Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! and the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, has been named one of the "The Cancer Health 25: Change Makers" by Cancer Health magazine. The magazine recognizes individuals who "make a difference every day." "They have each experienced cancer, either personally or through someone they love," according to the magazine. "And it has changed them, made them want to give back and given them a mission to make a difference for others living with cancer." Read about Ramirez and the other 25 change makers here.
Dr. Ramirez & Her Health Promotion Research
Ramirez is an internationally recognized health researcher at UT Health San Antonio. Here, she is professor and chair of the Department of Population ...
We are in the “golden age” of cancer drug development with over 50 drugs approved for cancer treatment in the past three years. But things aren’t golden for everyone. That is part of the reason why Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of UT Health San Antonio co-hosted the 2nd Advancing the Science of Cancer (ASCL) conference Feb. 26-28, 2020, in San Antonio. The conference united nearly 300 researchers, oncologists, physicians, community leaders, policymakers and students. While looking at Latino cancer, the audience strives for solutions that will work for all. "We have to ensure that cancer treatments—or intervention, prevention, and outreach methods—work for all people," said Ramirez, who directs the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. The IHPR ...
Did you know that Latinos comprise less than 7.6% of clinical trial participants? This means that researchers have less chances to develop new cancer treatments for this population, which suffers a heavy burden of certain cancers, obesity, and mental health issues. Join us and use #SaludTues on Jan. 21, 2020, to tweet about how to increase Latino participation in clinical trials to prevent health disparities, in celebration of the quickly approaching Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference: WHAT: #SaludTuesTweetchat: Engaging Latinos in Clinical Trials
DATE/TIME: 1-2 p.m. EST (Noon-1 p.m. CST), Tuesday, January 21, 2020
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludAmerica
CO-HOSTS: FDA Minority Health & Health Equity ...
The rise of the Latino population makes it urgent to tackle disparities in obesity, diabetes, and cancer. But did you know fewer than 5% percent of Latinos participate in federal clinical trials? Researchers thus have less chance to develop new cancer treatments for this population, which suffers a heavy burden of certain cancers, obesity, and mental health issues. That's why we're excited to use #SaludTues on Oct. 16, 2018, to tweet about how to increase Latino participation in clinical trials to prevent health disparities, as Hispanic Heritage Month draws to a close! WHAT: Bilingual Tweetchat: “Hispanic Heritage Month: Latinos and Clinical Trials”
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2017
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: ...
For years, studies have shown that Latinos have a profound mistrust of doctors and scientists. Consequently, Latinos participate in clinical trials at far lower rates than other ethnic groups, which perpetuates the health disparities seen with many diseases like Alzheimer’s and certain cancers. This also makes it harder for researchers to find treatments that work best for Latinos. Minorities actually represent less than 30% of those enrolled in clinical trials sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), according to a recent report. Latinos comprised less than 7.6% of trial participants. “There hasn’t been a single [prostate] screening trial including a significant number of Latinos or blacks … yet it impacts our practice and we have no data to know if it ...
Interactive videos featuring real Latina cancer survivors talking about clinical trials can help Latina breast cancer patients consider trials as a treatment option, according to a new pilot study led by Dr. Amelie Ramirez of UT Health San Antonio. The study, published in Translation Behavioral Medicine, tested the videos with 77 Latina breast cancer patients at Mays Cancer Center. Researchers randomly assigned 39 Latinas to a control group and 38 to a test group. Then test group received "Choices," a 30-minute interactive educational video program in English or Spanish about clinical trials and common barriers (delivered on a computer in the clinic). "Choices" also included a bilingual booklet and access to a patient navigator for care coordination. Control participants received ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, a top cancer researcher and director of Salud America! and the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, today was named one of 12 new "Komen Scholars" by Susan G. Komen, the world’s largest non-profit funder of breast cancer research. Komen Scholars are an advisory group of distinguished leaders in breast cancer research and leadership. Each scholar—chosen for their knowledge, leadership, and contributions to breast cancer research—will help guide Komen’s $956 million research program, present at national meetings, and serve as experts and leaders for Komen’s nationwide network of affiliates and in communities around the globe. Ramirez, as part of being named a Komen Scholar, will receive $600,000 over three years to study ...
Latinos are less likely than their peers to join potentially life-saving clinical trials. They often fear being treated like a guinea pig, are scared of being deported, and don’t trust doctors. Yuritzy Gonzalez Peña wants to change that. Peña wants to bust the myths about clinical trials among Latinos, and also boost community health by promoting beneficial policies and improved health systems. Peña, a native of Salem, Ore., earned her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in public health from Oregon State University. Because she understands the importance of evidence-based, practical, and multidisciplinary research, she is involved in many research projects. Her most recent projects have dealt with teen pregnancy in rural communities, chronic risk factors in migrant ...
A new study hoped to learn more from the data about the health risks, such as smoking, on cancer diagnoses in the Latino community, which in turn, can improve health for all people. More than 16,000 Latinos participated in the study, and 4% reported instances of some type of cancer. Cancer has surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death in this population, yet researchers still know little about how specific risk factors across ancestry groups. The researchers, part of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, and including Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, did not find a significant relationship between smoking and cancer prevalence. However, it is the belief of the researchers that the lack of a ...