This article originally appeared on preventcancer.org. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we reflect on the love and pride we have for our cultura. As we enjoy this month of history, celebration, and unity with our friends and familia, it’s also a great time to raise awareness on important health topics like cancer prevention. It’s no secret that cancer is major concern for the Latino community. Cancer is the leading cause of death in Latinos. Additionally, about 1 in 3 Latino men and women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Latino families must prioritize early detection and getting routine cancer screenings. According to the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s 2024 Early Detection Survey, “When cancer is detected early, it can lead to less extensive ...
Every month the Salud America! team at the Institute of Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio showcases the latest health news, clinical trials, research study results, and stories impacting the Latino community. Salud America! is led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez. “Our mission is to inspire people to drive change for health improvement for Latino and all families,” said Ramirez, professor and director of the IHPR at UT Health San Antonio. In August, Salud America! helped celebrate an achievement in collaboration with Genentech, shared back to school resources, covered inequities in Latino healthcare and chronic diseases, and much more! Let’s take a deeper dive into some of the topics, news, and stories published in July that are ...
Physical inactivity is one of the leading risk factors for many diseases, including cancer, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Physical inactivity has a 25.3% prevalence in the US, where about 60% of adults say they are physically inactive as of 2020, according to the CDC. That’s why the CDC launched a campaign to get people moving. Active People, Healthy Nation is striving to help 27 million Americans be more physically active by 2027 and getting 10 million adults and 2 million young people to meet the minimum aerobic physical activity guideline. Salud America! is stepping up to help by partnering with the initiative's Moving Matters campaign to get the word out. Let’s dig into some of the short-term and long-term benefits of regular physical ...
School supplies, news clothes, and annual check-ups at the doctor are just a few things on a parent’s checklist for the start of a new school year. But don’t let one major part of a child’s health slip out of sight. Vision and eye health!
Advocating for Children’s Eye Health
Uncorrected vision problems can hinder child development, interfere with learning, and even lead to permanent vision loss. That is why Prevent Blindness Texas, an eye health and safety organization, is working to prevent blindness and preserve sight among children and adults by providing support and resources related eye health at all ages. “Early detection and treatment of eye problems are critical,” according to organization. To promote early detection of eye issues among children, ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, shares insights on health on a new episode of the CDC's Listen Up! podcast series for health communicators, by health communicators. Her episode is "Not a Monolith: Empowering Latino Health." She also shares the importance of Salud America! Salud Heroes, how to take action to improve the non-medical drivers of health, and how to build trust and wellbeing within communities. Listen to Ramirez's episode. See the full Listen Up! podcast series, hosted by Dr. Betsy Mitchell in CDC’s Office of Communications. "It's family, faith, and language that are key, important ... issues to keep in mind [when sharing health messages to empower people]," Ramirez said on her episode.
Dr. Ramirez & Her Health ...
327 people in the US are shot every day — 117 don’t survive, according to statistics provided by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Incidents of gun violence have been on the rise over the last decade, impacting the lives of 54% of US adults and their families. With spike in gun-related deaths, including suicides, homicides, and accidental deaths, gun violence has now become the leading cause of death among children and adolescents. In the wake of mass shootings, gun-related suicides, and the mounting fear over gun violence, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared gun violence in the US a public health crisis on June 25, 2024. “Firearm violence is an urgent public health crisis that has led to loss of life, unimaginable pain, and ...
As COVID-19 exposed cracks in our healthcare system and health gaps, community health workers rose to the challenge to educate communities on virus prevention, dispel incorrect information, and advocate for the vaccine. Community health workers – called promotoras in Latino communities – are non-medical public health workers who connect people to healthcare and social services. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) is seeking public comments on the use of community health workers to increase “cultural competency in educational campaigns on public health vaccines and prevention, including but not limited to influenza and COVID-19.” Submit this Salud America! model comment to tell HHS about the importance of using ...
This Healthy Vision Month in May, the National Eye Institute (NEI) is looking through a futuristic lens to bring awareness to eye health and share English and Spanish-language resources to protect the sight of your familia.
Eye health and mental health go hand in hand, especially for some Latinos who lack access to eye care.
“Reframe Your Future, aims to reach people with a visual impairment about steps they can take to thrive in their daily life, like seeking vision rehabilitation and mental health services,” according to an NEI news release.
Here is what you should know about taking care of eye health for you and your family. What is Low Vision?
Low vision impairs your ability to see.
It makes it difficult to do day-to-day activities such as reading, driving, or see a screen ...
How often do you think about your brain health? We can maintain our brain health with everything from exercise to quality sleep, but conditions such as brain tumors can affect the brain and disrupt our lives. For Brain Tumor Awareness Month in May, Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio is partnering with the Low Grade Glioma Registry to raise awareness of brain tumors, real people with brain tumors, quality of life, and caregiving among the Latino population. Follow along for a month of amazing content!
7 Things You Should Know About Brain Tumors
About 90,000 people are diagnosed with a primary brain tumor every year? For ourselves, our familia, and our comunidad, we should know a few important things about brain tumors so we can help all those impacted by a tumor ...
