Rosenda Murillo's Research Impacts Houston's Latino Population - University of Houston
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Rosenda Murillo's Research Impacts Houston's Latino Population

Rosenda MurilloDepartment of Psychological Health and Learning Sciences (PHLS) assistant professor Rosenda Murillo has dedicated her research to a topic that affects thousands in the Houston area; the health of our city's growing Latino population.

The Latino population is often plagued by cardiovascular health issues and Type 2 diabetes.  Murillo seeks to enhance our understanding of these diseases in order to prevent them.  "Type 2 Diabetes disproportionately affects the Latino population," said Murillo, "and this warrants further research to investigate factors related to diabetes risk that specifically affect this population and the development of culturally-relevant behavioral interventions aimed at reducing disparities in cardiovascular disease risk.”  In addition to seeking out the links between the people and the diseases, Murillo believes that stress relates to Type 2 diabetes risk.

The outcomes of Murillo's research will greatly impact the Latino populations on both a local and a national scale. The research will help gain a greater understanding of how various factors such as, physical activity, stress, and diabetes will contribute to cardiovascular disease risk in Latinos.  This will help develop interventions aimed at preventing cardiovascular disease by reducing risk and promoting healthier lifestyles. She hopes to pass along this knowledge to her students, who will then be able to see how this has an impact on their communities and find ways that they themselves can help.