IHPR Fact Sheet
About Us
The Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) investigates the causes and solutions to the unequal impact of cancer and other chronic diseases among certain populations, including Hispanics/Latinos, in San Antonio, South Texas and the nation. The IHPR, founded in 2006 at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, has a satellite office in Harlingen, Texas, and seeks to use evidence-guided research, training and community outreach to improve the health of those who are at a disadvantage due to race/ethnicity or social determinants, such as education, income or proximity to medical care.
Goals
- Assess the causes, nature and magnitude of health disparities.
- Test and disseminate disparity-reducing behavioral/psychological/policy interventions.
- Educate the community to improve health outcomes.
- Train health care workers in scientific advances and practical strategies.
Areas of Expertise
- Hispanic/Latino health disparity research, education and training
- Health promotion, communication and policy research
- Community-based interventions and patient navigation programs
- Cancer control, prevention and risk factors
- Tobacco control and prevention
- Other interests: clinical trials, genetic testing, energy balance and childhood obesity
Functions
Develop, test and implement research, education, intervention and outreach projects.
Train scientists and mentor students. Many medical and graduate students intern at the IHPR and several pre-doctoral Latino researchers receive guidance or mentorship.
Communicate with research, health, policy and community groups using IHPR-developed channels, including Web sites, news releases, public service announcements, newsletters, educational publications and campaigns, peer-reviewed journals, national reports, impact statements, media interviews and an online directory of bilingual cancer experts.
Funding
The IHPR is supported by the Health Science Center and its Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) and Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC) in Harlingen, as well as grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other prestigious health agencies and foundations.
Funded Projects
- Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Research Network, a National Cancer Institute (NCI) program to reduce Latino cancer disparities with a national network of researchers, health leaders and the public (www.redesenaccion.org).
- Salud America! The RWJF Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among Latino Children to boost the number of Latino childhood obesity researchers to find policy and environmental solutions to the epidemic (www.salud-america.org).
- Two patient navigation programs administered through Redes: a national navigation program to help Latinas access cancer care services; and a navigation program to increase accrual into pediatric oncology clinical trials in South Texas
- Two Susan G. Komen for the Cure-funded projects: genetic evaluation of breast cancer susceptibility in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women in South Texas; and increasing access of Latinas into breast cancer clinical trials
- Two National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-funded projects: ENLACE, to promote physical activity among Latinas; and HHER, the Heart Health and Ethnically Relevant Lifestyle Program
- A partnership with the San Antonio Municipal Health District to prevent tobacco use
Leadership
- Director: Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics, Dielmann Chair of Health Disparities Research and Community Outreach, and Max and Minnie Tomerlin Voelcker Endowed Chair in Outreach and Healthcare Disparities at the Cancer Therapy & Research Center at the Health Science Center
- Deputy Director: Kipling J. Gallion, MA, assistant professor
- Faculty: Deborah Parra-Medina, MPH, PhD, professor; Patricia Chalela, DrPH, Luis Velez, MD, PhD, and Kimberly Wildes, DrPH, assistant professors; and Sandra San Miguel de Majors, MS, and Jennifer Salinas, PhD, research instructors
- Staff: Sandra Covarrubias, BS, patient navigator; Courtney Denton, MPH, social science research assistant III; Cliff Despres, BJ, editor; Lori Espinel, BA, research coordinator I; Sandra Griffith, BS, and Kay Haverlah, BA, project coordinators; Emma Mancha, MA, research coordinator; Edgar Munoz, MA, statistician; Rebecca Vega, accountant; and Celia Thompson and Sylvie Whitehead, administrative assistants II
Dr. Ramirez
Future Direction
Expand faculty, research and funding base, support services, training/mentoring programs and community-based research and outreach in hopes of integrating beneficial behavioral interventions and practices into Hispanic/Latino patient care as quickly as possible.