Study: The Reasons Minority Women Don’t Get Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer


breast-cancer-screening latino

Why are racial/ethnic minority populations less likely than whites to get genetic testing, which can help a woman learn if she has an abnormal gene that is linked to higher breast cancer risk? The answer may lie in their attitudes toward genetic testing. Latina, black, Asian, Native American, and Appalachian women all had a generally positive attitude toward genetic testing, but several key differences emerged among these minority groups, according to a new study led by Dr. Amelie Ramirez of Redes En Acción, a national cancer research network based at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. The study, which sought to better understand attitudes toward genetic testing to guide development of culturally sensitive ...

Read More

Study: South Texas Latinos Have Nation’s Highest Rate of Liver Cancer



Latinos in South Texas have the highest rate of liver cancer in the nation—a rate that continues to rise higher, according to a study from the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. For the study, published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE, researchers compared the newest state and federal data to pinpoint current liver cancer rates and trends. They found that Texas Latino male and female incidence rates were 3.1 and 4 times higher than their non-Latino White counterparts, and South Texas Latinos had even higher rates. In addition, liver cancer incidence rates are rising across all groups. “This clearly shows that liver cancer is not only already higher among Latinos in South Texas, but it’s rising, too. We need ...

Read More

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 ...

Read More

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 ...

Read More