Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR)
Coming Soon!
Cancer and chronic diseases aren’t equal-opportunity killers. Certain races/ethnicities, including Hispanics/Latinos, are more prone to develop diseases or suffer worse outcomes than others. But why, and what can be done about it? The Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) is an organization with a mission to investigate the causes and solutions to the unequal impact of cancer and other chronic diseases among Hispanics/Latinos in San Antonio, Texas and the nation. The IHPR, founded in 2006 as part of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, seeks to use new approaches to evidence-guided research, training and community outreach to improve the health of those who are at a disadvantage due to race/ethnicity, education, income or other social determinants.
The IHPR has these goals:
- Assess the causes/magnitude of health disparities
- Evaluate interventions to reduce disparities
- Educate the community
- Train health workers in scientific advances and treatment strategies
With these goals in mind, the IHPR conducts and develops research, education, intervention and outreach projects in behavioral health, cancer control and prevention, tobacco prevention, childhood obesity and other areas; trains scientists and mentors students; and communicates with health, policy, community and public groups. Its top projects are the Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Research Network funded by the National Cancer Institute, Salud America! The National Latino Childhood Obesity Prevention Network funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and a patient navigator program funded by Pfizer, Inc. The IHPR, led by nationally recognized health promotion and education expert Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, partners with the Cancer Therapy & Research Center at UT Health Science Center, the Regional Academic Health Center of UT Health Science Center, and other agencies in its efforts to eliminate health disparities.” Work is under way on a more dynamic, user-friendly IHPR Web site featuring more about the IHPR and its innovative research, training and outreach activities. For now, to learn more, visit one of our main project Web sites, redesenaccion.org, or contact us.