There are more than 65 million Hispanic and Latino people living in the U.S. – the second-largest racial or ethnic minority population in the country. Yet when it comes to heart and brain health, less may be understood about this population than any other. Researchers say the reasons for this are complex, but two stand out. READ MORE AT AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
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A certain amount of stress and anxiety at work is common. According to a survey, more than 80% of U.S. workers have reported experiencing workplace stress. Why does this happen and how do we manage our anxiety in the moment? It is important to know the difference between workplace anxiety and anxiety that indicates an anxiety disorder. Signs that indicate workplace anxiety rather than a general anxiety disorder include. READ MORE AT HBR
CHICAGO, IL – Holy Cross Hospital has joined the Peace and Wellness Coalition to host “Run The Lawn 5K: Healing In Motion” on Sunday, September 22nd in Marquette Park. Thanks to contributions from dozens of community stakeholders and partners, ‘Run the Lawn 5k’ and Wellness Fair will welcome community members from Chicago Lawn and the South Side of Chicago.
Holy Cross has joined the event to raise awareness of the hospital’s services, treatments and provide a chance for community members to meet Sinai physicians and leaders for any questions they have regarding their health.
“Holy Cross Hospital is excited to partner on this great event for the communities and patients surrounding our hospital,” said Dr. Jeen-Soo Chang, President of Holy Cross Hospital. “It’s a great opportunity for our physicians and leaders to talk with individuals and families in our neighborhood about our wide range of health services and specialties while also letting them know that we’re their neighbors and their health and well-being are our top priority.”
The free family-focused event will start with a 5k run in the morning with the option for a “Walk & Roll” that attendees can do at their own pace and with their families. The 5k will be followed by a Wellness Fair featuring health screenings and other tips from Holy Cross caregivers and other community organizations. The event will conclude with “Light in the Night” featuring musical performances and fun.
“This event is a collective project organized by our local coalition in the southwest side, the Peace and Wellness Coalition, which is made up of a diverse group of institutions ranging from public departments, elected officials, schools, churches, healthcare providers, faith-based institutions, and community-based organizations,” said Armando Mancilla, Director of Case Management & Community Organizing at the Southwest Organizing Project. “Our purpose is to collaborate with stakeholders to develop initiatives that increase and sustain peace and wellness across Chicago Lawn and surrounding communities”
For more information, visit runthelawn.com for registration for the 5k and the day’s festivities.
Over the past few decades, Latinos have become the largest racial or ethnic minority in the United States, making up nearly 20 percent of the country’s population. Despite that, many Latinos feel alienated by our medical system, due to cultural and language barriers, and a lack of Latino physicians — and those barriers can have a real impact on their overall health. READ MORE AT PBS
Foreign-born Hispanic or Latino workers made up 8.2 percent of the employed U.S. workforce, but 14.0 percent of work-related deaths in 2021. Fatal injuries to this group were most prevalent in the field of construction, with falls, slips, and trips being the most frequent event leading to death. READ MORE AT U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased interest in wearable health-monitoring devices among low-income Hispanic and Latine adults living in the U.S., a new Northwestern University study has found. The study was published today (May 8) in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. While the pandemic highlighted the need for regular health monitoring, these groups often lack access to affordable health care and sometimes distrust existing health systems. Wearables, therefore, could provide a reliable, at-home alternative to traditional in-clinic health monitoring.
But, although interest has increased, several barriers remain that prevent these groups from adopting wearable technologies. According to the researchers, tech companies historically have designed current wearable devices with affluent, predominantly white users in mind. READ MORE AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NEWS
A good night's sleep is essential for good health, but many Latinos in the U.S. just don't get enough of it. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night, but about 1 in 3 Latino adults sleep less than seven hours, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's on par with the overall U.S. population.
Insufficient sleep, insomnia and disorders such as sleep apnea have been linked to obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes – conditions that can increase the risk of heart disease. READ MORE AT HEART.ORG
A growing emphasis on mental health care — some of it brought into renewed focus during the pandemic — has led more Americans to seek therapy or other support. But recent data show Latinos are less likely to look for help.
While the number of Black, Asian and white Americans seeking mental health treatment has increased in recent years, the rate for Latinos has barely changed, according to an analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The reasons why are complicated, but a lack of cultural context contributes to the trend. READ MORE AT THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
For so many years when filling out forms that asked about race or ethnicity, AMA member Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, MD always checked the “other” box because she never wanted to make it seem as though one side of her heritage was more important than the other. Her father is German American and her mother is Mexican American. It took her several more years to understand what those boxes really meant. READ MORE AT THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
Hispanic people differ widely in their genetic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Now researchers say more precise data collection could help identify distinct risk factors for disease in certain populations. Having a more accurate understanding of genetic ancestry can help identify risk factors for certain diseases — as appears to be the case with brain tumors. READ MORE AT AAMC
In the abundant selection of fruits that supermarkets have at their disposal, pears are the secret weapon they use to capture their customers. They sell quickly, are available year-round, have more than ten varieties to suit all tastes, and have significant health benefits. Latino consumers buy them 34% more than the average U.S. shopper.
Latino pear consumers are young: seventy-six percent are Millennial and Gen X. These two groups of Latino consumers see pears as a healthy snack in their daily diet. READ MORE AT ABASTO
Latinos and Spanish speakers are getting better access to key mental health services thanks to several recent initiatives. A higher percentage of Latinos in the U.S. have reported symptoms of depression than their white non-Hispanic counterparts since the pandemic began, per the CDC.
Hispanics in the U.S. make up 19% of the population, but only 6% of licensed psychologists in the U.S. identify as Latino, according to the American Psychological Association. READ MORE AT AXIOS
Latinos in the U.S. and Latin Americans are more likely than others to reconsider the workplace after the pandemic, Marina writes. Two-thirds of Latinos polled in Microsoft’s say they are now much more conscious about prioritizing health over their work when it comes to going to the office, and 60% say they are considering changing jobs in response. READ MORE AT AXIOS
Obesity and diabetes disproportionately affect Latinos in the United States, a group that comprises 18.4% of the population, or approximately 60.5 million people. Latinos are 1.2 times more likely to be obese than non-Latino Whites, according to HHS Office of Minority Health.
Almost 4 out of 5 (78.8%) Hispanic women are overweight or obese compared with 64% of non-Latino White women. Latinos are twice as likely to have type 2 diabetes (17%) than Whites (8%), according to the CDC. READ MORE AT MANAGED HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVE
Latinos with an unhealthy response to chronic stress, like smoking or constantly eating junk food, tend to report fewer depression symptoms like hopelessness and restlessness in the long run than those with no dangerous coping mechanisms, according to an analysis.
Research has shown that stressors throughout life increase not only the body's wear and tear, known as allostatic load, but also the odds of having depression past age 60. But the study found the link was slightly weakened when Latinos engaged in an unhealthy coping mechanism. READ MORE AT AXIOS
Latinos in the U.S. were hard hit by the pandemic both financially and personally, but many feel generally optimistic that the worst is behind them, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center.
The study published on Thursday surveyed 3,375 Latinos in the U.S. in March. It comes as coronavirus infections are on the upswing in the U.S. again. READ MORE AT U.S. WORLD & NEWS REPORT
Nationally, a third of unvaccinated Latinos say they want to get the shot as soon as possible — a much higher share than unvaccinated Black or white people, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
But many are concerned about missing work because of side effects, have transportation difficulties or mistakenly believe they might have to pay for the vaccine, the Kaiser survey showed. READ MORE AT LOS ANGELES TIMES
About half of the U.S. population is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and key to that figure is a surge in Latinos in the U.S. getting a vaccine. That group had been trailing the vaccination rate for white people in the U.S. by 9%. And now, that gap has been cut in half. But the gains are spotty. READ MORE AT NPR
With positive coronavirus cases rising in the city even as vaccine doses become more readily available, some residents have questions.
On Wednesday, a virtual event designed for the Latino community will be held to address questions regarding the novel coronavirus and the vaccines for it. The Illinois Department of Public Health has partnered with community entities such as Rock Valley College to create a safe space for people to ask their questions.
The hourlong event will include panelists Juana Ballesteros, manager of community public health outreach for the Illinois Department of Public Health, and Dr. Mellisa Simon of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. READ MORE AT ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
At least 361 Latino men ages 18 to 49 have died from Covid-19 complications in the state of New Jersey. Hispanic men account for nearly half (43 percent) of all confirmed coronavirus deaths among adults under 50, even though they make up just 12 percent of that segment of the population, according to a WNYC/Gothamist analysis.
The analysis found that Latino men in New Jersey died at seven times the rate of white men, twice the rate of Black men and 4.5 times the rate of Latina women. READ MORE AT NBC NEWS
