May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. By Barrett White In 1990, the World Health Organization declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder, a decision that activists called long overdue. In 2004, the anniversary of the decision, May 17, became the international observance day to celebrate and empower the community. The International …
Category Archives: Public Health
Twelve-step programs are the cornerstone of balanced mental health for many struggling with alcohol use. When you can’t gather, how can you coalesce among peers? By Barrett White Nobody should struggle alone. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are thought to be as bad as – if not worse than, in some cases – withdrawals from heavy …
Eliminating the stigma begins with knowing your status. By Barrett White On average, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there are nearly 40,000 new HIV transmissions every year, with the highest rates found in the South—and of major cities in the South, Houston is a hotbed for new infections. In the most …
The Transgender Education Network of Texas is offering guidance for transgender patients during the pandemic. By Barrett White The Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT) provides shelter and safety for transgender Texans every day in the form of resources, community activism, and even grassroots work in Austin, but their work is especially important during …
With health officials across the country asking that we all practice ‘social distancing,’ the direction leaves many asking what that even means. Updated Jun 24, 2020 By Barrett White What is social distancing, and what’s the difference between that and going into quarantine? Social distancing is a measure taken by the public to restrict when …
With COVID-19 appearing in Houston at the end of flu season and the beginning of allergy season, how do we know the difference? By Dr. Vian Nguyen, Chief Medical Officer Updated April 28, 2020. RodeoHouston has been cancelled for the first time in 80 years; Austin’s SXSW has fallen victim to the virus, too. …
Every second and fourth Saturday of the month, Legacy physician Dr. Amelia Averyt takes Houston’s southeast side on a walk in the park while answering their burning health Q’s. By Barrett White What is more peaceful than a walk in the park? Dr. Amelia Averyt, a physician at Legacy Santa Clara on the east …
The day is observed annually on February 7. This year’s theme is, “We’re in this together.” By Barrett White In Harris County, nearly half of all people living with HIV are Black. Meanwhile, the Black community only makes up less than 20% of the population of Harris County. The importance of equitable HIV outreach …
Felicia Latson, LCSW-S, center, discusses social determinants of health with other panel members at University of Houston’s first Health: A Call to Action conference on January 31, 2020. By Barrett White In the midst of campus buzz, the University of Houston held their first-ever community health conference, titled Health: A Call to Action. The …