In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the National Hispanic Health Research Institute (NHHRI) launched a campaign highlighting the essential role of Latino voices, stories and leadership in shaping U.S. health research and equality, according to the institute.

 

Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15 “Research is Heritage” will shine a spotlight on Latino health care professionals, including researchers, practitioners and leaders, working to advance health equity through evidence and data.

 

 

“Hispanic heritage is not only expressed in culture, language, or art, it is also preserved and protected in science,” NHHRI CEO Ken Barela said in a social media post. “Through community-based research, we ensure our communities are seen, counted, cared for, and equipped with health solutions for generations.”

 

 

Latinos make up nearly 20% of the U.S. population but remain underrepresented in health research. NHHRI aims to change that by building a national collaborative of trusted, culturally rooted organizations dedicated to serving Latino communities.

 

The NHHRI, which launched in late August, was established to elevate and expand research focused on the health and well-being of Latino communities across the United States. The institute combines more than 50 partners from public health, academia and grassroots organizations.

 

 

To address disparities in underserved communities, researchers will lead studies that seek to fill representation gaps in research, shape policies and uplift Latino communities.  The institute focuses on patient-centered outcomes, health care disparities, longitudinal and cross generational studies, multilinguistic research and more.

 

“Right now, we have both an opportunity and a responsibility to ensure that every family historically left out of the data is finally seen and counted,” Barela told The Associated Press in August. “Our community-led model is designed to change that—because when we’re missing from the research, our communities are erased, and when we’re erased, we’re left behind.”

 

To read more, click #Health Equity or #Medical Research. There, you’ll see headlines such as “Digital Resources for Alzheimer’s Disease Lacking for Latinos in LA,” “Changes at NIH Give Political Appointees Greater Power to Fund or Block Research” and “Many Black, Latino People Can’t Get Opioid Addiction Medications. Medicaid Cuts May Make it Harder.”