Beatrice, a Latina mom of two, quit smoking in her late 30s. Her sons were her inspiration. “When my son was 11, he wrote me a letter and in it he asked me to quit smoking,” said Beatrice, who started smoking at age 7, in a video segment on why she quit. “And when I was going through the process of quitting, that letter was very motivating for me. I want to be here for my family.” Beatrice, who tells her story in the CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers video series, is an example of how campaigns can encourage Latinos to quit smoking by focusing on cultural differences, language, and the importance of family, experts say, according to a report by American Heart Association News. Smoking rates vary among Latino ethnic groups. Although smoking rates are lower among U.S. ...
Latinos and others living in rural areas are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, stroke, and unintentional injuries than their urban counterparts. These top-five causes of death account for 62% of all U.S. deaths. Among those living in rural areas, over 70,000 of these deaths were preventable, The Washington Post reports on a CDC study, including 25,000 individuals who died from heart disease and 19,000 who died from cancer. Although just 15% of the U.S. population is considered rural, they tend to be older, in poorer health, have less income and healthcare, and weight more, smoke more, and have higher blood pressure than the urban population, the Post reports. Latinos face even higher risks of heart diseases because of the disparities in ...
After decades of educational messages and campaigns on the grave health consequences of tobacco use, fewer young people than ever smoke cigarettes. But this triumph has come with an unintended side effect. A rising number of middle and high school kids are smoking electronic cigarettes, or "E-cigarettes," according to a National Institutes of Health report. E-cigarettes are electronic devices that vaporize flavored liquids that often times contain nicotine. These alternatives to smoking tobacco come with their own set of health risks, including asthma and respiratory infections. Among Latinos, tobacco use remains a serious problem and an increasing number have begun using e-cigarettes, according to American Heart Association News. "Easy access to these products, the ...
People living in rural areas are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, stroke, and unintentional injuries than their urban counterparts. The top five causes of death accounted for more than 1.5 million deaths in the United States in 2014. This figure accounts for 62% of all the deaths in the country at that time. Among those living in rural areas, over 70,000 of these deaths were preventable, The Washington Post reports. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determined that of the preventable deaths, 25,000 individuals died from heart disease and 19,000 died from cancer. Latinos face even higher risks of cardiovascular diseases because of the disparities in high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes compared to whites. Cancer is the ...
Cancer deaths in the United States have dropped 20% from 1980 to 2014! This is great news, but there are still several “hot spots” where cancer deaths persist despite efforts being made nationally, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study examined 20 million cancer deaths by county location over 24 years. Liver cancer increased by almost 88% nationwide over that span, and clustered along Texas' border with Mexico in largely Latino populations, according to a news report on the research by CNN. Lung cancer deaths “bunched” across the states of Kentucky and Florida, and breast cancer deaths clustered along the Mississippi River and Southern belt. "At the county level, you see huge disparities," Ali Mokdad, the lead author ...
When she turned 50, Jacqueline “Jackie” Marino quit smoking. A year after the Puerto Rican native and resident of Fairfax Station, Va., kicked the habit as a gift to herself and in response to her son's pleas, she felt in great health... ...except a nagging sinus infection in 2014. Jackie went to an allergist about her sinus infection. Because she had coughed up blood, the doctor sent her for an imaging evaluation; it showed a spot on her lung. Could it be lung cancer? Lung cancer, dubbed an “invisible disease,” often doesn’t manifest until diagnosed in later stages, when there are fewer chances for long-term survival. For Latinos, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for men and second-leading for women, according to the American Cancer Society. Jackie needed ...
Salud America! Guest Blogger
Jefferson Dental Care You've heard it before: Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing are two of the best ways to keep your mouth healthy. But do Latinos and others follow this advice? Actually, 30% of Americans do not brush their teeth twice a day, according to figures from the American Dental Association. Skipping brushing can lead to tooth decay—which disproportionately occurs in Latino children—tooth loss and other serious health problems. “Poor oral health has been linked to chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart attack, stroke, breast cancer and many others,” said Dr. Leslie Renee Townsend, regional dental director for Jefferson Dental Care. “Moreover, at-home dental care is crucial to keeping plaque and tartar from ...
Challenged by smoking habits, rising instances of diabetes and high blood pressure, and drug abuse, the population of the U.S. simply lags behind other similar nations when it comes to infant mortality and the life expectancy its citizens, the U.S. National Library of Medicine reports. A comprehensive study of global health statistics found that the U.S. does not meet the high expectations set based on the amount of money spent on healthcare. The findings were part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study 2015, a scientific analysis of more than 300 diseases and injuries in 195 countries and territories. “Not all U.S. citizens benefit equally from [the country’s] advantages,” said Dr. Mohsen Naghavi, a professor with the Institute for Health Metrics ...
When it comes to smoking, there's good and bad news for Latinos. The good: Researchers have long known that Latinos adults overall are less likely to smoke cigarettes than their white or black peers. The bad: New data now shows that one particular group of U.S. Latinos is more likely than all others to smoke. Nearly 29% of Puerto Ricans smoke cigarettes compared to 20% of Cuban Americans and 19% of Mexican Americans, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Heart Association reports. In Puerto Rico, smoking rates are much lower than in the U.S. Only 11% of all Puerto Ricans on the island smoke. Of the 5.4 million Puerto Ricans living stateside, many live in poor-quality housing and have low-income jobs. “Financial and ...
