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Americans aren’t staying on top of their wellness check ups and reports are saying it shows. Aflac’s 2024 Wellness Matters found that more people are waiting for a medical emergency to access care. For Latino Americans specifically, this survey provided critical insights on the barriers preventing Latinos from accessing preventative healthcare and a growing trend of relying on urgent care or emergency services to meet their primary healthcare needs. About 58% of Latinos use urgent care or the emergency room as their main source of care. READ MORE AT RECKON

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

Millions of patients are not getting the quality care they deserve from doctors who look like them and speak their language. Research has shown that newly trained physicians of color answer the call to return to their communities and provide culturally competent care that results in improved patient outcomes.

At the same time, the Latino community needs increased representation for Latino physicians in leadership positions on college campuses and in hospitals. We must act and hold educational and health care organizations accountable for the sake of our patients. READ MORE AT CAL MATTERS

Although the situation is improving, Latinos and especially Mexican Americans, remain very underrepresented in US health professions that require advanced degrees, according to a study published today in the journal Health Affairs. The study by George Washington University researchers is the first to examine the representation of the four largest Latino populations in the US health workforce and the findings raise concerns about the lack of diversity in the US health workforce. READ MORE AT MILKEN INSTITUTE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

 Zócalo Health, the healthcare company reinventing primary care delivery and care navigation for the Latino patient, announced today its collaboration with Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, PBC (Cost Plus Drugs) to focus on improving access to all medications available through Cost Plus Drugs. Zócalo Health, launched in 2021, is focused on removing barriers to quality primary care for Latino patients. All users of Zócalo Health will have access to Cost Plus Drugs' prescriptions through membership packages or one-time urgent care visits. READ MORE AT KCRG9

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

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

The Capstone College of Nursing recently received a $1.7 million grant for the purpose of increasing the number of Latino nurses with bachelor's degrees. The grant is aimed at recruiting 80 Latino registered nurses with associate degrees and getting them on the track to receiving a bachelor's degree in nursing from The University of Alabama.

The College of Nursing will admit 20 students over a four-year period to meet the desired goal. The Health Resources and Services Administration Nursing Workforce Diversity program is funding the grant and efforts to recruit the nurses. READ MORE AT THE CRIMSON WHITE

February is American Heart Month. Heart disease continues to be the No. 1 killer of Hispanic women in the U.S. In fact, more women die of heart disease than all forms of cancer combined. Unfortunately, the killer is not as easy to see, and may be difficult to identify for Latinas and their families.

¡Help break the barrier of heart disease by making heart healthy choices for you and your family!

Latina women play a very important role in the family. They are the gatekeepers for their families’ well-being and health and often put the needs of others before their own. Let’s empower women to take care of their health first so they can be there for their loved ones.

As women, they are at greater risk of heart disease and stroke. Currently, some eight million women in the U.S. are living with heart disease, yet only one in six women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat. READ MORE AT HOLA ARKANSAS

The government's decision to reinforce its rules for one birth control pill is causing controversy among the Latino community.

The Plan-B pill, otherwise known as the "morning after pill,” can lower the chance of a pregnancy by nearly 90-percent if taken 24-hours after unprotected sex. But some say keeping this pill prescription-based will only add to a growing problem.

“Fifty-two percent of Latinas in this country are going to experience a pregnancy before the age of 20,” said Vince Hall with Planned Parenthood

This is why Latinas should have better access to reproductive healthcare, Hall said.

“The decision to put barriers in the way of contraception is a bad one,” he added.

This week, the government decided to reinforce its rules on Plan-B also known as "the morning after pill.”

Only people 17 years old and up will be able to get the pill without a prescription. Anyone under 17 will still need one. READ MORE