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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

Watch Webinar: How to Address Non-Medical Drivers of Health in Our Clinics and Systems



Latinos face inequities in non-medical drivers of health (NMDoH), from housing to healthcare, making it harder to achieve health fairness. Watch the UT Health San Antonio webinar — “How to Address Non-Medical Drivers of Health in Our Clinics and Systems” — which was held at 11 a.m. CST on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, to explore how healthcare settings can care for patients' medical and NMDoH needs. Panelists from UT Health San Antonio, Nemours Children's Health, HOPE Clinic in Houston, the American Cancer Society, and Genentech unpacked NMDoH 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 Improve Health in South Texas ...

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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 help 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 supporters, 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 ...

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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 Caregiver



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 Whites to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Join UT Health San Antonio's webinar — “How to Care for the Caregiver” — at 11 a.m. CST on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, to explore how to support 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 Improve Health in South Texas and Beyond.” The series is a collaboration of the Salud America! program at the Institute for Health ...

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


food fairness nutrition tweetchat

Many families, including Latinos, 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 health differences in diabetes, heart disease, and other health conditions. We need an environment of food fairness. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, to discuss emerging strategies to change environments, systems, and policies to encourage fair 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 Fairness TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, May 2, 2023 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica ...

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Watch Webinar: Importance of Biospecimens



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 some people donate? Find the answers at UT Health San Antonio's Zoom webinar — “Importance of Biospecimens” — 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 biospecimen donation and point to donation opportunities. This is a part of a webinar of a series, "Let's Improve Health in South Texas and Beyond.” The series is a collaboration of the Salud America! program at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San ...

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Step Up for Obesity Care Week 2023!


OAC obesity cares week ocw2023

Obesity Care Week 2023 (#OCW2023) is here! From Feb. 27 to March 3, 2023, Obesity Care Week is an annual public awareness effort to end weight intolerance, as well as raise awareness, educate and speak up for a better world for people living with obesity. Also, World Obesity Day is March 4, 2023. Our Salud America! Latino health improvement team at UT Health San Antonio is happy to serve as an OCW2023 Champion to support this awareness week. "Unlike most other diseases, obesity is one that continues to be stigmatized and those impacted struggle to receive any care in many cases, let alone adequate care," said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. "OCW2023 aims to raise awareness, educate, and [speak up] for people living with obesity and ...

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