A big challenge for cancer survivors is a disruption in "cognitive functioning." Stress can contribute to lapses in attention, memory, and other mental abilities that can limit a survivor's daily activities and ability to work. To help, researchers from UT Health San Antonio and UT San Antonio will test a 6-month therapeutic Yoga program — along with supportive text messages and dietary guidance — to improve cognitive functioning in 35 Latina and 35 non-Latina breast cancer survivors. The pilot project, "Surviving is Not Enough: Enhancing Cognitive Function in Cancer Survivors through Movement and Introspection," is led by Dr. Daniel Carlos Hughes, a researcher at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, and Dr. Joseph Houpt, professor of ...
Are you passionate about public health? The Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio — home to the Salud America! program — is seeking a qualified senior research scientist with expertise in public health research. The position will focus on two IHPR projects: Avanzando Caminos (Leading Pathways): The Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship Study
Avanzando Equidad de Salud: Latino Cancer Health Equity Research Center Apply here for the senior research scientist position. “Our goal is to find a passionate research scientist who can help us plan, coordinate, analyze, and produce scientific content for clinical and regulatory documents on these two important research projects,” said Dr. Amelie Ramirez, director of the IHPR and chair of ...
Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance, according to the National Institute on Aging. But what do you really know about Parkinson’s and your risk? Let’s dive into the causes, symptoms, and treatment of Parkinson’s and how it impacts Latinos.
What Causes Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive and chronic nervous system disorder that affects movement and is caused by destroyed nerve cells in the brain. “A decrease in dopamine levels leads to abnormal brain activity, causing symptoms of Parkinson's disease. However, it is currently unknown what causes the death of neurons in the brain,” according to dementia.org. While the exact ...
UT Health San Antonio, including Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, and seven regional collaborators will leverage $46 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) over the next five to seven years to translate scientific discoveries into therapeutic benefits for human health and well-being. A key focus will be reducing health disparities among Latinos (particularly Mexican Americans), active military personnel, and veterans. Dr. William L. Henrich, president of UT Health San Antonio, recently announced the funding from the NIH Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program. Henrich thanked partners including The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School and College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at San Antonio and the Texas Biomedical Research Institute for ...
Researchers at The Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio are recruiting participants for the VIVA-MIND study to learn whether a new drug therapy for Alzheimer’s disease can help people experiencing mild memory problems. Volunteers ages 50 to 89 with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or probable mild Alzheimer’s may ask about eligibility for VIVA-MIND, said Dr. Sudha Seshadri, professor of neurology and director of the Glenn Biggs Institute. Half of volunteers will be given the new drug therapy, an oral pill called varoglutamstat. The other half will receive a placebo pill that looks just like the study drug. “The first people who will benefit from a new Alzheimer’s disease treatment are those who are ...
Most people with COVID-19 get better within a few days to a few weeks after COVID-19 infection. But some people, including many Latinos, develop long COVID. Long COVID remains an unresolved threat to the health of Latinos and all people. While health experts don’t yet fully understand long COVID symptoms and risk factors, progress is being made regarding treatment. Let’s learn more about how researchers are working to find the most effective therapies for long COVID through research studies and clinical trials.
Relieving the Burden of Long COVID Symptoms
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the RECOVER research study in 2021 to learn why some people experience long COVID or develop new or returning symptoms after COVID-19 infection. Now, based on ...
Researchers at UT Health San Antonio are launching a five-year, $15.5-million study to investigate why the region’s older Mexican Americans experience a high rate of dementia. The project, the San Antonio Mind and Heart Study, is led by UT Health San Antonio’s Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases with funding from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging. Let’s dive deeper Latinos, dementia, and the goals of this study.
A Continuation of Important Data
The new dementia study is an is an extension of the San Antonio Heart Study, conducted at UT Health San Antonio between 1979 and 2006 led Dr. Helen P. Hazuda. Researchers, led by Dr. Claudia L. Satizabal, associate professor of population health ...
Latinas suffer a high burden of cervical cancer, which is often caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). In fact, Latinas have the second-highest rate of dying from cervical cancer after Black women, according to the US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Cervical cancer screening – commonly referred to as a Pap smear – can help reduce this disease burden. However, Latinas and other women of color face numerous barriers to cervical cancer screening, such as lack of health insurance and fear of cervical exams, which can be uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing. Enter University of North Carolina researchers Jennifer S. Smith and Noel T. Brewer. The duo are part of the research team behind the My Body, My Test 3 clinical trial, which explored the ...
Cancer patients with unmet needs for support – in areas from finances to emotions – are more likely to experience worse clinical outcomes, according to a new study led by Dr. Frank Penedo of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami. Who are the cancer patients at highest risk for having unmet needs? Latinos, Blacks, and people who experience anxiety, depression, pain, poor physical function, and low health-related quality-of-life scores. "Our findings offer strong evidence that unmet supportive care needs are associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes, particularly higher risk for ED visits and hospitalizations," Dr. Penedo said, according to a news release. Let’s dive into unmet needs and what they mean for Latino cancer ...
