Health Disparities

Need for More Latino Doctors Highlighted at UC Merced Event

October 13, 2025

Dr. Michael Galvez speaks to students at UC Merced about National Latino Physician Day.

In the United States, 20 percent of the population is Latino. By 2050, it’s expected that one in three people will identify as Latino. But less than 7 percent of doctors come from a similar background. Dr. Michael Galvez, a board-certified pediatric hand surgeon at Valley Children’s...

Study: Many Immigrants Perceive Racial Discrimination at Work, in Health Care

In recently published reports, Department of Public Health Professor Maria-Elena Young, Public Health doctoral student Sharon Tafolla and colleagues at UCLA discovered that Latino and Asian...

Dr. Thelma Hurd has been appointed the inaugural Thondapu Family Endowed Chair in Medical Education.

UC Merced Names First Endowed Chair in Medical Education

Distinguished UC Merced Director of Medical Education and public health Professor Dr. Thelma Hurd has been appointed the inaugural Thondapu Family Endowed Chair in Medical Education. “I am...

An image depicts a plush toy on top of a mattress.

Research Shows Sleep and Social Support Are Vital to Latina Teen Mothers' Mental Health

It's no surprise that a good night's rest is one of the most important factors for a person's well-being, but not everyone can say they have the luxury of being able to sleep for eight...

HSRI Receives $1.2 Million to Research Health Impacts From Vehicle-Related Air Pollution

UC Merced's Health Sciences Research Institute (HSRI) has been awarded a $1.2 million grant to study the effects of vehicle emissions on public health and the environment. This award is part...

'Saber Es Poder' Website Offers COVID-19 Resources, Including Vaccine Information

UC Merced and Cultiva La Salud have partnered to launch a new Spanish-language website aimed at providing the community with a wide range of information about the coronavirus. "...

Central Valley Caravan to Provide Labor Rights Information to Farmworkers

Farmworkers can learn more about their labor rights and workplace safety protections as a mobile informational caravan makes multiple stops across the Central Valley this weekend. UC Merced's...

Rotary District Scholar to Conduct Sanitation Research in Haiti

With COVID-19 protections lifting, many people are eager to travel again. Among them is graduate student Elena Bischak, who is planning multiple trips to Haiti in the coming months to study improving...

A lit cigarette is seen in an undated image.

Smokers Light Up More Cigarettes Following California COVID-19 Lockdown Order, Study Finds

The fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has been felt around the world. COVID-19's grip has affected people's mental health and sense of what was once normal, prompting them to turn to new...

Report Examines Methods to Monitor PFAS in Environment to Protect Public Health

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are human-made chemicals that for decades have been used in a variety of products, including food packaging materials, nonstick cookware,...