Houston Celebrates 3rd Year of Smoking Ban; Resources Can Help Smokers Quit
Sep 9th
Congratulations, Houston!
A few days ago a large group of minority health coalitions, doctors and elected officials celebrated the third anniversary of Houston’s successful smoking ban urging Houstonians “to see their doctors and put down their cigarettes for good.”
“Smoke Free for 3,” a campaign lead by the Hispanic Health Coalition, Asian American Health Coalition, African American Health Coalition, Native American Health Coalition, and Houston Communities for Safe Indoor Air (HCSIA), recognized the City of Houston’s leadership and success in creating more smoke free workplaces and public spaces effective Sept. 1, 2007.
However, despite the success in public policies, smoking continues to be a significant personal health issue for many Houstonians, particularly for minority communities.
According to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) of adults ages 18 and older 32.4% of American Indians currently smoke, compared to 22.0% of Whites, 21.3% of African-Americans, 15.8% of Hispanics, and 9.9% of Asian-Americans. About 3.2 million Texans are smokers.
Latinos who are interested in quitting smoking should call 1-877-YES-QUIT and check out the bilingual Buena Vida health magazine, developed by the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday. The magazine tells the stories of five Latinos and why and how they quit smoking.
The IHPR also conducted a needs assessment and GIS analysis of establishments that contributed to the adoption of San Antonio’s new smoke-free ordinance last month that goes into effect Aug. 19, 2011.
San Antonio had been considered the last major Texas city without a comprehensive smoke-free ordinance.
Roundup: San Antonio Health Events on ‘Sexting,’ Health Care Reform
Sep 8th
Check out these health-related events coming up in the San Antonio area:
At 5:30 p.m. today (Sept. 8), the community is inivted to attend a discussion panel, Sexting: Educating Youth on Safe Texting, at Girls Inc. of San Antonio, 1209 S. St. Mary’s, an affiliate of the national Girls Inc. organization that delivers programs that help empower local girls ages 6-18 and increase their self-esteem. Panelists include San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.
The community also is invited to attend another panel, Health Care Reform and the Cancer Patient, at 10 a.m. Sept. 25, 2010, in Room 3.104 of the School of Medicine at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive. The panel, supported by the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR), the team behind SaludToday, will answer questions like: How will the new health care reform law affect my insurance coverage?; and what impact will health care reform have on cancer survivors? RSVP to dale@alamobreastcancer.org.
Salud America! Targets Latino Child Obesity During Nat’l Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
Sep 2nd
Salud America! The RWJF Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among Latino Children, which is led by the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, is observing National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month and encouraging people to join us and get involved.
Earlier this year, a resolution was unanimously passed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate designating September as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, to bring attention to this growing epidemic.
Mexican-American children are more likely to be obese or overweight (38%) than children overall (31.9%), putting them at greater risk for chronic disease and shorter lifespans.
In repsonse, Salud America! formed in 2008 to increase the number of researchers, policy-makers and community leaders engaged in research to prevent obesity among Latino children. We have:
- Developed a network of more than 1,600 people interested in preventing Latino childhood obesity.
- Developed first National Latino Child Obesity Research Agenda.
- Funded, through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 20 pilot research projects working in and with Latino communities on a variety of nutrition, physical activity and policy issues.
- Developed the SaludToday Web site and blog to spread positive Latino health stories and messages.
And we’ve also produced an award-winning dramatic video that uses shocking statistics and actual child voices to document the multi-faceted epidemic of Latino childhood obesity, “Did You Know?/¿Sabía Usted?”
Workshop: The Latest in Metastatic Breast Cancer Care & Treatment
Sep 1st
CancerCare, in partnership with Redes En Acción, which is led by the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, will offer a free Connect Education Workshop, Update on Metastatic Breast Cancer: What’s New?, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. EST on Oct. 14, 2010.
In the tele-workshop, expert speakers will discuss updates on metastatic breast cancer, the current standard of care and new treatment approaches, how clinical research improves care, diagnostic testing and technologies, communicating with your health care team, and more.
Other upcoming CancerCare workshops include: The Importance of Clinical Trials, Sept. 24; The Importance of Taking Your Pills on Schedule, Oct. 5; Update on the Treatment of Liver Cancer, Nov. 9.
The breast cancer workshop is free and no phone charges apply.
To register, visit the CancerCare Web site.
Smoking Remains a Serious Problem in Latino Community
Aug 31st
Latinos generally have lower rates of smoking than other racial/ethnic groups with the exception of Asian Americans. However, smoking remains a continuing and serious problem in the Latino community.
Get all the key facts on Latino smoking from the American Lung Association.
And if you’re a Latino who is thinking about quitting smoking, be sure to check out the Buena Vida health magazine in English or Spanish that tells the stories of five Latinos and how they kicked the habit and what it meant for their lives. The Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind Salud Today, produced the magazine and other tobacco prevention materials.
‘Insider’ Training Program to Increase Number of Latino Researchers Studying Latino Cancer
Aug 30th
Question: Who might have insider information about Latinos that would pave the way for novel studies of cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic issues to prevent Latinos from suffering worse cancer outcomes?
Answer: A cancer researcher who also is a Latino.
To that end, the new Latino Training Program for Cancer Control Research (LTPCCR), led by the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio thanks to a new five-year, $1.57-million grant from the National Cancer Institute, aims to motivate Latinos to get their doctoral degree and become “insider researchers” in the field of cancer control among Latinos.
Right now, few Latinos pursue doctoral degrees or cancer research careers, causing a gap in the amount of researchers examining Latino cancer issues.
The LTPCCR will develop and organize a summer training institute, paid research internships, doctoral application support and mentoring to encourage Latino master’s-level students and professionals—from Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada—to complete doctoral programs and start careers in cancer control research.
“We hope that training new Latino researchers will increase the proportion of Latinos in cancer control research, which in turn will increase the amount of work being done to reduce cancer health inequalities that affect the Latino population,” said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of the IHPR, the team behind SaludToday.
Read more about the new program here.
IHPR’s Dr. Ramirez Named to Prestigious ‘Council of Experts’ on Cancer Prevention
Aug 27th
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday, has been named to a prestigious Council of Experts to help achieve the goals of the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship.
The National Call to Action (NCTA) was unveiled in 2008 by cyclist and cancer prevention activist Lance Armstrong and four former U.S. Surgeon Generals—Drs. Antonia C. Novello, Joycelyn Elders, David Satcher and Richard H. Carmona—to outline a battle plan in the new war on cancer. The NCTA also serves as a roadmap for cancer survivors, health care professionals, policymakers, employers, educators, insurers, and scientists to identify the best strategies for cancer prevention and survivorship and make both cancer prevention and survivorship a national priority.
The NCTA Council of Experts will provide strategic guidance to the NCTA Community, a collective of individuals and organizations who share the mission of advancing the NCTA by conducting projects focused on improving the health and well-being of the whole person at all stages along the cancer continuum.
“I very honored and excited to join this Council of Experts,” said Dr. Ramirez, who also is co-director of the Cancer Prevention and Population Science research program at the Cancer Therapy and Research Center (CTRC), the UT Health Science Center’s National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center. “I believe this council will be able to make great strides in preventing cancer and increasing access to screening, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship resources throughout the cancer continuum.”
Read more about the council here.
PSAs Win Film Awards for Raising Latino Cancer Screening Awareness
Aug 26th
Two public service announcements (PSAs) that urge Latinos to get screened for cancer have won prestigious “Public Service” Awards at the 31st Annual Telly Awards for the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday.
The winning PSAs, “I Admire Them” and “Now You Know,” are 30-second TV spots produced by the IHPR’s Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Research Network, a National Cancer Institute network.
These two PSAs and four others were released in late 2009 by Redes to encourage Latinos to learn more about screening tests available for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers by calling the NCI’s toll-free number (1-800-4CANCER). The culturally appropriate PSAs were developed by Redes cancer experts.
All 6 PSAs, which are currently airing on TV stations across the nation and on the SaludToday Web site.
Watch the winning PSA, “I Admire Them,” in English or Spanish or below:
Watch the winning PSA, “Now Your Know,” in English or Spanish or below:
See Who’s Stepping Up Vs. Latino Child Obesity
Aug 16th
How does Cookie Monster help Latino pre-schoolers eat right, exercise? How does Marathon Kids get children to “run” from obesity? How does Dharma Cortes teach low-income Latinos to shop, eat healthier?
Find the answers and more in the latest Salud America! E-newsletter.
Also find out the latest in Latino childhood obesity policy, news and updated on Salud America!
Salud America! is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation network to pevent obesity among Latino kids. The network is directed by the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, which developed SaludToday. To sign up to receive Salud America! E-newsletters, go here.
Latinos, Here’s Motivation to Quit Smoking
Aug 9th
Latinos, need inspiration or help finding the way to quit smoking?
There is good news: The Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR), the team behind SaludToday, has developed ¡Buena Vida! A Guide to Help You Quit Smoking. The booklet offers binlingual info, tools and tips for quitting smoking, and tells the stories of Latinos who have quit, like Estefanía Villareal (at right).
Read the booklet in English.
Read the booklet in Spanish.
Find out more about the IHPR’s materials to help Latinos quit smoking. Call 877-YES-QUIT in Texas for specific, personalized help to quit smoking.