Ramirez Named Komen Scholar for Breast Cancer Research


Amelie Ramirez komen scholar cancer research global cancer prevention

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 ...

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Yuritzy Gonzalez Peña: Busting Myths to Help Latinos Join Clinical Trials


Gonzalez Pena Yuritzy-Edit

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 ...

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More Cancer Research Needed Across Ancestry Groups


family Ancestry Groups

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 ...

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NIAMS Launches Spanish-Language Website


Young Family Playing With Happy Baby Son At Home NIAMS

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease (NIAMS) has launched a new Spanish-language website that provides free health information on conditions of the bones, joints, muscles, and skin. “Many diseases in our scientific portfolio, including lupus, arthritis, and osteoporosis have profoundly negative effects,” said NIAMS Director Dr. Stephen Katz. “We are committed to providing quality health information to all people, no matter what language they speak [or their background].” The new site features easy-to-use navigation tools to help Spanish-speaking individuals identify and locate NIAMS health topics. Some of the features offered include improved access to NIAMS Spanish-language federal information and resources, information on ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 1/20/15: What All People NEED to Know about Cervical Cancer


cervical cancer

Some people have a higher risk for cervical cancer. Why does cervical cancer—which is highly curable with early detection and highly preventable through vaccines—pose such a threat? Let’s use #SaludTues to tweet strategies and resources to increase cervical cancer knowledge, prevention, and screening: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “What All People NEED to Know about Cervical Cancer” DATE: Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015 TIME: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: @CDC_Cancer (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), @livestrong, and @thenci (National Cancer Institute and oncologist Dr. Sarah Temkin) Be sure to use the hashtag #SaludTues to follow the conversation on Twitter/X and share your ...

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Study: Informative Videos Boost Clinical Trial Awareness in Latina Breast Cancer Patients


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Breast cancer patients given information about clinical trials in multiple ways, including a tailored video on breast cancer clinical trials, had much greater awareness of trials than patients who got usual-care information, according to new data. After receiving the extra information—an interactive video about clinical trials, a bilingual booklet, and access to a patient navigator who can help answer their questions—the proportion of Latina breast cancer patients taking steps toward participating in a clinical trial increased from 38% to 75%, according to the study. The study was led by researchers from the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio and presented at an American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) conference Nov. 9-12, 2014, in ...

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Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez Wins ‘Mujer’ Award for Community Service


Amelie Ramirez

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, has received the 2014 “Regional Mujer Award” from the National Hispana Leadership Institute, a national leadership organization. Mujer (Woman) awards are given annually to those who serve their communities. Past Mujer winners include actresses Eva Longoria and Rosaro Dawson, Lidia Soto-Harmon, CEO of Girl Scouts, and Ivelisse Estrada, VP of Univision. “I am honored by this recognition for our multi-faceted work to reduce cancer and increase healthy behaviors,” said Dr. Ramirez. 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 ...

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Local Researcher Wins ‘Making a Different World’ Award


amelie ramirez

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, has received the first-ever “Making a Different World” award from Latinas Contra Cancer for her dedication to improving health outcomes around cancer. Ramirez received the honor at the organization's 4th biennial cancer summit July 20-22, 2014, in San Francisco. “I am honored by this tremendous distinction from some of the key leaders in our nation’s growing effort to reduce cancer,” Dr. Ramirez said. “We are truly working hard to show how communities can reduce their risk for cancer, how to help patients navigate the health care system, and how to help cancer survivors.” Dr. Ramirez & Her Health Promotion Research Ramirez is an internationally recognized ...

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How to Increase Participation in Potentially Life-Saving Cancer Clinical Trials


doctor with patient clinical trials outreach manual

Only 5% percent of Latinos participate in federal clinical trials, far less than their 19.5% makeup of the US population. This gives researchers fewer chances to find new cancer treatments for this population, which can benefit all people. What can a health agency do to get more people into clinical trials? A new guide, Clinical Trials Outreach: Program Replication Manual, developed by researchers at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio, was created to help health agencies reach into communities and increase participation in cancer clinical trials to better reflect the US population. With the guide, a health agency can: Learn about cancer clinical trials; Learn about donation of biospecimens (human materials such as skin, hair, and ...

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