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Cliff Despres

Cliff Despres, who has more than a decade of experience in journalism and public relations, is communications director for Salud America! and its home base, the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.


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Articles by Cliff Despres

Dr. Amelie Ramirez Joins New Team to Guide San Antonio in Reopening Economy after Social Distancing


Amelie Ramirez Latino Health Champion 2018

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff announced the addition of Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, to the COVID-19 Health Transition Team, which is working on a plan to slowly reopen the city economy after social distancing. Nirenberg and Wolff wrote a joint memo that stay-at-home rules have saved lives. Yet they acknowledge social distancing isn't permanent. "Our community needs a local strategy to reenter into everyday life," Nirenberg and Wolff wrote. "These decisions have critical implications on our community – including our ability to avoid subsequent outbreaks, ensure we protect our most vulnerable populations, especially those in high-risk professions, and to identify parameters for transitioning ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 4/21: Tackling Latino Food Insecurity amid Coronavirus


food insecurity empty grocery store shelves no food latino shopper mask coronavirus tweetchat

The coronavirus outbreak is making it harder for Latino and other families to get enough food to feed their families, a condition also called food insecurity. Families that rely on food assistance can’t stock up, or shop online, either. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, to discuss how to improve food access and mitigate food insecurity for Latinos and all people during the COVID-19 pandemic! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: Tackling Latino Food Insecurity amid Coronavirus TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, April 21, 2020 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS:  UnidosUS (@WeAreUnidosUS), Food Research and Action Center (@fractweets), and Feeding America Advocacy (@hunger) HASHTAG: #SaludTues ...

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Latino Teens: Distance Learning Is a Giant Stressor amid Coronavirus


latino teen student distance learning laptop computer home coronavirus worry stress

Latino teens are more worried than their peers that they won't be able to keep up with school work or extracurricular activities amid coronavirus, says a new survey by Common Sense and SurveyMonkey. 70% of Latino teens fear falling behind in homework. 62% of Latino teens fear lagging in activities like band and sports. These are far higher percentages of worry about online, distance learning than their white (49% and 53%), black (66% and 54%), and other (40% and 50%) peers. How "real" is this teen angst? Many Teens Are Not Connecting with Teachers During the Coronavirus Pandemic Coronavirus has shut down schools and fueled the rise of online, distance learning. But not all teen students regularly communicate with their teachers. One in four teens connect with teachers ...

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Are Latinos More Exposed to Coronavirus? Left Out of Testing, Treatment, Social Distancing?


clinical trials latino family home volunteer

COVID-19 can affect anyone. But, in reality, it's worsening the health and social inequities facing U.S. Latinos. Now the pandemic is raising fears of racial/ethnic and income disparities in coronavirus exposure, testing, prevention via social distancing, and treatment. "As the number of cases rises, citizens are rightfully concerned about who is getting tested and who will receive treatment," writes health equity adviser Brian Williams in a column for the Dallas Morning News. "For those who exist on the margins of health care justice, access to life-saving treatment is never guaranteed." Disparities in Coronavirus Exposure We know Latinos are more likely than their white peers to suffer from poverty, underlying conditions, and a lack of quality housing and transit. They also ...

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Latinos: COVID-19 Disrupts Finances, Daily Life, Mental Health


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COVID-19 doesn't discriminate. But U.S. Latinos are more likely than all Americans to say the coronavirus pandemic changed their daily lives, and disrupts their mental health, finances, and jobs, according to new Pew Research Center surveys. "Latinos make up significant portions of the hospitality, construction, leisure and agricultural sectors of our labor market, and are the largest uninsured population in America," wrote Kristian Ramos, ex-spokesman for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, for The Hill. "These workers and uninsured families are unable to telecommute, will not be paid if their jobs are lost, and likely do not have immediate access to health care." Latino Daily Life During COVID-19 Early on in the outbreak, Pew Research Center reported that a higher percentage of ...

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Reports: Latino Workers Are Hit Hardest by COVID-19 Pandemic


latino workers hit hard by covid-19 coronavirus food service

Coronavirus can affect anyone. But experts warn that COVID-19 will cause more suffering among U.S. Black and Latino workers, due to societal inequities shaped by structural racism and low-paying jobs with no chance of telework. "When the COVID-19 pandemic has ended in this country, we will see an unequal distribution of infections and deaths along the intersecting lines of race and class," wrote labor historian Christopher Hayes in the New Jersey Star-Ledger. UPDATE 4/23/20: 26 million people have filed jobless claims in the past five weeks, NBC News reports. Why is this? Coronavirus Compounded: Income Inequities among Latino Workers These statistics show a glimpse of how much Latino workers earn: 1 in 3 Latinos live in poverty. 1 in 2 Latino families are ...

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Our Favorite Spanish-Language Coronavirus Resources for Latinos!


Our Favorite Spanish-Language Coronavirus Resources for Latinos

Coronavirus is locking down much of the United States, making it harder for vulnerable populations like Latinos to get information, especially those who speak Spanish. Fortunately, new resources are popping up for Spanish-language Latinos. Here are some of our favorites! Update 5/11/20: Check out our bilingual infographic and the bilingual La Loteria COVID-19 Bingo game! CDC Promotes Spanish-Language Coronavirus Resources for Latinos About 37 million Latinos in the U.S. speak Spanish at home. But the CDC wasn't on the Spanish-language boat from the onset of coronavirus. In fact, on March 17, 2020, the website Latino Rebels shared that CDC was behind in translating its "15 Days to Slow the Spread" coronavirus recommendations. They finally posted it three days later. But ...

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What Cancer Patients Need to Know about Coronavirus COVID-19


latina hispanic cancer patient survivor at home due to coronavirus covid-19

Cancer patients are at higher risk for the new coronavirus COVID-19, as well as more severe outcomes of the diseases, than those without cancer, health experts say. What does this mean for your cancer journey? For treatment? Screening? Clinical trials? Latinos and vulnerable populations? "We don't want to be overly alarming, but the truth is that Latino and all cancer patients should be concerned about COVID-19 because they are at higher risk," said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! and associate director of community outreach and education at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio. "So we want to help spread truthful, equitable information that will help all cancer patients in their journeys." Here are some important issues for cancer patients and ...

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How Coronavirus Is Crippling Rural Health Care, Especially for Latinos


rural latino hispanic farm worker health care coronavirus covid-19

The coronavirus pandemic is weakening the already-fragile rural health care safety net, and endangering health of rural residents, public health experts say. Here are a few ways this is happening. The Rural Health Care System and Coronavirus (COVID-19) Rural hospitals are small businesses that their communities rely upon. But health staff is becoming sick. Cash-flow problems are at crisis levels, according to the National Rural Health Association. They list these troubles: Adequate number of supplies and tests EMS shortages, as many in rural communities are volunteers; Overall workforce shortages if rural providers get sick; Telehealth waivers and site flexibility for Rural Health Clinics; Critical Access Hospital waivers; and Need for loan ...

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