Dr. Amelie Ramirez Helps Lead New Project to Improve Heart Health in South Texas
A team of researchers at UT Health San Antonio, including Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, is among four teams from across the United States that have been selected to launch community engagement centers on heart health thanks to a generous contribution from the American Heart Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
A total gift of $20 million from the American Heart Association and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will support the four teams of scientists and community leaders to engage the community in research to improve health.
Led by UT Health San Antonio’s Vasan Ramachandran, MD, FACC, FAHA, and Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, MPH, the COmmuNity eNgagEment for building Capacity, Trust, and Ownership of Research (CONNECTOR) is the name of the community engagement resource center and will receive $3.5 million for its initiative.
CONNECTOR will support the UT Health San Antonio team in identifying, evaluating and managing community-based solutions to fight precursors of heart and vascular disease, including upstream factors such as nutrition insecurity and other related non-medical drivers of health.
The funds will also go towards training the next generation of research scholars and community-based practitioners with field-based experiences and essential skills to drive meaningful changes in the community. The team will also share key findings from their research on how community engagement practices can support the improvement of health outcomes.
“We are grateful for the American Heart Association and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation investing in our initiative,” said Ramachandran, founding dean of UT School of Public Health San Antonio. “Our goal is to engage, support, understand, and learn from communities regarding their specific health concerns and related needs.”
On average, someone in the United States dies of cardiovascular disease every 34 seconds. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men, women and several other groups of people in the United States.
Receiving support to address heart disease underscores a shared commitment to advancing heart health throughout the community.
“I’m delighted that Dr. Ramachandran, a world-renowned clinical outcomes researcher, a cardiologist in our division and the dean of our school of public health, will lead the community engagement center component of this major study. We are all committed to … cardiovascular health care through research like this and through the American Heart Association,” said Allen Anderson, MD, FACC, FAHA, professor and chief of the Janey and Dolph Briscoe Division of Cardiology at UT Health San Antonio.
Anderson is also a board member of The American Heart Association San Antonio and director of the Heart and Vascular Institute at University Health. Partnering with the organization represents an effort to approach health challenges, enhance public health and make significant widespread improvements.
Ramirez said the CONNECTOR collaboration embodies transformative potential of integrating community perspectives and insights.
“Through our research and community engagement, we have the opportunity to reach people and promote best practices in heart disease prevention,” said Ramirez, chair of Population Health Sciences, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio and leader of the Salud America! national health communication program.
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring health in all communities through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, The American Heart Association funds innovative research, pushes for the public’s health and shares lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for a century. As they forge ahead into their second century of bold discovery and impact The American Heart Association’s vision is to advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere.
Inspired by the vision of its founder, Robert Wood Johnson II, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is a leading national philanthropy dedicated to transforming health. Through funding, advocacy, and evidence-building, the organization works with communities, practitioners and institutions to achieve health.