include several in Latino-populated areas: Mariposa ...
