The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (UCLA LPPI) was awarded a $650,000 grant from The California Wellness Foundation to invest in the Latino community.

The grant will help fund a new research program focused on producing data regarding health inequities and climate change, which factor into some of the health disparities Latino communities face, according to a UCLA news release.

“We are immensely grateful for the support from The California Wellness Foundation, which enables us to launch this vital research hub,” said Arturo Vargas Bustamante, PhD, the institute’s faculty research director. “This funding is a cornerstone in our efforts to build an extensive evidence base crucial for understanding the relationship between climate change, social determinants of health, and health equity, particularly in communities of color throughout California.”

Latino people make up an estimated 19% of the population in the United States, yet they represent a small proportion of participants in U.S. research studies, according to the American Heart Association.

In fact, a 2020 report published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that from 2008 to 2017, Latinos made up just 11% of clinical trial participation for cardiometabolic medications. What’s more, Latinos made up only 3% of the 3,300 patients enrolled in two large clinical trials for Alzheimer’s treatment in 2021, according to the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug and Evaluation and Research Drug TrialsSnapshots Summary Report of 2021.

In the news release, the Latino Policy and Politics Institute’s director, Silvia González, PhD, said, “This hub isn’t just about studying these issues in isolation. Instead, we’re set to explore how climate change policies intersect with health fairness and how, through diverse strategies, we can influence policies to bring about tangible improvements. Our commitment…is to transform this research into actionable insights, making a real impact in the communities we serve.”

To read more, click #Health Equity. There, you’ll find headlines such as “New Webinar Prioritizes Latina Health,” “$25M Grant to Morehouse Researchers Addressing Cancer Disparities” and “Over $12M in Grants to Improve HIV Prevention and Care Among Black Women and Girls.”