Hispanic Culture | Page 8 of 20

Breaking Through the Mammography Controversy

11/30/2009/in Hispanic Culture/by Havi Goffan

Individualized Decision Between Woman and Her Provider is the Best Choice for Screening

Breaking Through the Mammography Controversy

“The controversy around mammography emphasizes that the best decision on screening is made by a woman and her health care provider. Balancing a woman’s individual medical history, risks, and concern level about breast cancer is a decision at the individual level using guidelines as a guide and not as something fixed in concrete,” said Dr. Jane L. Delgado, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, the nation’s leading Hispanic health advocacy group. “As a woman I want to make the decision about screening with my health care provider. Secretary Sebelius has offered assurance to the American people that she would work to ensure that such choice would not be limited by health insurance coverage policy.”
Dr. Delgado encouraged women to, “Talk to your health care provider about the risks of false positives that result from regular screening and radiation risks associated with screening and how to balance that with the benefits that mammography offers, particularly for women with higher risks for breast cancer.” According to Dr. Delgado, “The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has provided us with the best in available science, but the best decision will always be made by you and your health care provider. The Alliance is dedicated to ensuring that you will always have that choice.”

For women without access to a regular health care provider, the Alliance’s toll-free and bilingual Su Familia National Hispanic Family Health Helpline (1-866-SU-FAMILIA or 1-866-783-2645) is available to offer referral to low-cost and no-cost health services in a caller’s area. The service is available 9am to 6pm eastern standard time, Monday through Friday.

About the National Alliance for Hispanic Health

The National Alliance for Hispanic Health is the nation’s foremost science-based source of information and trusted advocate for the health of Hispanics in the United States. The Alliance represents thousands of Hispanic health providers across the nation providing services to more than 15 million each year, making a daily difference in the lives of Hispanic communities and families. For more information, call the Alliance’s Su Familia National Hispanic Family Health Helpline at 1-866-783-2645 or visit www.hispanichealth.org.

SOURCE National Alliance for Hispanic Health

Health Disparities Pose High Cost for American Economy

11/24/2009/in Hispanic Culture/by Havi Goffan

Researchers commissioned by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies released a report Thursday, calculating the combined costs of health inequalities and premature death in the nation to be $1.24 trillion between 2003 and 2006. During that time, minorities spent nearly $230 billion in excess medical care costs. The Joint Center is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that focuses on the concerns of African-Americans and communities of color.

“There is no question that reducing the health disparities can save incredible amounts of money — more importantly it can save lives,” said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, adding that reducing health disparities is high on her administration’s agenda. “There’s no single explanation for the disparities outlined in today’s report. And there’s no single solution either. But we know that the two biggest contributors to these disparities are a lack of access to insurance and a lack of access to care.”

Health Disparities Pose High Cost for American Economy, Researchers Say

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University and the University of Maryland conducted the report.

“We divided the (study) sample into groups and then we asked which ethnic group has the best health status, sometimes it was Whites or some other group,” said Dr. Thomas LaVeist of Johns Hopkins University, one of three report authors, “We consider it to be a disparity if other groups weren’t doing as well in a category.”

Citizens of color are disproportionately burdened by disease yet have limited access to health services, resulting in excessive medical expenditures and lost potential productivity, said Dr. Brian Smedley, vice president and director of the Health Policy Institute at the Joint Center.

Of the total excess direct medical cost of health disparities, African-American expenditures accounted for more than 59 percent, while 35.7 percent and 5 percent are attributable to Hispanics and Asian-Americans respectively. Overall, minorities require more care to maintain their health and since more than half of the uninsured are people of color, the costs are higher for everything from emergency room visits to prescription drugs, according to the study.

Using government vitality and conservative medical cost statistics from the World Health Organization, researchers measured worker productivity, absenteeism and in case of death, forgone wages and lost tax revenue among other things to estimate how much the economy lost due to disparities. They then adjusted the results to the 2008 inflation rates.

Without primary care or other adequate health resources, minorities often defer treatment or forgo preventive care until it’s too late, experts say.

“We are using emergency rooms and services to try and access health care inefficiently and expensively—and often dangerously because people are sicker when they access those services,” Sebelius said.

African-Americans are more likely to die from conditions like heart disease, breast cancer, and strokes as compared with non-Hispanic White men. Hispanics are less likely to develop some diseases — like prostate cancer — but they die more often from them, according to statistics from the government’s Office of Minority Health.

LaVeist said chronic conditions are more prevalent in minority communities because of their location. Fewer supermarkets and healthy food options, as well as environmental hazards, are barriers to wellness.

“If I could suggest one thing that would have the greatest impact, it would be to offer high quality education to every child,” LaVeist said. “That would do more than anything we can do in the healthcare system.”

Drexel University’s Dr. Dennis Andrulis outlined areas where health reform proposals succeed and fail to address disparities. The expansion of Medicare eligibility standards will provide more affordable access while bills that eliminate bi-lingual and other language service programs will limit it.

“Accessibility, affordability and accountability, those are the three A’s of this discussion,” Clyburn said.

10.05% of Hispanic Americans consider themselves lactose intolerant

Latinas with Lactose Intolerance Go The Natural Way

12/07/2009

/

0 Comments

Breaking Through the Mammography Controversy

11/30/2009

/

1 Comment

Health Disparities Pose High Cost for American Economy

11/24/2009

/

7 Comments

Hispanics Tune in and Help Raise More Than $633,000 for Kids With Cancer During 2nd Annual Promesa & Esperanza Radiothon Benefiting St. Jude

11/16/2009

/

1 Comment

Hispanic Children In U.S. At Greater Risk For Obesity Than Other Ethnic/Racial Groups

Hispanic Children and Obesity Risk

11/05/2009

/

3 Comments

Source: Arelis Hernandez

Mega News 1st and Only Interactive News in Hispanic TV

11/23/2009/in Hispanic Culture/by Havi Goffan

Mega News ‘Edicion Nocturna’ 1st and Only Interactive News in Hispanic Television’

What: Mega TV is proud to be the first and only Hispanic broadcaster to have a news show that gives the community and audience a voice in its content and reporting. “Edicion Nocturna,” airs on Mega News and uses the Internet and new media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Skype to give audiences the opportunity to report live and be a part of the news.

How: Hosted by journalist Fernando Del Rincon, one of the most respected political analysts in Mexico and the United States, Mega News “Edicion Nocturna” uses Skype, a free Internet service, to allow the audience to participate via Webcam from anywhere around the world. Twitter and Facebook also play an important role in the way the audience can interact live with the news. Host Del Rincon reads the public’s Tweets on the show as they are submitted.

Several audience interactions have already been successful. A Facebook user recently commented on the controversy of the video of child actors in Puerto Rico who were playing with weapons on Factor Del Rincon News’ Facebook page, essentially turning this viewer into a Web news reporter. The video caused a legal investigation by the island’s Government because they did not know if the weapons were real. Additionally, through the use of Skype, viewers spoke about the Maras and their possible relationship as role models that the children actors in Puerto Rico follow.

“This is a stepping stone for future generations of the media. I feel proud to be a pioneer and a channel of the people’s voice,” said journalist and TV host Fernando Del Rincon.

When: Every Monday through Friday at 10:30 P.M. ET / 7:30 P.M. PT, and 11:30 P.M. in Puerto Rico.

Where: Mega TV Channel 22, Channel 57 in West Palm Beach, Channel 32 in Las Vegas, Channel 169 on DirecTV in Puerto Rico, Channel 30 in Puerto Rico, Channel 38.2 in Orlando, Channel 36.2 in Tampa, Florida, Channel 40.2 in Charleston, Channel 19.2 in Palm Springs, CA, and Channel 405 on DirecTV Mas in the main cities of the United States.

www.mega.tv

SOURCE Spanish Broadcasting System

Hispanics Tune in and Help Raise More Than $633,000 for Kids With Cancer During 2nd Annual Promesa & Esperanza Radiothon Benefiting St. Jude

11/16/2009/in Hispanic Culture/by Havi Goffan

Hispanic radio listeners in more than a dozen cities tuned in to help fight against childhood cancer, raising more than $633,000 in cash and pledges during the 2nd annual ‘Promesa y Esperanza’ (Promise and Hope) radiothon to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital(R). The two-day radiothon took place October 8 – 9 in Philadelphia, Charlotte, New Orleans, Providence, Norfolk, Durham, Nashville, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, Richmond and Springfield, Mass. Thousands of callers pledged their support for kids with cancer and other catastrophic diseases at St. Jude, one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centers.

Hispanics Tune in and Help Raise More Than $633,000 for Kids With Cancer During 2nd Annual Promesa & Esperanza Radiothon Benefiting St. Jude

Stations owned by Golden Door and Davidson Media Group (DMG) and its partner radio stations dedicated more than 30 hours of programming to further the mission of St. Jude by encouraging their listeners to pledge just $20 a month as anAngel de Esperanza (Angel of Hope). These donations help St. Jude maintain its promise that no child is ever denied treatment because of a family’s inability to pay. Since opening in 1962, St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and around the world.

The hospital’s International Outreach Program (IOP) freely shares medical advancements achieved in the treatment of childhood cancer in developed countries to those with limited resources. As of June 2009, the St. Jude IOP program has partner clinics in 15 countries in Latin America and around the world, including Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Ecuador, Chile and Brazil.

“This year’s radiothon was truly a great success and we are so proud to partner with St. Jude to help ensure that these sick children will have a fighting chance to live healthy and happy lives,” said Felix L. Perez, President and CEO of Davidson Media Group. Davidson Media Group owns 37 Radio stations in 19 different markets throughout the U.S.

Listeners had the opportunity to hear stories of survival from Hispanic children who are currently undergoing treatment, such as 3 year-old St. Jude patient Victor who was diagnosed with leukemia. At St. Jude, Victor received medical treatment at no costs to his family thanks to the generous donations from the community.

“Everyone at St. Jude is grateful for the generosity shown by the Hispanic community for our patients and their families,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude. “It is heartwarming to see such an enthusiastic response during the Promesa y Esperanza radiothon, and we are inspired by the radio partners and donors who have embraced our lifesaving mission of finding cures and saving children.”

About St. Jude:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. For more information, please visit www.stjude.org.

Source: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Main image: The Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation

Understanding Latino Boomers

11/05/2009/in Hispanic Culture, Market Intelligence/by Havi Goffan

Understanding Latino Boomers

Focalyst, a reseach firm specialized in seniors and boomers, presented the results of a new study that provides valuable insights on one of the most complex segments of the U.S. Hispanic population: seniors

Latino Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) represent approximately 10% of the U.S. Boomer segment – over 7 million consumers – but cannot be segmented by language alone, a Focalyst study concludes.

“Marketers need to look beyond language and understand the demographic, attitudinal and behavioral differences within the Latino Boomer market in order to reach this target,” said Jack Lett, executive director of Focalyst.

Two in three Hispanic Boomers are “more acculturated,” considered either “Bicultural” or “Acculturated” :

•Bicultural Hispanics – 24% of Latino Boomers – are US-born or foreign-born and have lived many years in the US; they are bilingual and consume both English and Spanish media; they identify with aspects of both cultures.

•Acculturated Hispanics – 41% – are US-born and English-dominant; they consume English media; and they identify strongly with American culture, but still keep ties with their Hispanic culture.

•Unacculturated Hispanics – 35% – are foreign-born and speak Spanish in the home; they consume more Spanish than non-Spanish media; and they identify strongly with their native culture.

Understanding Latino Boomers: Demographic Profile

The study found that Bicultural Hispanic Boomers…

•Earn 23% less income on average than General Market Boomers ($56,607 compared with $73,921) – though they are equally likely to be employed (77%).

•Are slightly more likely to be married or partnered (75%) than both Acculturated (64%) and General Market Boomers (69%).

•Are less likely to be college educated – 55% of them have a college education, compared with 69% of Acculturated Boomers and 73% of General Market Boomers.

Understanding Latino Boomers: Family

Hispanic Boomers live in larger households (3.3 people per household vs. 2.9 for the General Market), often made up of younger children, adult children, or older relatives. Bicultural households have the largest household composition (3.6 people):

In addition…

•Acculturated Boomers are the most likely to be a caregiver for a family member, with 14% recently taking on this role.

•Besides supporting larger households, one in four Latino Boomers are providing substantial financial support to someone outside of their homes.

Understanding Latino Boomers: Future Plans

Acculturated Latino Boomers are more likely to aspire to continue their education (28%), whereas Bicultural Hispanics have more entrepreneurial desires – 32% said they want to start a new business, compared with 17% of General Market Boomers:

More findings:

•More than half (51%) of Bicultural Latino Boomers said it is important that their family think they are doing well

•86% of Bicultural Hispanic Boomers agreed that they have been fortunate in life, and 80% said they have accomplished a great deal – more so than General Market (77%) and Acculturated (76%) Boomers.