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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

Get Help Quitting Smoking for the Great American Smokeout on Nov. 16!


quitxt for youtube great american smokeout quit smoking

You don’t have to stop smoking in one day. Start with Day 1. On Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, you can join thousands of people who will begin their smoke-free journey with the Great American Smokeout. This annual event from the American Cancer Society encourages smokers to make a plan to stop smoking. Need help? Enroll in Quitxt, a free English or Spanish text-message service that turns your phone into a personal “quit smoking” coach from UT Health San Antonio. To join Quitxt, text “iquit” (for English) or “lodejo” (for Spanish) to 844-332-2058. “For the Great American Smokeout, we’re excited to share Quitxt to provide real-time help with motivation to quit, setting a quit date, handling stress, and much more, all on your phone,” said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 12/5: Why Should You Try a Clinical Trial?


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Clinical trials have led to the development of better treatments, life-saving medicines, and new prevention strategies for cancer and other diseases. Still, clinical trials have lacked volunteers who are Latino. We need diverse representation in clinical trials to ensure health and medical discoveries are equitable for diverse populations. To promote clinical trials, let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, to discuss reasons why Latinos and all people should consider joining a clinical trial! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: Why Should You Try a Clinical Trial? TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: Latinx Voces LLC (@latinxvocesllc); LatinaStrong Foundation ...

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Watch: Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez on the Importance of Cancer Screening


Chasing Cancer Screening Amelie Ramirez Washington Post

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, joined The Washington Post's live show to share how cancer screening can help patients get diagnosed and treated earlier. The show, "Chasing Cancer: The Path Forward," sponsored by AstraZeneca, took place Nov. 8, 2023. In the first part of of the show, Renee Wegrzyn, director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), and Eric Topol, executive vice president of Scripps Research, discussed how technological advancements and AI are changing how cancer is diagnosed and treated. In the second part of the show, Ramirez teamed with Dr. Gladys I. Rodriguez, a medical oncologist with the START Center for Cancer Care, to discuss innovative initiatives make it easier to access early screenings for ...

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Food Insecurity on the Rise in America, Especially among Latinos


latino man grocery shopping cost food insecurity nutrition

The amount of Americans who are food insecure — without enough food for a healthy life for all family members — is on the rise, according to a new USDA report. 12.8% of Americans struggled with food insecurity in 2022, up from 10.2% in 2021. Latino households experienced the largest spike. “Too many of our neighbors struggle to put healthy food on the table," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "[The data] paint a picture of just how many Americans faced the heartbreaking challenge last year of struggling to meet a basic need for themselves and their children." Let's explore the report and the issue of food insecurity among Latinos. How Many Latinos Experience Food Insecurity? U.S. food insecurity had been in decline for several years. But, after the food ...

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Adan Reinosa: Colorectal Cancer Survivor Pays it Forward with Study Participation


Adan Reinosa Rivera NCI colorectal cancer survivor - featured

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among people of Hispanic and Latino descent in the United States. Adan Reinosa Rivera, a retired electrical engineer in Los Angeles, is doing his part to change that. Mr. Reinosa has been living with metastatic colorectal cancer for more than a decade. The cancer was detected in his lungs a few months after a tumor was removed from his colon. He’s been managing the disease with his doctor ever since. Now, as the first participant in a genetic study called ENLACEExit Disclaimer, Mr. Reinosa is helping to build a body of knowledge about the molecular features of colorectal cancers in Hispanic and Latino people. The study, supported by the Cancer MoonshotSM, aims to learn more about the disease in people of Hispanic and ...

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San Antonio, Use This Bilingual Website to Find Local Health Resources!


health confianza local health resources literacy wellnesscultura logo

Where in San Antonio can you find a list of health clinics? Mental health resources? Health coverage resources? Organizations with community health workers? Fortunately, the local Health Confianza health literacy team led by UT Health San Antonio has the answers (and more) on its new bilingual resource website, WellnessCultura.org and WellnessCultura.org/esp. Let's explore the need for health literacy and how the new website will help improve preventive care! What Is Health Literacy? Health literacy is "the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions," according to the CDC. In today’s world, health literacy is crucial for community members and health ...

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Surviving Is Not Enough: New Study to Boost Mental Abilities in Cancer Survivors


yoga latina hispanic mindfulness mental abilities in cancer survivors

A big challenge for cancer survivors is a disruption in "cognitive functioning." Stress can contribute to lapses in attention, memory, and other mental abilities that can limit a survivor's daily activities and ability to work. To help, researchers from UT Health San Antonio and UT San Antonio will test a 6-month therapeutic Yoga program — along with supportive text messages and dietary guidance — to improve cognitive functioning in 35 Latina and 35 non-Latina breast cancer survivors. The pilot project, "Surviving is Not Enough: Enhancing Cognitive Function in Cancer Survivors through Movement and Introspection," is led by Dr. Daniel Carlos Hughes, a researcher at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, and Dr. Joseph Houpt, professor of ...

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Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez: Milestones and Miles to Go in Health Promotion


Amelie Ramirez HPP health promotion podcast episode

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, explores milestones and remaining challenges in health promotion for Latino and all people in a new commentary in the journal Health Promotion Practice. The commentary covers patient navigation, social media communication, clinical trial diversity, and more. "We need to listen to and understand our ... communities so that we can create more effective strategies for building public trust and communicating science," Ramirez writes in the new commentary. "Reaching [people] where they are, via social media and smartphones, is a key component of this mission." Ramirez also explores these topics in a related episode of the HPP Podcast: Dr. Ramirez & Her Health Promotion Research Ramirez is an ...

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