Study: HPV Vaccine Reduces Teen Infections; But Latino Teens Have Low Vaccine Rates



The HPV vaccine cut the rate of infections of strains of the human papillomavirus, which causes nearly all cervical cancers, by 56% in teens and young adults, according to a new study in the Journal of Infectious Disease, NBC Latino reports. The finding has special relevance for Latinas, who have the highest rates of HPV-associated cervical cancer. Dr. Deborah Parra-Medina, professor at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, told NBC Latino that the study was "good news" but that work continues to be needed to promote the vaccine and its three-dose series to prevent cervical cancer among Latinos. She said only 40% of girls in the predominantly Latino region of South Texas receive the vaccine, falling far short of the federal ...

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IHPR Promotora Programs Take Center Stage at White House



Sandra San Miguel de Majors, a research instructor at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the Health Science Center at San Antonio, touted the use of community health workers—called promotores—to improve people's health at the Latina Health Policy Briefing for Promotores de Salud on Sept. 26, 2012, at the White House in Washington, D.C. The policy briefing, organized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to review the affordable care act, united key Latino health care providers, researchers, stakeholders and promotores to discuss successful evidenced-based Latino research initiatives utilizing promotores. The briefing featured Cecilia Muñoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and Kathleen Sebelius, HHS secretary. San ...

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Innovation in Preventing Latino Cervical Cancer, Obesity & More



Find the latest in Latino health—from fighting Latina cervical cancer to innovative ways to tackle Latino childhood obesity—in the new E-newsletter from the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. The IHPR E-newsletter has these stories: Story and Video: Preventing Cervical Cancer in South Texas (Pg 1) Story: How an “Exercise Avoider” Became an “Exercise Promoter” (Pg 2) Story: The Importance of Latino Biospecimens (Pg 2) Story: 20 Studies Tackle Latino Childhood Obesity (Pg 3) Story: Who is Promotora of the Year? (Pg 4) Videos: “Feeding Minds” Series Addresses Hunger, Obesity in Texas (Pg 6) The E-newsletter is jam-packed with even more info on the latest local and national health ...

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Advances in Latino Cancer Screening, Liver Cancer, Obesity & More



Find the latest in Latino health—from helping underserved Latinos get cancer screening, to exploring reasons why liver cancer is on the rise among Latinos, 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 IHPR E-newsletter has these stories: Story and Video: A New Way to Help Underserved Local Latinos Get Cancer Screens (Pg 1) Story: How Did an IHPR Employee Get a Coveted Internship Using His Christmas Present? (Pg 2) Story: New Research Briefs Examine Obesity in Latino Youths (Pg 3) Videos: New Training Videos on Patient Navigation (Pg 4) Story: Apply by 3/1/12 for Éxito to Get Help Pursuing a Doctoral Degree (Pg 5) Story: Latino Liver Cancer ...

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San Antonio Researcher, YMCA Partner to Encourage Healthy Living, Cancer Prevention



The Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) recently awarded $265,000 to a researcher from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio who is working with the YMCA of Greater San Antonio to encourage healthy living and cancer prevention. Dr. Deborah Parra-Medina, professor in the Health Science Center’s Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR), is co-directing “Y Living,” a lifestyle program for cancer prevention and risk reduction. “This collaborative project uses a community-based, family-focused approach. We’ll work with families to promote physical activity, a balanced diet and increased awareness of the impact of a healthy lifestyle on cancer risk reduction,” Dr. Parra-Medina said. “We’ll provide health education, ...

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‘Entre Mujeres’ Program to Teach Latina Moms, Daughters about Cervical Cancer



Dr. Deborah Parra-Medina, a professor at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, is leading a new project to teach Latina moms and daughters in South Texas about the HPV and cervical cancer, which disproportionately affects Latinas. Conexión, a publication of the San Antonio Express-News, has more: A new program called Entre Mujeres from the Cancer Therapy & Research Center at the UT Health Science center will allow mothers and daughters, ages 11-17, in the lower Rio Grande Valley to come together in a unique setting to educate themselves on HPV and its prevention. Entre Mujeres will combine community health workers, or “promotoras,” and college students from UT Pan American's Kappa Delta Chi sorority to present educational ...

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IHPR Researcher Gets Grant to Study HPV Vaccine Use by South Texas Latinas



Congrats to Dr. Deborah Parra-Medina! The researcher at our Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR), the team behind SaludToday, is one of two researchers at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio to get a grant in the new round of prevention research awards from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Dr. Parra-Medina will receive $297,173 for a peer education and outreach program encouraging use of the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer among Latina mothers and daughters living in Texas-Mexico border communities. The program will train “promotoras,” or community health workers, who will be assisted by female college students to educate Latina mothers and daughters about cervical cancer risk factors and the HPV vaccine, which prevents cervical ...

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