UT Health RGV experts prompt men to seek check-ups; raise Alzheimer’s awareness
By Saira Cabrera
Edinburg, TX – JUNE 06, 2023 – UTRGV School of Medicine and UT Health RGV physicians are available to help discuss some of June’s national health awareness days.
Those days include a focus on the importance of urging men to attend to their health; increasing awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and brain health; self care as an essential part of overall well-being; and health resources for new fathers for Father’s Day.
June is Men’s Health Month
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men across the country on average die five years earlier than women and at a higher rate due to three primary causes – cancer, heart disease and unintended injuries. June serves as an observance month to raise awareness about healthcare for men and to encourage them and their families to practice and implement healthy living choices, such as getting annual health check-ups, exercising and eating healthy.
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UTRGV School of Medicine and UT Health RGV’s experts urge men to start taking care of themselves early in life and recommend making it a habit to schedule health check-ups before problems set in. Men who don’t have access to medical care can turn to programs available within UT Health RGV.
June hosts Father’s Day
Father’s Day changes each year in the United States but always falls on the third Sunday in June. Fathers and father figures are celebrated during this awareness day for playing an essential role in the development of children and adults alike.
UT Health RGV created this new care group model clinic in the Rio Grande Valley – the UTRGV Centering Parenting Clinic – to offer professional and medical support to new fathers and parents. The clinic provides a unique, innovative way to care for patients, both babies and parents. Fathers and their babies who join the UTRGV Centering Parenting clinic can expect assistance from health experts and find support groups that may assist with managing fatherhood for the first time, among others.
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
The highest rate of Alzheimer’s disease in Texas can be found in the Rio Grande Valley. Specialized researchers from the UTRGV School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research study the brain and are motivated by the Hispanic population’s focus on its elders and their memory loss.
UTRGV School of Medicine investigators have been awarded a $2.9 million grant for a multi-factor study into Alzheimer’s across the Valley. Globally, more than 55 million people live with Alzheimer’s or other dementias, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. This health observance taps into the national movement to help raise consciousness about Alzheimer’s and brain awareness, fight associated stigmas, provide support, educate communities, and find ways to help people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and their families.
UTRGV School of Medicine and UT Health RGV physicians and researchers can provide comprehensive health assistance to help detect and prevent possible Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases and recommend how to optimize health.
Health Highlight is a monthly series that provides media partners with direct access to UTRGV School of Medicine and UT Health RGV experts to share insight and educate the community on best practices for their health.
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