TAMIU, Laredo Health Department Launch a Community Cancer Prevention Initiative
Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) and the Laredo Health Department have launched a new community-based cancer prevention initiative aimed to reduce the disproportionate burdens of breast and liver cancer driven by persistent health disparities in the region.
The V.I.D.A. program, which stands for Vigilancia, Información, Detección y Apoyo (Vigilance, Information, Detection and Advocacy), is supported by a $1.1 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). The initiative will deliver targeted programs to residents of Webb, Zapata, and Jim Hogg counties, where cancer rates and late-stage diagnoses are disproportionately high, driven by limited access to screening and high uninsured rates.
The Laredo Health Department leads the program, with TAMIU serving as co-program director. Dr. Levi Ross, TAMIU associate professor of Public Health and Public Health Program director, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and Dr. Cindy Salazar-Collier, TAMIU assistant professor, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, will oversee TAMIU's efforts.
Breast cancer incidence rates in Webb and Zapata counties, at 51.6 and 37.9, per 100,000 respectively, fall well below the Texas statewide rate of 65.2 per 100,000. Researchers note these lower rates likely reflect underdiagnosis rather than lower disease prevalence. Liver cancer incidence in Webb County is 23.6 per 100,000, nearly double the state average of 12.6 per 100,000. These disparities are further compounded by elevated mortality rates and late-stage diagnoses, particularly among Hispanic women under 65 and men of all races.
Screening participation remains below state and national averages, with mammography rates as low as 66.7% in Zapata County. Hepatitis C virus, a leading risk factor for liver cancer, is underdiagnosed due to stigma, misinformation, and low testing rates among Hispanic subgroups. Common barriers include transportation insecurity, cultural stigma, language barriers, low health literacy and mistrust of healthcare systems, researchers said.
V.I.D.A. will help address these challenges through a digital media campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer screening, bilingual group education and print outreach to promote Hepatitis C virus screening and a navigation system to ensure follow-up care and treatment linkage for individuals with abnormal screening results.
Drs. Ross and Salazar-Collier will lead the project’s evaluation strategy and bilingual health communication efforts.
"We will oversee the development of tools to track program progress, such as the number of people screened and the time it takes for patients to be navigated into follow-up care after abnormal test results," Ross said, "We will also lead the development of bilingual educational materials (Spanish-English) to promote early detection and help residents better understand the screening and follow-up processes for breast and liver cancer."
Ross added, "In addition to being shared online, the newly developed materials will be available at clinics, worksites, and neighborhood outreach events in Webb, Zapata, and Jim Hogg counties."
Dr. Levi Ross
Dr. Cindy Salazar-Collier
Mammography service will be provided to 1,200 uninsured or under-screened women age 40 and older through Gateway Community Health Center, while Hepatitis C virus testing of 2,800 will be delivered through the City of Laredo's mobile and clinic-based units.
The program will also distribute 12,000 bilingual print materials, conduct 24 community education sessions serving approximately 720 high-risk adults.
Additionally, the initiative will ensure that 100% of patients with abnormal screening results are offered culturally responsive navigation for diagnostic follow-up and that all individuals diagnosed with cancer are successfully referred to treatment services.
If successful, V.I.D.A. will help reduce structural and informational barriers while building sustainable, community-centered systems for ongoing cancer prevention, Ross said.
For more information, please contact Dr. Ross at 956.326.3139, email levi.ross@tamiu.edu.
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