For Latinas, Patient Navigation Can Speed Breast Cancer Diagnosis


promotora patient navigator

Extra support for patients, called “patient navigation,” can lead to faster diagnosis for Latinas after an abnormal mammogram result, according to a new study by the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR), part of the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The study, published this week by the journal Cancer, also suggests that patient navigation should be carefully targeted to have the greatest impact on eventual health outcomes. IHPR researchers worked with partners in the federally funded Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Network to examine the experiences of 425 Latinas in six cities nationwide. Each woman had received an abnormal result in initial breast cancer screening and was referred for further ...

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Latinas Interested in Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer Risk, But Barriers Persist



Latinas tend to have positive attitudes and strong interest in genetic testing for breast cancer risk, yet lacked general knowledge about testing, its risks and benefits, according to a new study led by researchers at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday. The study, published recently in the journal Community Medicine & Health Education, conducted focus groups with 58 Latinas in Hidalgo County, a largely Latino part of South Texas. Researchers used analyzed focus group responses and themes and uncovered several cultural factors, such as religious beliefs, that impacted Latinas’ decisions to get genetic testing. “Key Latino values—religiosity, importance of family and the influential ...

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VIDEO: Latina Breast Cancer Factors and Prevention



Latinas, please watch this Spanish-language video about breast cancer factors and prevention featuring Dr. Jorge Gomez, director of the Office of Latin American Cancer Program Development of the National Cancer ...

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New Project to Offer Cancer Screening to Underserved Latinos in San Antonio



Two University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio researchers today were awarded a total of $4.7 million by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). These awards for cancer prevention, along with $2.9 million to University Health System, make San Antonio the largest recipient of funds in this CPRIT funding cycle—28% the $26.3 million awarded. Dr. Cynthia Mojica, assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center, will use a $2 million award to partner with federally qualified health center CentroMed and community organizations to offer breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening to San Antonio residents otherwise unable to afford them. “This grant allows us to ...

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VIDEOS: Training on Patient Navigation & Latino Cancer Issues



Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Research Network has released three videos on cancer issues and research methods that were used to train Redes En Acción researchers and patient navigators in Miami and San Antonio and Austin, Texas, who are involved in a study examining how patient navigators who use the LIVESTRONG Cancer Navigation Services Program can improve the quality of life of Latino breast, colorectal and prostate cancer survivors. The videos are designed specifically for the study, funded by the National Cancer Institute; but the videos may be useful in any patient navigator studies involving Latinos. Video 1 teaches researchers and patient navigators the proper steps on how to manage a potential mental health emergency or psychological related emergency that may ...

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News: Latino Health Research, Stories & More



Find the latest in Latino health—from fighting Latina breast cancer to helping Latinos pursue doctoral degrees—in the new E-newsletter from the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday. The E-newsletter has these stories: Story and Video: Giving Latinas a Chance vs. Breast Cancer (Pg 1) Story: How a Typewriter Helped a Latina Launch a Career in Health Promotion (Pg 2) Story and Video: Depression after Cancer Keeps Latinas from Follow-Up Care (Pg 3) Story: Apply by 3/1/12 for Éxito Program to Get Help Pursuing a Doctoral Degree (Pg 5) Story: San Antonio Schools Get Salad Bars (Pg 6) Story and Video: Latino Man Works to Interrupt Street Violence (Pg 8 ) The E-newsletter is jam-packed ...

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Study: Latinas Get More Unneeded Breast Cancer Surgery



Latinas and older, poorer women all are more likely to have lymph nodes under the armpit removed unnecessarily during breast cancer surgery, according to a new study, Reuters reports. That's despite 2005 guidelines recommending a gentler surgery that spares most of the lymph nodes, avoiding side effects like pain, swelling and numbness down the line. Based on a California cancer registry, researchers found that more than a third of about 18,000 women who had undergone mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer had had their lymph nodes removed as well. Yet all of these women had node-negative tumors, meaning the cancer had not spread beyond the ...

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Latinas and Breast Cancer: “Should I Worry?”



Margaret Moran, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), explored the often-frightening term "breast cancer" among Hispanics in a recent Huffington Post article. She notes that, even though Latinas have lower breast cancer rates, they are screened less and are diagnosed at later disease stages. Breast cancer is alos the most-diagnosed cancer among Latinas. When I was a young girl, we didn't talk about breast cancer. Now, we must not only talk about it, but be sure that all women have access to proper screenings and treatments. We need to ensure that Hispanic women have the knowledge and medical care to put an end to this disease. Breast cancer affects everyone, not just the person diagnosed. Likewise, everyone needs to do their part to minimize the risks ...

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VIDEO: Latina TV Star Stands Up to Cancer



Latina TV star Ana Maria Polo, host of the popular Telemundo show Caso Cerrado, will appear in a new public service announcement (PSA) for Stand Up to Cancer, bringing her signature courtroom resolve to the fight against cancer. Polo, a breast cancer survivor herself, joins a long list of national and international celebrity supporters of the Stand Up to Cancer initiative, which raises awareness and funds for collaborative cancer research. Watch the video here or ...

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