CPRIT Awards $999,254 to UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Brownsville for regional Cancer Prevention

The UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Brownsville received a $999,254 grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to fund a cancer prevention program in four South Texas counties: Cameron, Duval, Hidalgo, and Willacy. The evidence-based program, Tu Salud ¡Si Cuenta! will promote physical activity, healthy eating, and alcohol reduction to prevent cancer in the service area, where rates for certain cancers are disproportionately high.

“We are honored to receive this grant award, and we are looking forward to expanding our efforts promoting healthy behaviors in the region,” said Belinda Reininger, DrPh, professor and dean of the School of Public Health location in Brownsville. She will be the principal investigator for the grant-funded program and will be joined by co-investigators Natalia Heredia, Melissa Valerio, and MinJae Lee.

Program activities will focus on the foundations of community health, such as education, housing, transportation, and access to health care, that influence the health status of a community. “Individuals in these counties can face barriers to participating in programs like Tu Salud ¡Si Cuenta!, including things like transportation and language. This grant will provide us with resources to address those barriers and ensure that the program is reaching those who need it most,” Reininger said.

This grant will also allow Tu Salud ¡Si Cuenta! to expand into rural communities in Duval and Willacy Counties. Tu Salud ¡Si Cuenta! is a successful evidence-based approach to address behaviors associated with prevention and treatment of chronic disease and cancer. The UTHealth Houston School of Public Health will work with partners in these rural counties to increase capacity for health interventions, including training community health workers.

Grant-funded activities will begin in Spring 2023.