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Cliff Despres

Cliff Despres, who has more than a decade of experience in journalism and public relations, is communications director for Salud America! and its home base, the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.

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Articles by Cliff Despres

Finding a Clinical Trial Just Got Easier!


clinical trial search

Clinical trials are responsible for many of today’s life-saving procedures and treatments. But finding and enrolling in clinical trials can be difficult process, especially for Latinos who may experience language barriers or lack of information. In response to these challenges, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recently updated their search engine to better help patients find and enroll in an NHBLI-sponsored clinical trial. Available in Spanish, interested participants can now browse for clinical trials by age group, condition, and location. The search engine also includes an overview of how clinical trials work, who can participate, and benefits, risks, and safety measures of trials. Diseases and conditions studied in NHBLI-sponsored clinical trials ...

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You Can Donate Biospecimens for Research to Fight Cancer, Alzheimer’s!


You Can Donate Biospecimens for Research to Fight Cancer, Alzheimer's!

Ever heard of donating biospecimens for research? When a person donates biospecimens—blood, fluid, or tissue samples—it gives researchers the opportunity to better understand, treat, and prevent medical conditions from cancer to Alzheimer's. Biospecimens are especially needed from Latinos, who suffer health disparities. "Latinos who donate biospecimens are heroes. Their contributions enable researchers to make medical discoveries and build new therapies to help millions of Latinos across the nation," said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of the Salud America! Latino health equity program at the Institute for Health Promotion Research in the Department of Population Health Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. What are Biospecimens? Biospecimens are materials from the human ...

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¡Usted Puede Donar Muestras Biológicas para Investigación a Fin de Combatir el Cáncer y el Alzheimer!


Donar Muestras Biológicas cancer alzheimers research

Cuando una persona dona muestras biológicas o biospecímenes—sangre, líquido, o muestras de tejido—le da a los investigadores la oportunidad de entender, tratar y prevenir de una mejor manera, condiciones médicas desde el cáncer hasta el Alzheimer. Se necesitan de manera especial muestras biológicas de latinos, quienes sufren disparidades de salud. “Los latinos que donan muestras biológicas son héroes. Sus contribuciones permiten a los investigadores hacer descubrimientos médicos y crear terapias nuevas para ayudar a millones de latinos en todo el país”, dijo la Dra. Amelie G. Ramirez, líder de Salud America! programa latino de equidad en salud del Institute for Health Promotion Research en el Department of Population Health Sciences, de UT Health San ...

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Webinar: A New Vision for Reaching Latinos for Systemic and Behavioral Change


Amelie Ramirez of UT Health San Antonio health equity Systemic and Behavioral Change

Latinos are expected to comprise well over 25% of the U.S. population by 2050. But they face health disparities in eye health, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and more, endangering the future health of the nation. Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, will explore the causes of these disparities in a virtual presentation, "A New Vision for Reaching Latinos for Systemic and Behavioral Change," at 2:45 p.m. ET, July 14, 2022, at the 11th Annual Focus on Eye Health National Summit led by Prevent Blindness. The overall event, which is free, is set for July 13-14, 2022. "Our efforts must address structural inequities — from a lack of healthcare access to unaffordable housing to experiences of discrimination to a lack of diversity among health care ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 7/5: What Is Biospecimen Donation and Should You Donate?


biospecimens donate donation blood draw latina patient

Ever heard of donating biospecimens for research? When a person donates biospecimens—blood, fluid, or tissue samples—it gives researchers the opportunity to better understand, treat, and prevent medical conditions from cancer to Alzheimer's. Biospecimens are especially needed from Latinos, who suffer health disparities. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, to tweet about the need for biospecimen donations, how researchers use the donations, and how you can donate to improve health for all people! WHAT: #SaludTues: What Is Biospecimen Donation and Should You Donate? TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. EST (Noon-1 p.m. CST), Tuesday, July 5, 2022 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: Melissa Simon, Health Equity Researcher, ...

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The Massive Need for Equitable Latino Representation in Clinical Trials


clinical trials latino family home volunteer

Latinos represent less than 10% of volunteers in cancer clinical trials. The lack of Latinos in clinical trials makes it harder for researchers to find treatments tailored for this group — which makes up 18.5% of the U.S. population and a diversity of heritages. This is why Drs. Amelie G. Ramirez and Patricia Chalela of UT Health San Antonio identified barriers and strategies to boost Latino representation in clinical trials in a new commentary in JCO Oncology Practice. It will take more than simply raising awareness of clinical trials to everyone. "To achieve equitable participation of Latinos and other underrepresented groups in clinical research, we need comprehensive approaches that address social and contextual barriers to participation," said Ramirez, leader of the ...

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La Necesidad Enorme de Tener una Representación Latina Equitativa en los Estudios Clínicos


clinical trials latino family home volunteer

Los latinos representan menos del 10% de los voluntarios en los estudios clínicos de cáncer (enlace en inglés). La falta de latinos en los estudios clínicos hace que sea más difícil para los investigadores encontrar tratamientos desarrollados específicamente para este grupo – que representa el 18.5% de la población de los Estados Unidos y una diversidad de culturas. Las doctoras Amelie G. Ramírez y Patricia Chalela de UT Health San Antonio identificaron barreras y estrategias para promover la representación latina en los estudios clínicos en un nuevo comentario (enlace en inglés) publicado en JCO Oncology Practice. Se necesitará más que simplemente aumentar el conocimiento sobre los estudios clínicos. "Para lograr la participación equitativa de los latinos y ...

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More Cities Are Banning Smoking in Apartment Units


no smoking in apartments in riverside and vallejo california multifamily secondhand smoke

Two more cities have prohibited smoking inside apartment units. On April 26, 2022, Riverside, Calif., city leaders preliminarily approved a ban on smoking in multifamily-housing rental complexes, including individual apartment homes and attached balconies and patios. Latino tenants helped drive the measure. On May 10, 2022, Vallejo, Calif., city leaders banned smoking in multi-unit residences. Bans like these—to reduce exposure to harmful secondhand smoke among apartment and condo tenants—are on the rise. "Upon adoption, Riverside would join at least 167 California cities and counties that have enacted ordinances to restrict smoking in multifamily housing complexes, said Karina Funez, advocacy policy manager for the American Lung Association in California, which has been ...

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Men, Why Should You Get Screened for Cancer? Join This Webinar 6/9/22!



Unfortunately, Latino men have lower cancer screening rates than their White peers. Only 30% of Latino men received a PSA test for prostate cancer in the past year, compared to 37% of White men. Colorectal cancer screening was lower in Latinos (49%) than Whites (58%), too. To address this issue, you’re invited to join our webinar — Men, Why Should You Get Screened for Cancer? — at 2 p.m. CT on June 9, 2022. This Zoom webinar will feature guest speakers and patient advocates to help health care professionals and the Latino public understand the cultural and other barriers to screening, demystify screening tests, and share stories of Latino men's screening and cancer survival. This is the fourth webinar of a new series, “Let’s Address Health Equity Together.” The ...

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