A new strain of the COVID-19 virus is spreading, and the Omicron variant has already reached North America, experts say. This is yet another mutation, following the Delta variant, that was first identified in South African researchers. It has quickly spread to other continents. Health experts, such as former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb, urge people to not get over-worried too quickly about Omicron, but still take available precautions like getting the COVID-19 vaccine and booster shot. "Is this making people more ill? There's no indication that it is. And in fact, there's some anecdotal information offered from physicians in South Africa that this could be causing milder illness. Now, that could be an artifact of the fact that initial cases seem to be clustered in younger ...
The patient economic burden for cancer in the U.S. was $21.09 billion, according to the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer in JNCI: The Journal of the National Cancer Institute. “[This total is] made up of patient out-of-pocket costs of $16.22 billion and patient time costs of $4.87 billion,” according to the annual report. As technology, cancer research, and medicine advances, the effectiveness of therapy treatments only seem to proliferate. Though this is good news, the reality is that modern cancer treatments are a financial burden to people of color, who also face barriers to equitable cancer care. Latinos in particular face obstacles such as poor health literacy, concerns about test efficacy, and language and cultural beliefs related to cancer, ...
This week is the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout. This observance emphasizes the need to stop youths from smoking or help them quit smoking. One thing that is working is flavored tobacco bans or restrictions. "Policies that restrict the sale of flavored tobacco have the potential to curb youth tobacco use in as few as 6 months," according to a recent study from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and RAND Corporation. Let's explore how leaders are addressing youth use of flavored tobacco products.
What Did a Massachusetts Study Reveal about Flavored Tobacco Bans?
A 2019 Massachusetts and RAND Corporation study evaluated the short-term impact of a flavored tobacco restriction policy on youth access to, and use of, flavored tobacco products in Lowell, ...
For Latino men, prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis. While there is good news—from 2014-2018, Latino men were 20% less likely to face a prostate cancer diagnosis than their white peers—Latino men are more likely than their white peers to be diagnosed at a younger age, and with a higher risk of disease. This is why researchers at UT Health San Antonio are conducting the Prostate Active Surveillance Study (PASS) Clinical Trial in partnership with the Canary Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the early detection of cancer. The study is for men age 21 and older who have chosen active surveillance as a management plan for their prostate cancer. Active surveillance is defined as close monitoring of prostate cancer with the offer of treatment if there are changes ...
In the U.S., Latinos are uninsured nearly three times more than their white peers. Given that Latinos are projected to grow to 25% of the population by 2045, this lack of healthcare coverage will continue to endanger the health of many more individuals, families, and the healthcare system. A recent federal report shows just how large this problem is and why it is critical that civic and business leaders address it. “Latinos have consistently been overrepresented in the uninsured population,” states the report from the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). “Prior to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Latinos had the second-highest nonelderly uninsurance rate among ethnic and racial populations with more than 30% uninsured. “Studies ...
Many children in the U.S. have lost a parent or caregiver due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, 1 in 500 U.S. children have experienced COVID-19 associated orphanhood, and Latinos and others of color are particularly affected, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. “From April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, data suggest that more than 140,000 children under age 18 in the United States lost a parent, custodial grandparent, or grandparent caregiver who provided the child’s home and basic needs, including love, security, and daily care,” states the study, led by researchers at CDC, Harvard University, Imperial College of London, and others. The study found that the pandemic accentuated racial, ethnic, and geographical disparities associated with the deaths of ...
Cancer can affect anyone. But Latinos experience higher rates of infection-related cancers, ones that are preventable, than their white peers, according to a new study from the American Cancer Society (ACS). In fact, Latinos suffer two times higher rates of liver and stomach cancers—infection-related but preventable cancers—than their white peers. “Addressing this critical gap for Hispanic individuals in obtaining access to high-quality cancer prevention, early detection and treatment is going to be essential for mitigating the predicted growth in the cancer burden,” wrote Kimberly Miller, an ACS scientist, in the report. “In addition, more research is needed to assess not only the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the utilization of cancer care, but also the impact ...
Did you know that every 65 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s disease? This number is most troubling for Latinos and women. Latinos overall are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than their White peers. Two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients are women. Latinas are at higher risk than non-Latinas. In response, the federal government created a website, Alzheimers.gov, for dementia information, resources, and clinical trials. Now that website is also in Spanish at Alzheimers.gov/es! Each website has: Information about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Knowledge and resources for caregivers and people living with dementia.
Clinical trials and studies that people can join to help advance ...
On Oct. 29, 2021, the FDA authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use for children ages 5 to 11. It had previously been approved for those ages 12 and older. The move will make the vaccine available to 28 million children in this age group. Getting children vaccinated is vital for controlling the spread of the pandemic, especially as many schools have returned to in-person learning. Do you have questions about the Pfizer vaccine and want to know more before your children get vaccinated? Here’s what Latino parents should know. Update 1/19/22: Greater than COVID shared new videos in English and Spanish featuring doctors answering questions about the COVID-19 vaccines for kids 5-11.
Is the vaccine safe for children? Why was it produced so ...
