Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, a native of Laredo, Texas, and leader of Salud America!, delivered the keynote address at the 2024 Commencement of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine. Ramirez is an internationally recognized researcher in cancer and chronic disease health challenges among Latinos and all people. At UT Health San Antonio, she is chair and professor of Population Health Sciences at UT Health San Antonio, where she also is founding director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research and associate director of community outreach and engagement at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio. Over the past 30 years, Ramirez has led over 100 studies and programs to reduce health issues, improve health, and increase participation in ...
Every year, 240,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That’s why healthcare providers recommend women ages 50 to 74 get a mammogram – an X-ray of the breast that can help screen and diagnose cancer – every two years. However, only about 3 in 4 women in that age group has had a mammogram in the past two years, as of 2022, according to a new study by the CDC. For women who experience health-related social needs, even fewer haven’t gotten one. This is alarming because, while mammograms can reduce the number of breast cancer deaths by 22%, this cancer is the top cause of death among Latinas. Let’s explore the non-medical drivers of health that are creating challenges to ...
Sadly, breast cancer impacts our Latina community. Latinas are more likely than White women to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive type, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Join us for “Making Your Voice Heard in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment,” our 30-minute webinar that is available on-demand starting on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in English with Spanish subtitles. Hear the latest TNBC treatments and how Latinas deal with the difficult cancer journey. A doctor who specializes in treating breast cancer, a nurse practitioner, and a patient with breast cancer will explain how to manage side effects, connect with others in the breast-cancer community, and be your own best advocate. Webinar speakers include: ...
Alzheimer’s disease is a condition that impairs brain function and, over time, can cause memory, cognitive, and behavioral issues and eventually lead to death.
The condition greatly impacts the health of the aging — especially Latinos.
14% of the American Latino population older than 65 are living with Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s is projected to increase in older Latinos by 175% between 2018 and 2040, according to a new report, 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures, from the Alzheimer’s Association.
Let’s explore the data from the report. Alzheimer’s in America
Nearly 7 million older Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease as of 2024.
That’s about the same as one out of every nine older Americans, according to the new report from the Alzheimer’s ...
Researchers at Texas Tech University are interested in learning more about you and your family caregiver's experience with cancer. The research team is seeking participation from people who are 18 or older, speak English, identify as Latino or non-Hispanic White, and have been diagnosed with any form of cancer at any stage. Caregivers who want to participate must be 18 years or older, speak English, and identify as Latino or non-Hispanic White. If you or your loved one meets these qualifications, you may be eligible to take part in this study, which consists of three different surveys. These surveys will be spaced out and take 30 to 45 minutes to complete, and can be done online, by mail, or over the phone with the help of a research assistant. The first will be given ...
Do you how cancer impacts your local population? How can you help? Find new strategies to address the local cancer burden at UT Health San Antonio’s webinar, “How to Identify and Equitably Respond to Local Cancer Needs,” recorded live at 10 a.m. Central on Thursday, April 25, 2024. This webinar featured experts from the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida, Genentech, as well as a patient advocate, who together explored local cancer issues. Panelists shared how to strategically listen, engage, and respond to local cancer needs to guide cancer research, care, and outreach tailored to address the needs of local communities. This is a part of a webinar series, “Let’s Address Health Equity Together.” The series is a ...
Marielle Santos McLeod thought she knew a lot about cancer care. Years as a health professional had given her time to learn about cancer care and gain a closer look at the challenges Latinos face in getting treatment. That’s why, when the mother of four was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 36, she was shocked by just how little she really knew. However, it was enduring the disease as a young Latina that guided her toward her life's purpose – serving as a patient health leader to uplift the voice of Latino cancer survivors. “I love advocacy .... It's like one of the things that I'm convinced that I was put on this earth to do. I just had to get cancer to get to it first,” Santos McLeod said.
Spanish-Language Influence
Santos McLeod doesn’t believe she ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, recently shared the need to help cancer survivors on "Science & Medicine," an audio collaboration of Texas Public Radio and UT Health San Antonio. Bonnie Petrie, TPR's bioscience and medicine reporter, hosted the segment. Ramirez spoke to Petrie about her project to improve care and life for cancer survivors in South Texas, called “Avanzando Caminos (Leading Pathways): The Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship Study.” "Our big goal is to really have more [quality] care for everyone, not only in South Texas, but nationwide, and that their outcomes for survival are also improved,” Ramirez said during the segment. Listen to the full audio here.
About the Avanzando Caminos Research ...
For the last few years, the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program has mounted an unprecedented effort to collect health data from 1 million people of all ages and ethnicities across the country for use in impactful scientific research.
In fact, the data has led researchers to a shocking discovery — 275 million previously unknown genetic variants, according to a recent news release.
Nearly 4 million of the variants are in areas that may be connected to risk for disease.
The variants, uncovered using data shared by nearly 250,000 All of Us participants, put researchers in a position to better understand genetic influences on health and disease, especially in communities often left out of research.
NIH reported that half the genomic data came from Latino, ...
