In working toward its mission, the Latino Health Research Initiative has four research concentrations: (1) Culture and Health/Mental Health Care; (2) Culture and the Environment; (3) Culture and Literacy, and (4) Culture and Community Development.
In this area, the LHRI focuses on the relationships among culture, health, and policy. Examples of topics include culturally informed medical practices, the delivery of healthcare services, health disparities, and health and wellness.
The LHRI currently engages in projects related to a specific research initiative on the health issues facing the large, underserved and understudied sector of South Texas. One such project, the South Texas Initiative for Mental Health Research (STIMHR) (see http://www.utsa.edu/lhri/stimhr/index.html) is a collaborative effort intended to increase mental-health research at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). This work is supported by a grant from the Department of Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health.
Another active project related to this concentration is the San Antonio Health Services Research Program (SAHSRP) (see http://www.utsa.edu/lhri/sahsrp/index.html) enhances the capacity of faculty and graduate students to conduct health services research as well as support four collaborative projects. This is supported by a $1.3 million research grant by the Agency for Health Research and Quality, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.