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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

#SaludTues Tweetchat 6/20: How Swimming Can Change Lives


latino girl swimming in pool water

Drowning is the No. 2 cause of death for toddlers. Many others suffer submersion injuries that may cause major brain injuries, especially among minority children. Why is this? Many Latino and other minority children can't swim and lack access to swimming lessons and pools, which can cause a fear of water. This, in turn, can increase their risk of drowning and lessen their chances of participating in beneficial physical activity in water, from swimming to underwater handstands to water skiing and tubing. Latino children need access to places to learn to swim, which also has been proven to increase children’s confidence, motor skills, and academic achievement. Let's use #SaludTues on June 20, 2017, to tweet about how great swimming is and how to improve Latino kid’s access ...

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Study: Latino Kids Less Likely to Get CPR from Parents, Bystanders


infant baby cpr practice teaching

Latino and black children are less likely to get CPR with breaths, which lowers their survival chances, according to a new study, American Heart Association News reports. Study leaders examined records of 3,900 kids who had cardiac arrest at home or in public. A little more than half had not received CPR from parents or bystanders. Bystanders administered CPR 56% of the time for white kids, but only 43% for Latino kids and 39% for black kids. Minority kids were more likely to get just compression-only CPR than conventional CPR (with breaths). Study authors say the results make it "critical that health care professionals step up their CPR education efforts in Hispanic and African-American neighborhoods." "While a lot of the public health efforts have focused on Hands-Only ...

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Three Amazing Ways to Save the Summer for Kids!


three summer salud heroes swim central fruti rescue linear park greenway

Summertime means fun time for kids. Well...it's supposed to. For Latino kids, it can also lessen already minimal opportunities to get healthy food or access safe places to play, according to Salud America! research. That's why we are spotlighting three heroes who are saving summer for Latino families! Melissa & Mary Rescuing Fruit for San Antonio Families Many families in San Antonio (63% Latino) live in food deserts. Ironically, there are lots of fruit trees in people's yards—but fruit often falls and rots. UTSA grad students Melissa Federspill and Mary Minor saw this waste. They wanted to harvest fruit trees to share with families. So they mapped local fruit trees online. They met with neighbors. They recruited volunteers to pick trees. And they contacted ...

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Community Members + Researchers = Increased Latino Well-Being


Latinx coalition in indiana

Uniting the Latino community together with university researchers will—in theory—increase the well-being of this at-risk population. That's the idea behind the new Latinx Community-University Research Coalition of Indiana. The coalition seeks to bring together Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) faculty and staff, policy leaders, and community leaders to promote research and programmatic collaborations that are respectful of the needs, cultural identity and interests of the Latino population while removing barriers, according to a news release. Indiana's Latino population has grown from 1.8% in 1990 to 3.5% in 2000, to 6.0% in 2010. The number already had increased further to 6.7% by 2015. "We are all interested in increasing research ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 6/13: The Truth about E-Cigs


Man smoking an e-cigarette as he drives a car

A rising number of middle and high school kids, especially Latinos, are smoking electronic cigarettes, according to a National Institutes of Health report. What are real dangers behind e-cigs and similar products? Can these hook kids into smoking cigarettes? This is a critical question given that Latino kids are 67% more likely than their White peers to start smoking and develop a daily habit, according to a study. Let’s use #SaludTues on June 13, 2017, to tweet how e-cigs and other products affect the health of Latino teens and minority populations. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “The Truth About E-cigs and Tobacco Products and Their Impact on Latinos” TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (12-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, June 13, 2017 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues ...

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Walking Toward Equity


lady athlete walking shoes

By Emilie Bahr America Walks The car was once seen in this country as the ultimate vehicle of freedom. It was a symbol of unfettered access and mobility that could take an occupant wherever he or she wanted to go in a manner that was glamorous, convenient and fast. Yet roughly 100 years after our automotive experiment began, the thing that was once an expression of status and a tool in attaining the American Dream is losing some of its luster—while walkable communities are experiencing a comeback. This subtle yet meaningful paradigm shift is taking shape in a context in which the unintended effects of our car dependency have become undeniable. These include soaring rates of obesity and chronic disease; communities isolated from access to such essential needs as jobs, ...

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Salud America! Wins International Marketing and Communications Awards


mobile social media tablet communication web health awards

We at Salud America! care about improving Latino health. That’s why we're excited to announce we have won three Communicator Awards for our efforts to promote awareness of and solutions to Latino health issues! 2017 Communicator Award of Excellence, Content & Marketing Campaign—Branded Social Campaign, Salud America! Latino Health Campaign 2017 Communicator Award of Distinction, Website (Health), Salud America! 2017 Communicator Award of Distinction, Copy or Writing for Websites, Salud America! Communicator Awards, presented by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, honor international marketing and communications that "transcends innovation and craft" and made a "lasting impact." Salud America! is led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, professor and director ...

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Salud America! Wins International Marketing and Communications Awards


mobile social media tablet communication web health awards

We at Salud America! want to share how to improve health for all people. That’s why we're excited to announce we have won three Communicator Awards for our efforts to promote awareness of and solutions to health issues! 2017 Communicator Award of Excellence, Content & Marketing Campaign—Branded Social Campaign, Salud America! Health Campaign 2017 Communicator Award of Distinction, Website (Health), Salud America! 2017 Communicator Award of Distinction, Copy or Writing for Websites, Salud America! Communicator Awards, presented by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, honor international marketing and communications that "transcends innovation and craft" and made a "lasting impact." Salud America!, formerly called SaludToday, is led by Dr. Amelie G. ...

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One Latino City’s Epic Citywide Summer Scavenger Hunt for Health


fit pass in san antonio

Did you know San Antonio (67% Latino) is the first U.S. city to conduct a citywide scavenger hunt for free health, wellness, and physical activity events? It’s called Fit Pass. You can pick up a pass or download a bilingual Fit Pass app to earn points by attending cool summer wellness activities, starting with a free 5K run and fitness expo at Pearsall Park on Saturday, June 10, 2017. You can earn points and prizes throughout the seven-week program that concludes with another free 5K at LBJ Park on Saturday, July 29, 2017. The origin of Fit Pass is featured in a new Rivard Report article and Salud Heroes video and story by Amanda Merck of Salud America!, a national Latino healthy weight promotion network based at UT Health San Antonio and funded by Robert Wood Johnson ...

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