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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

Food Fight: Cookbook Aims to Prevent Cancer with Unique Recipes


cinnamon apples dessert recipe

The food you eat influences your cancer risk. The new Rx Cookbook: Cancer-Fighting Recipes, Restaurants & Markets aims to help people reduce their cancer risk with recipes based on an anti-inflammatory diet, developed by a chef and researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Inflammation is the process your body uses to protect itself in response to infection or injury, adding nourishment or immune activity. When inflammation is chronic or unresolved, it can increase cancer risk. The Rx for Better Breast Health study, led by Drs. Amelie G. Ramirez, Michael Wargovich, and Rong Li, gave local breast cancer survivors cooking classes, counseling, and biomarker assessments to test the effects of an anti-inflammatory diet on preventing cancer ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 10/11: Healthy Latinos!


Latino family biking outside

It’s Hispanic Heritage Month (#HHM) and we’re celebrating with a bilingual #SaludTues Tweetchat with our friends at the U.S. Office of Minority Health! This observance gives us a great opportunity to reflect on the riches and beauty of Latino culture. It also gives us a chance to raise national awareness of issues that matter most to Latinos, like having healthy communities and access to health care. So let's use #SaludTues on Oct. 11, 2016, to tweet about how we can ALL be a part of driving health equity and promoting Latino health. WHAT: #SaludTues #HealthyLatinos Tweetchat TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. EST Tuesday, October 11, 2016 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludToday CO-HOST: The Office of Minority Health (@MinorityHealth) Optional Hashtags: ...

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A Second Opinion: The Story of Anna López



SaludToday Guest Blogger Dr. Michel Choueiri of CancerDocs.org I am going to tell you the story of Anna López and why it is important to always ask two doctors before making a major decision. Anna arrived to Los Angeles in 2014 from Guatemala. She turned 49 last June. She was taking a shower one morning when she noticed a mass on her breast. She did not know what to do and went to the first doctor who her cousin knew. After a pleasant consultation, she was advised that she would need to have surgery to remove all her breast. Sad, Anna went home, cried with her husband that night. She could not speak English and did not know many people in LA to ask for help. She agreed to the surgery and the operation was scheduled for the following week. Luckily, her friend who works at UCLA had ...

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Latino Border School Spurs Healthy Changes



Latino students tend to have more access to unhealthy food at school and are less physically active than their peers, according to a Salud America! research review and animated video. That's why we need more schools like Blanca E. Sanchez Elementary in South Texas. School officials at Sanchez Elementary, just 10 miles from the Mexican border in McAllen, Texas (85% Latino), wanted to help their students overcome language barriers and limited resources to achieve healthy minds and healthy weight. So they started taking kids out for a morning recess. Started providing activity breaks throughout the day. Earned a $25,000 national physical fitness grant to do more. Teachers also instruct students on healthy eating at school and home. Now, thanks to their efforts and support from ...

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The Sad Reasons Latino Kids Delay Dentist Visits Until Age 16


latino boy at the dentist for dental work

SaludToday Guest Blogger Jefferson Dental Clinics Most kids have their first dental visit by age 7. For Latinos, it's age 16. Why the big delay? About half of Latino families lack dental insurance. Latinos tend to not prioritize dental health, or they face barriers like high cost, lack of oral health knowledge, and lack of bilingual, dentists, surveys show. The result is Latino kids with twice as much untreated tooth decay and less preventative care than their peers. “Unfortunately this disparity is something that carries throughout life, since dental care starts at an early age and impacts the development of the teeth and gums,” says Dr. Leslie Townsend of Jefferson Dental Clinics. Negligence of dental care isn't just a "teeth" problem, either. It causes ...

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Join Us for Public Unveiling of the Salud Report Card!


Riding on bicycle in bike lane

Get ready! On Oct. 5, Salud America! will launch a free online tool where people can select their own county and get customized data on food access, activity, and equity issues compared to the state and nation. The tool, called the Salud Report Card, will also offer policy solutions, case studies, and share-ability to inspire people to start and support healthy changes in their communities. We're inviting parents, teachers, and local leaders to a webinar to explore the new Salud Report Card tool and how to use it at 1 p.m. CST Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016. "We see the Salud Report Card as a great way for activists, parents, educators, and healthcare professionals to take action by engaging local leaders in conversations that will create healthier communities for Latino kids and the ...

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10 Futuristic Ways Latinos Seek Health Care


Latino young adults on phone mobile social media

Latinos are the U.S. population most likely to skip health care due to cost. But there's some good news. Latinos are also more likely to be open to new ways of accessing care, like engaging with the health system through new tools, venues and ways, if it costs less and the technology is available, according to a new report by PwC Health Research Institute. Latinos are the leading edge of the new health economy, where consumers choose care according to their wants, needs and wallet. In 10 areas, according to the report, Latinos are more likely to: Be satisfied with the care at a retail clinic. Use alternative venues, such as retail clinics, for care. Have communicated with a clinician via email or other digital means. Be open to new ways to access care, from using ...

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Dr. Amelie Ramirez Wins Latino Health Research Award


Amelie Ramirez

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, an internationally recognized expert in health disparities research, has received the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Distinguished Lecture on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities award. The award, sponsored by Susan G. Komen, honors an investigator with a far-reaching impact on the etiology, detection, diagnosis, treatment or prevention of cancer health disparities. Ramirez is the leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. Ramirez has more than 30 years of experience developing robust health communication models, research interventions, community outreach, public and scientific speaking engagements, and training of young minds. Her studies and programs have contributed to reduced cancer and disease among Latinos, including ...

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How to Make Every Park a Destination for Fitness


Fitness in the Park San Antonio

Are people in your city physically inactive? Community leaders in largely Latino San Antonio knew people weren't active enough, and had high risk of heart disease, diabetes, asthma, stroke, depression, stress, and more. So the city's Parks and Recreation Department helped launch Fit Pass and Fitness in the Park—two accessible, affordable strategies to attract Latino and all residents to be active at local parks and improve their mental and physical health. The city's excited progress is featured in a new Rivard Report article and Salud Heroes story by Amanda Merck of Salud America!, a national Latino childhood obesity prevention network based at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. For Fitness in the Park, city health worker Pete Garcia and his team developed a plan ...

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