About the Author

Author Picture

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.

Connect with Cliff:
Twitter Link

Articles by Cliff Despres

Hispanic Heritage Month: Todos Somos, Somos Uno



By Dr. Fátima Coronado CDC, Salud America! Guest Blogger Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) is a time to recognize and honor the Hispanic and Latino community’s achievements, culture, and contributions to the nation’s history. It’s an occasion to highlight the positive influence of Hispanics and Latinos throughout the country’s history. This year we take the opportunity to recognize that our country is stronger, healthier, and safer when we recognize our shared humanity and value every individual and community: Todos Somos, Somos Uno: We Are All, We Are One. As the US population becomes more diverse, Hispanic Heritage Month offers a valuable opportunity to foster cross-cultural understanding and appreciation, break down stereotypes, and promote ...

Read More

We’re Hiring a Research Scientist!


ihpr research scientist senio job position ut health san antonio

Are you passionate about public health? The Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio — home to the Salud America! program — is seeking a qualified senior research scientist with expertise in public health research. The position will focus on two IHPR projects: Avanzando Caminos (Leading Pathways): The Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship Study Avanzando Equidad de Salud: Latino Cancer Health Equity Research Center Apply here for the senior research scientist position. “Our goal is to find a passionate research scientist who can help us plan, coordinate, analyze, and produce scientific content for clinical and regulatory documents on these two important research projects,” said Dr. Amelie Ramirez, director of the IHPR and chair of ...

Read More

23 Surprising Ways to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month


national hispanic heritage month (2)

Hispanic Heritage Month is here! This annual U.S. observance, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. We at Salud America! invite you to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in these surprising ways. 1. Learn How Hispanic Heritage Month Began U.S. Congressmen Edward R. Roybal of Los Angeles and Henry B. Gonzales were among those who introduced legislation on the topic in 1968. President Lyndon Johnson implemented the observance as Hispanic Heritage Week that year. U.S. Rep. Esteban E. Torres of Pico Rivera proposed the observance be expanded to cover its current 30-day period. President Ronald Reagan implemented the expansion to ...

Read More

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez to Help Lead $46 Million NIH Project to Move Discoveries into Practice


amelie ramirez ut health san antonio Clinical and Translational Science Awards CTSA

UT Health San Antonio, including Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, and seven regional collaborators will leverage $46 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) over the next five to seven years to translate scientific discoveries into therapeutic benefits for human health and well-being. A key focus will be reducing health disparities among Latinos (particularly Mexican Americans), active military personnel, and veterans. Dr. William L. Henrich, president of UT Health San Antonio, recently announced the funding from the NIH Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program. Henrich thanked partners including The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School and College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at San Antonio and the Texas Biomedical Research Institute for ...

Read More

Dr. Amelie Ramirez Wins AACI Cancer Health Equity Award


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

Dr. Amelie Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, has won the 2023 Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) Cancer Health Equity Award. The award recognizes exceptional leadership in promoting health equity, mitigating cancer disparities, and advocating for diversity and inclusion at a cancer center. Past winners are Dr. Robert A. Winn of the VCU Massey Cancer Center and Dr. Electra D. Paskett of Ohio State University. Ramirez, nominated by the award by former Mays Cancer Center Director Dr. Ruben Mesa, will be recognized at AACI's annual meeting Oct. 2, 2023. "I am honored to receive the AACI Cancer Health Equity Award. It recognizes the hard work we do at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio to promote health equity, study new ...

Read More

#SaludTues Tweetchat 9/5/23: Building a Healthier Future for Latinos


healthy communities for latino and diverse populations

Latinos face many challenges to good health. Equitable access to healthcare is often out of reach. Discrimination is a reality for many, along with financial toxicity, limited health food, and unstable housing, transportation, and childcare. But we have an opportunity to create healthy changes. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023, to share how everyone – from healthcare to schools to local decision-makers – can get involved in building healthier communities for Latinos and all people as we near Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15)! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: Building a Healthier Future for Latinos TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: ...

Read More

Watch Webinar: How to Systemically Address Social Needs in Healthcare Settings



Latinos face inequities in social determinants of health (SDoH), from housing to healthcare, making it harder to achieve health equity. Watch the UT Health San Antonio webinar — “How to Systemically Address Social Needs in Healthcare Settings” — which was held at 11 a.m. CST on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, to explore how healthcare settings can care for patients' medical and SDoH needs. Panelists from UT Health San Antonio, Nemours Children's Health, HOPE Clinic in Houston, the American Cancer Society, and Genentech unpacked SDoH screening, a strategy that clinics, hospitals, and healthcare systems can use to check patients for social needs and connect them to needed resources. This is a part of a webinar of a series, “Let’s Address Health Equity Together.” The ...

Read More

CDC Project Firstline References


Project Firstline logo saludfirstline

Measles Fact Sheet (2024) OMH/HHS: https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/immunizations-and-hispanic-americans CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr6204a1.htm#Tab3 CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/index.html CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/questions.html CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/measles/ CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/infection-control/hcp/measles/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/measles/index.html CDC: Measles Vaccine Rates: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/measles.htm Think Measles: Recognizing and Addressing Measles in Pediatric Practice: https://bit.ly/thinkmeasles Red Book Online Outbreaks: Measles: ...

Read More

5 Reasons to Register for Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos



Did you know Latinos are expected to face a 142% rise in cancer cases in coming years? To address the heavy burden of Latino cancer, you can register now for UT Health San Antonio's 4th biennial Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference Feb. 21-23, 2024, at the Marriott Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas. The conference will welcome researchers, physicians, community leaders, patient advocates, policymakers, and students from across the country to tackle Latino cancer from prevention to treatment to survivorship. “Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos is a sanctuary where we can share research, experience, and action to translate basic research into clinical best practices, effective community interventions, and professional training programs to eliminate cancer ...

Read More