The overall U.S. cancer death rate fell 27% from 1991 to 2016, according to a recent study by the American Cancer Society. Good news, right? Not so fast. The report revealed a disturbing trend: a growing gap in cancer death rates based on wealth. "It was surprising to see that the disparities by socioeconomic status are actually widening," Rebecca Siegel, first author of the study and strategic director of surveillance information at the American Cancer Society, told CNN. "Wealth causes differences in exposure to risk factors and also access to high-quality cancer prevention, early detection and treatment." Cancer is the leading cause of death among U.S. Latinos. They are more likely to receive a cancer diagnoses in later, less curable cancer stages.
The Bad News
This is ...
Latino adults smoke cigarettes at a lower rate (12.1%) than their white peers (19.4%). However, once they’ve started, Latinos are more likely to keep smoking and only half as likely as whites to successfully quit smoking, according to the UCSF Smoking Cessation Leadership Center. Experts say the reasons why fewer Latinos quit is complex. “You’re looking at a population with fewer alternatives to cope,” David Williams, a public-health professor at Harvard University, told whyy.org. "That makes it harder for them to give up that aid.”
'Hard to Quit' Reason: Little Access to Help
Latino smokers lack access to support for quitting smoking. They have the lowest rate of health insurance coverage among racial/ethnic groups. They also experience lower levels of ...
Congratulations to Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio! Ramirez was named to the National Academies of Medicine's Standing Committee on Advancing Science Communication Research and Practice on Nov. 7, 2018. The committee's mission is to engage partners to advance the field of science communication. That means building a more coherent knowledge base about approaches to communicating science, making it easier for science communication practitioners to access and use research to inform their practice, and supporting individuals and groups in communicating science outside the scientific enterprise. On the committee, Ramirez joins other practitioners and researchers from groups like Pew Charitable Trusts, America Public Health Association, and ...
Late onset diabetes may be a sign of pancreatic cancer in Latinos and African-Americans, according to a new study. The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, linked recent-onset diabetes with a 2.3-fold greater increase in risk of pancreatic cancer than long-standing diabetes. Latinos have higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and pancreatic cancer than their peers.
Study Results & Implications
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most fatal cancers. It has a five-year survival rate of only 8%. This is because eight in 10 pancreatic cancer patients get diagnosed at a late stage. Most diabetes patients with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed with diabetes less than three years before the cancer diagnosis. Among pancreatic cancer patients undergoing ...
Cigarette smoking is on the decline. But it still causes 480,000 U.S. deaths a year and certain groups still face big challenges. Latino young adults, for example, have higher rates of intermittent cigarette use than their white peers. How can we promote quitting and smokefree environments? Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, July 17, 2018, to tweet about the state of Latino smoking and what community leaders can do to advance technologies, policies, and programs to create a smokefree future for Latinos and all people! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat─ Creating a Smokefree Future for Latinos & All People
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, July 17, 2018
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludAmerica
CO-HOSTS: Smokefree.gov at the ...
Healthy mind. Healthy body. Health baby. Whether you are planning to get pregnant now, next month, or in the future, preconception health is extremely important for Latino and all parents. When you hear about preconception health, one often assumes this responsibility lies with the women, but a man's health can be just as important when it comes to having a healthy baby. At a population level, preconception health can drastically improve birth outcomes by reducing the number of babies born prematurely or at low birth weights, according to the CDC.
What should both partners do before planning a pregnancy?
For Latino and all families, preconception health should involve both partners wanting to take initiative to improve the chances of a healthy pregnancy. Regardless of ...
The FDA is making a series of new enforcement and regulatory steps to crack down on JUUL e-cigarettes, which is big for Latinos who are increasingly using e-cigs. JUUL e-cigs resemble a USB flash drive and come in flavors very popular among young people. A single JUUL cartridge is equal to about a pack of cigarettes, or 200 cigarette puffs. The FDA is planning or taking these actions: A national undercover blitz to crack down on the sale of e-cigs–specifically JUUL products–to minors at both brick-and-mortar and online retailers.
Contacted eBay to raise concerns over several listings for JUUL products on its website.
Contacted JUUL manufacturers directly to submit product marketing and research information to better understand the health implications and youth ...
An unhealthy diet is the leading risk factor for death, causing more than 500,000 U.S. deaths in 2016, according to a new study. For the study, University of Washington researchers analyzed data on 333 diseases in every state from 1990-2016. They implicated diet in 529,999 deaths from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases in 2016. After diet, tobacco, high blood pressure, and obesity were the next biggest early death risks. These findings have big implications for Latinos, who tend to struggle with local access to healthy food, according to a Salud America! research review. “To an increasing degree, overweight, obesity, and sugary diets are driving up health care costs and are costing Americans years of healthy life,” said Dr. Christopher Murray, ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, a top cancer researcher and director of Salud America! and the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, today was named one of 12 new "Komen Scholars" by Susan G. Komen, the world’s largest non-profit funder of breast cancer research. Komen Scholars are an advisory group of distinguished leaders in breast cancer research and leadership. Each scholar—chosen for their knowledge, leadership, and contributions to breast cancer research—will help guide Komen’s $956 million research program, present at national meetings, and serve as experts and leaders for Komen’s nationwide network of affiliates and in communities around the globe. Ramirez, as part of being named a Komen Scholar, will receive $600,000 over three years to study ...
