The Avanzando Center
Launched in 2023 with support from the American Cancer Society, the Avanzando Center at UT Health San Antonio is led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez and a team with a passion to address key social determinants of health (SDoH) and improve cancer care for Latino patients across the cancer care continuum.
The Need
South Texas, home to 5 million people (mostly Latinos), is very medically underserved. Latinos in South Texas face higher risk of liver, cervical, and other cancers. This is in part due to issues with SDoH, such as lack of health insurance, financial strain, and language barriers.
The Vision
The Avanzando Center at UT Health San Antonio aims to be the driving force in South Texas and the nation for building health equity, providing equitable cancer care, decreasing the burden of cancer, and improving Latino health outcomes.
The Mission
The Avanzando Center aims to reduce health disparities across South Texas with community-engaged research, training, patient assessment, and advocacy that addresses the SDoH that deter Latinos from equitable access to cancer care, prevention, early detection, and treatment, and improve patients’ cancer outcomes, survivorship, and quality of life.
The Goals
The goals of the Avanzando Center are to: 1) conduct Research Scholar projects to address SDoH-driven cancer health disparities; 2) screen cancer patients for SDoH and integrate with SDoH Navigators; 3) engage the community in education and advocacy for SDoH system and policy changes; and 4) create SDoH and health equity mentoring for cancer researchers and care providers at Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio.
Contact the Avanzando Center team at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio at ihpr@uthscsa.edu or 210-562-6500.
About the Avanzando Center
View Our Special Series on SDoH!
Avanzando Center Research Scholar Projects
Colorectal Cancer Screening
Drs. Ramon Cancino and Rebecca Jones of UT Health San Antonio are testing a colorectal cancer screening tool that provides tailored resources and patient navigation to improve screening rates among Latino men in poverty.
HPV Vaccine Rates
Dr. Allison Grimes of UT Health San Antonio is testing an HPV vaccine intervention to increase vaccination rates among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.
Helping Latina Patients
Dr. Patricia Chalela of UT Health San Antonio is testing a bilingual app and patient navigation on improving adherence to hormone therapy among Latina breast cancer patients who are experiencing SDoH issues.
