By Raynald Samoa, MD

World Diabetes Day was November 14, just as a new report from the International Diabetes Federation put estimates of those around the world with the disease at 382 million people. In the United States, eight percent of the population, almost 26 million people, is living with diabetes – with another 79 million showing signs of being pre-diabetic.

Sometimes, breakthroughs must be made not by researchers or individuals but by society. In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, City of Hope's Vijay Trisal, M.D., describes a breakthrough that doesn't seem to have occurred: widespread awareness that the outcome of a person’s cancer is not decided by how hard they fight.

CVS/pharmacy is currently holding more than 1,000 free Project Health screening events in 27 cities across the U.S. These events are designed to bring access to healthcare directly into multicultural communities throughout the country; help people know their numbers and how to take preventative action if necessary; and provide information about insurance options and the Affordable Care Act. Initially timed with the open enrollment period, the events will continue to run through mid-February.

Latinas who have an abnormal mammogram result take 33 days longer to reach definitive diagnosis of breast cancer than non-Hispanic white women, according to a new study by the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Are you afraid to look too closely at your health because you’re afraid you’ll find something wrong? Ignorance may be bliss in some situations, but when it comes to your health, ignorance can put you at great risk. Living in fear of getting sick can become a self-fulfilling prophecy if you don’t take the necessary preventative steps to protect and maintain your health – and that includes self-screening for chronic diseases, especially when you are at greater risk because of age, sex, ethnicity, family history, and/or genetic predisposition.