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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 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: ...

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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 ...

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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: ...

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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 ...

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832 People Told EPA to Limit PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water


PFAS in drinking water

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sought public comments on its proposal to limit and regulate several types of “forever chemicals” called perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS have been around since the 1940s and are known for their resistance to environmental degradation – hence their nickname, “forever chemicals.” EPA’s proposed changes are in response to recent research that PFAS harm human health, with negative impacts from fetal growth to cancer risk. June 2023 Update: 832 Salud America! members submitted a model comment to support the regulation of PFAS in drinking water and the environment to protect the health of Latino and all communities. 121,969 people submitted comments overall. Comment period ended May 30, ...

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Watch Webinar: How to Care for the Latino Caregiver



Family is the heart of Latino culture. Many Latinos are expected to take on the respectable but high-stress role of caregiving for their aging parents, who are 1.5 times more likely than non-Latino Whites to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Join UT Health San Antonio's webinar — “How to Care for the Latino Caregiver” — at 11 a.m. CST on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, to explore how to support Latino caregivers as they support their families. Panelists from UT Health San Antonio, the National Alliance for Caregiving, and Genentech will share how to ease caregivers’ stress, anxiety, and depression, as part of Alzheimer's And Brain Awareness Month in June. This is a part of a webinar of a series, “Let’s Address Health Equity Together.” The series is a collaboration of ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 5/2/23: How to Create Food Equity


food equity nutrition tweetchat

Many Latino families struggle to get enough food to feed their families. They often face hunger. Even if they do get enough food, what they have is often nutritionally vacant. This contributes to a variety of disparities in diabetes, heart disease, and other health conditions. We need an environment of food equity. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, to discuss emerging strategies to change environments, systems, and policies to encourage equitable access to affordable, healthy food in our schools and communities across the nation for Latinos and all people! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: How to Create Food Equity TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, May 2, 2023 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: Healthy ...

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Watch Webinar: The Importance of Diverse Biospecimens and How Can Latinos Donate



When people donate biospecimens—blood, fluid, or tissue samples—it gives researchers the opportunity to better understand, treat, and prevent conditions from cancer to Alzheimer’s. So why don't Latinos donate? Find the answers at UT Health San Antonio's Zoom webinar — “The Importance of Diverse Biospecimens and How Can Latinos Donate” — at 10 a.m. CT on April 5, 2023. The webinar features experts from UT Health San Antonio, Genentech, and leaders and participants in the All of Us Research Program discussing how to increase diverse biospecimen donation and point to donation opportunities. This is a part of a webinar of a series, “Let’s Address Health Equity Together.” The series is a collaboration of the Salud America! program at the Institute for Health ...

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