Arizona Counties Research Articles

Infections following rattlesnake envenomation and use of antibiotics.

There are 7000-8000 venomous snake bites annually in the USA. Antibiotics are commonly administered to bite victims because infection is difficult to differentiate from local tissue injury following envenomation. The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center (APDIC) in Tucson oversees antivenom administration for 14 Arizona counties. Records (1999-2021) were searched for antibiotic use and confirmed infections after a rattlesnake bite. There were 4160 calls to APDIC regarding rattlesnakes. After excluding bites to animals, 'dry bites', prisoners and records with missing data, 2059 records were evaluated. Systemic antibiotics were administered to 206 patients (10% of bite victims). Twenty patients (0.97%) had confirmed infections, including cellulitis (n=10), fasciitis (n=4), abscess (n=3) and osteomyelitis (n=3). Five of the victims had positive blood cultures. The presence of tissue necrosis, leukocytosis, fever and elevated fibrinogen levels did not discriminate between toxic effects of venom and infection. Confirmed infections following a rattlesnake bite are uncommon (0.97% of bites). Physicians should refrain from prescribing antibiotics, as they are not justified for most rattlesnake bite victims and the variety of pathogens encountered precludes use of any single effective antibiotic.

Volunteers, Civil Servants, and Street-Level Bureaucrats: What Motivates Poll Workers to Serve on the Front-Lines of Elections?

As election officials have come under increased scrutiny in the wake of the 2020 presidential election, research considering poll workers’ motivations offers a window into the human dimension of election administration. As public employees that work infrequently, poll workers perform their roles as government agents a few times a year (at most) for long hours and very low pay. Drawing upon original survey data collected from more than 1,000 poll workers in four Arizona counties between April and May, 2019, this study utilizes public service motivation (PSM) as a theoretical framework to explore whether and to what extent election workers express PSM. Ultimately, concepts of civic duty, social engagement, compensation, and social desirability are uncovered as factors motivating front-line election workers. The findings offer actionable insight on how workers can be better recruited to implement U.S. elections.

Abstract P480: Digesting Detention: Investigating Eating Patterns in Jails

Background: Over 12 million people cycle through jails every year in the US. People incarcerated experience significant health inequities compared to the general population, including higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Despite widespread acceptance of the association between diet and cardiovascular-related outcomes, research documenting dietary intake and nutritional status of individuals incarcerated in jail is limited. Food intake is notoriously difficult to measure, and current measurement tools are not designed for the jail setting. Objectives and Hypotheses: The objectives of this study were to 1) develop a food intake questionnaire for incarcerated adults; 2) document participants’ perceived accuracy of the instrument and 3) compare calorie, macronutrient, and micronutrient intake of people incarcerated in jail to the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) and the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). We hypothesized that participants would consume more sodium, added sugar, and saturated fat while incarcerated compared to the DGA and macronutrient consumption patterns of people incarcerated in jail would not meet the AMDR. Methods: Cycle menus were obtained from the jail administration to design a questionnaire that would allow study participants to accurately document the consumption of foods provided by the jail and purchased through commissary each day. Sixty-five (65) incarcerated adults (24 women and 41 men) were recruited from a northern Arizona county jail to complete the 4-day cross-sectional food intake questionnaire. Participants were asked to fill out the questionnaires in real time. Following the study period, questionnaires were collected, and participants provided feedback on the appropriateness and feasibility of the questionnaire via a group listening session. Daily total and mean calorie, macro- and micronutrient intake were calculated using the ASA24 and compared to the AMDR and the DGA. Results: Of 65 people recruited, 64 completed the questionnaire. Participants reported enjoying reflecting on their diets but indicated that institutional menu modifications during the study period led to confusion as the food items listed did not always match what was served. Average percent saturated fat of total calories (11.7%, 95% CI: 10.9, 12.4) and sodium (3723 mg, 95% CI: 3048, 4399) exceeded DGA recommendations. Macronutrient consumption was within recommended ranges. Conclusions: The results of this study can inform efforts to improve the food intake tracking tool which can be used in future research assessing nutritional status in jails and prisons, as well as other controlled food environments. These results will also provide the first observational evidence of nutritional status in jail settings, informing future institutional policy change and interventions.

Towards quantifying atmospheric dispersion of pesticide spray drift in Yuma County Arizona

While pesticide vapor and particles from agricultural spray drift have been reported to pose a risk to public health, limited baseline ambient measurements exist to warrant an accurate assessment of their impacts at community-to-county-wide scale. Here, we present an initial modeling investigation of the transport and deposition of applied pesticides in an agricultural county in Arizona (Yuma County), to provide initial estimates on the corresponding enhancements in ambient levels of these spray drifts downwind of application sites. With a 50 × 50 km domain, we use the dispersion model CALPUFF with meteorology from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of pesticide abundance due to spray drift from a representative sample of nine application sites. Data records for nine application days in September and October 2011, which are the peak months of pesticide application, were retroactively simulated for 48-h for all nine application sites using an active ingredient lambda-cyhalothrin, which is a commonly-used pesticide in the county. Twenty-one WRF/CALPUFF simulations were conducted with varying emissions, chemical lifetime, deposition rate, application height, and meteorology inputs, allowing for an ensemble-based analysis on the possible ranges in modeled abundance. Our results show that dispersion of vapors released at time of application heavily depends on prevailing meteorology, particularly wind speed and direction. Dispersion is limited to thin plumes that are easily transported out of the domain. The ensemble-mean vapor concentrations of the 48-h average (> 90 percentile domain-wide) range from 0.2 nanograms(ng)/m3 to 200 ng/m3, and the peak can be as high as 1000 ng/m3 near the application sites. Pesticide particles are mainly deposited within 1–2 km from the application sites at an average rate of 106ng/km2/h but vary with particle mean diameter and standard deviation. While these findings are generally consistent with reported ambient levels in the literature, the associated ensemble-spread on these estimates are in the same order of magnitude as their ensemble-mean. At the two nearby communities downwind of these sites, we find that peak vapor concentrations are less than 50 ng/m3 with exposure times of less than an hour, as approximately 99.4% of the vapors are advected out and 99.5% of the particles deposit within the domain. Results of this study indicate pesticide spray drift from a sample of application sites and representative days in Fall may have a limited impact on neighboring communities. However, we strongly suggest that field measurements should be collected for model validation and more rigorous investigation of the actual scale of these impacts when the bulk of pesticide applications across the county, variation in active pesticide ingredients, and potential resuspension of deposited particles are considered.

Epidemiology of Coccidioidomycosis in the Veterans Health Administration, 2013-2022.

We describe the epidemiology of coccidioidomycosis among a national cohort of Veterans. Using electronic health record data from adults tested for coccidioidomycosis between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2022, we analyzed differences in baseline demographics (age, sex, race/ethnicity, birth country, comorbidities, residence, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score) between 4204 coccidioidomycosis-test-positive and 63,322 test-negative Veterans. Log-binomial regression models with adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) were used to evaluate risk factors associated with coccidioidomycosis including dissemination, hospitalization, and mortality. Case counts and incidence rates were highest in select counties in Arizona and California where Coccidioides is endemic. Coccidioidomycosis-positive Veterans were younger, more likely to be male, and Philippine-born. The risk factors most highly associated with being coccidioidomycosis-positive included Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (aRR 1.068 [95%CI: 1.039-1.098]), Asian (aRR 1.060 [95%CI: 1.037-1.083]), Black (aRR 1.029 [95%CI: 1.022-1.036]), American Indian/Alaska Native (aRR 1.026 [95%CI: 1.004-1.048]) race, and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity (aRR 1.021 [95%CI: 1.013-1.028]). Black race (aRR: 1.058 [95%CI: 1.037-1.081]) and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity (aRR 1.018 [95%CI: 1.0003-1.036]) were also associated with disseminated coccidioidomycosis, strengthening the evidence for the association of coccidioidomycosis, including severe infections, with specific racial and ethnic groups. There were no statistically significant differences in hospitalization within 45 days of testing or 30-day all-cause mortality. Improving our understanding of coccidioidomycosis risk factors is important for targeted prevention strategies and to reduce delays in diagnosis and ineffective treatment.

What Predicts Failure to Appear for Court Hearings?

Despite its importance, the pretrial process has not been subjected to the type of scrutiny directed at judges’ sentencing decisions. The goal of this project, which uses data on defendants released pretrial in four Arizona counties, was to identify the factors that predict failure to appear (FTA) for court hearings and to determine whether these predictors vary across defendants. We found that the likelihood of FTA was affected by a combination of defendant characteristics, case characteristics, and the jurisdiction where the case was adjudicated; the FTA prediction score, which is obtained from the risk assessment instrument used in all Arizona counties, also had a significant effect on the likelihood of FTA. Discussion focuses on inter-jurisdictional differences in FTA rates, the fact that the type of pretrial release did not predict FTA, and the fact that the defendant’s race/ethnicity affected the FTA prediction score and most of the Public Safety Assessment factors.

Health Characteristics and Birth Outcomes for "Starting Out Right," a Teen Pregnancy Program.

To evaluate differences in health characteristics and birth outcomes for participants of a prenatal education and support program for pregnant teens, "Starting Out Right" (SOR) compared to nonparticipant pregnant teens in Pima, Maricopa, and Gila counties in Arizona to gauge benefits of program participation. The SOR program is a community education and support program for pregnant teens based on a structured curriculum. All pregnant teens living in the service area are eligible to participate. Vital statistics birth data from 2014 to 2019 were obtained from three counties in Arizona that identified SOR and non-SOR program participants. Logistic regression was used to calculate multivariable -adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for specific health characteristics (smoking, hypertensive disorders, overweight and obesity, gestational diabetes, sexually transmitted infections) and birth outcomes (C-section, preterm birth, NICU admission, birthweight, and breastfeeding) for SOR participants compared with nonparticipants. Variables in the adjusted models included age, BMI, smoking, gestational diabetes, race, ethnicity, county, WIC participation, insurance type, plurality, and month and year prenatal care began. These results suggest that participation in SOR was associated (p ≤ 0.06) with a reduced odds for low birthweight [aOR 0.7(95% CI 0.5,1.0)] and increased odds (p ≤ 0.05) of breastfeeding [aOR 1.3(95% CI 1.0,1.7)] compared to nonparticipants. These results provide evidence that the education components in the SOR program support improved pregnancy and breastfeeding outcomes for pregnant teens.

Providing Services to Victims of Human Trafficking During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Social Service Agency State-Wide Survey

While research has documented the needs of human trafficking victims, the importance of such needs during the COVID-19 pandemic remains understudied. This study sought to determine the most critical and urgent service needs of social service providers who serve human trafficking victims. Drawing from survey responses collected from 100 service providers from all 15 counties in Arizona, researchers examined agency needs to serve human trafficking victims during a pandemic, the barriers/fears expressed by human trafficking victims to obtain social services, and the saliency of needs regarding training, screenings, protocols, and services provided. Respondents indicated that the most necessary needs included more training, funding, and receiving referrals. Respondents reported that most barriers/fears expressed by sex trafficking clients were feelings of shame and not self-identifying as a victim. Labor trafficking victims lack knowledge about resources and experience little to no social support. Findings highlight a sustained need for awareness building, developing strong partnerships between agencies that serve human trafficking victims, and the needed ability of social service agencies to modify their service delivery systems during a pandemic. Future research is needed to understand the lack of victim demographic data and provide clear guidelines for agencies to handle emergencies such as a pandemic.

170 Revisiting perceived needs of Arizona horse owners to update and focus cooperative extension horse educational programming and resource development directions

In 2021, a voluntary, anonymous online livestock/equine survey (originally distributed in 2015), was readministered using Qualtrics® software and disseminated to Arizona livestock/equine industry stakeholders through email listservs, social media, personal connections, and attendees of cooperative extension events. The goal was to compare the 2021 data from horse owners (118/237 overall responses) to the 2015 responses (280 horse owners/484 total respondents) to review, update and if necessary, change the focus of our educational programming to topics perceived to be of moderate to critical need by 2021 Arizona horse owners. Survey results from both years came from all 15 Arizona counties and grouped by number of horses owned (1–3, 4–6, 7–9, and ≥ 10). The 2 data sets were analyzed independently using Chi-Square contingency tests, with significance declared at (P < 0.05). In both 2015 and 2021, more respondents owning 1–3 horses used their horses for recreation only (P < 0.05), and more respondents owning ≥ 10 horses used them for business (P < 0.05). In 2015, preferences for methods of information delivery were significantly affected by the age of respondent, with ≥ 70 years choosing newsletters/emails and both 50–69 years and ≥ 70 years preferring hands-on field days (P < 0.05). Additionally, more 50–69year-old respondents wanted fact sheets (P < 0.05). In 2021, ≥ 70 year-old respondents were less receptive to virtual seminars (P < 0.05). Survey takers ranked each of 22 topics related to horse feeding, management, training, horse health, business planning, etc. by no, slight, moderate, or critical need. Highest ranking topics in both 2015 and 2021, (with > 60% of ratings ranging from moderate to critical need), included toxic plants, vaccination programs, training and behavior, hoof care, heat stress, utilizing AZ forage, and lameness. In 2015, more respondents owning ≥ 10 horses chose “no need” for horse training/management (P < 0.05) and heat stress (P < 0.05), but in 2021 the “no need” for heat stress education difference was no longer apparent. In 2015, owners with 1–3 horses did not perceive a critical need for heat stress education, but they did in 2021 (P < 0.05). Topics with the highest perceived need were similar in 2021 and 2015, allowing us to continue with our current programming areas and priorities, although we found the age of respondents affected their preferences for methods of information delivery, and we need to continue heat stress education for recreational horse stakeholders owning 1–3 horses.

Community Health Workers as Puentes/Bridges to Increase COVID-19 Health Equity in Latinx Communities of the Southwest U.S.

This study documents the pivotal role that Community Health Workers (CHW) played while supporting underserved Latinx communities affected by COVID-19-related health inequities. With the support of CHWs' agencies historically serving three Latinx-dense counties in Arizona, we recruited CHWs who participated in a state-wide COVID-19 testing project. Using phenomenology and narrative qualitative research methods, five focus groups were facilitated in Spanish between August and November 2021. Bilingual research team members conducted the analysis of the Spanish verbatim transcripts and CHWs reviewed the results for validity. Three interconnected themes reflected the CHWs experiences: (1) CHWs as puentes/bridges with deep community embeddedness through shared experiences and social/cultural context, (2) CHWs as communication brokers and transformational agents, playing a pivotal role in responding to the health and socioeconomic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, (3) CHWs satisfaction and frustration due to their dual role as committed community members but unrecognized and undervalued frontline public health workers. These findings emphasize the CHWs' commitment towards supporting their communities, even amidst the stressors of the pandemic. It is important to continue to integrate the role of CHWs into the larger healthcare system as opposed to relegating them to short term engagements as was the case during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article provides a set of practice, policy, and future research recommendations, emphasizing the need to allocate greater budgetary and training resources in support of CHWs.

A matching method for land valuation

One approach to land valuation, particularly used by accessors, is to base price estimates of target properties on comparable properties that recently sold. These properties are chosen to be close matches of the target unit and their transaction prices are used to predict the market price of the target unit. But the choice of comparables is typically not consistent and transparent. In this study, a systematic analytical procedure for choosing comparables that is easy to implement is developed. A hedonic regression using these comparables is then run and the predicted value of the target unit is the assessed value. One of the advantages of this procedure is that it should be straightforward for assessors and public finance officials to use and understand and easy to explain to residents.This approach is used to estimate land value as well as market prices (that includes the value of the structure) for single family residential properties using data from Maricopa County Arizona from 2007-2018. The best estimators obtain a median prediction accuracy error of 10% and more than 60% of these predictions have a prediction accuracy error within 10% for later years in the sample. These are within the bounds obtained by Zillow for 666 U.S. counties. Market prices are disaggregated into structure, lot, and neighborhood values. On average, these three components make up approximately 30%, 20%, and 50% of total average price. This provides for a nice “rule of thumb” for decomposing the market average property value into these three components; two of which relate to land value.

Making Vaccines Equitably Available to All Persons in Pima County, Arizona, 2020-2021.

We review the Pima County (Arizona) Health Department's efforts to achieve equitable COVID-19 vaccine distribution in a county with a social vulnerability index of 0.88. We expedited vaccine distribution, focusing on equitable distribution, implementing a multi-point of dispensing approach, and using a periurban and rural strategy. Pima County has one of the highest vaccine distribution percentages among the highest social vulnerability index quartiles and is more than 10 percentage points ahead of other large counties in Arizona in vaccine uptake. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(11):1560-1563. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307040).

Degree and direction of overlap between social vulnerability and community resilience measurements.

An ongoing debate in academic and practitioner communities, centers on the measurement similarities and differences between social vulnerability and community resilience. More specifically, many see social vulnerability and community resilience measurements as conceptually and empirically the same. Only through a critical and comparative assessment can we ascertain the extent to which these measurement schemas empirically relate to one another. This paper uses two well-known indices—the social vulnerability index (SoVI) and the Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities (BRIC) to address the topic. The paper employs spatio-temporal correlations to test for differences or divergence (negative associations) and similarities or convergence (positive associations), and the degree of overlap. These tests use continental U.S. counties, two timeframes (2010 and 2015), and two case study sub-regions (to identify changes in measurement associations going from national to regional scales given the place-based nature of each index). Geospatial analytics indicate a divergence with little overlap between SoVI and BRIC measurements, based on low negative correlation coefficients (around 30%) for both time periods. There is some spatial variability in measurement overlap, but less than 2% of counties show hot spot clustering of correlations of more than 50% in either year. The strongest overlap and divergence in both years occurs in few counties in California, Arizona, and Maine. The degree of overlap in measurements at the regional scale is greater in the Gulf Region (39%) than in the Southeast Atlantic region (21% in 2010; 28% in 2015) suggesting more homogeneity in Gulf Coast counties based on population and place characteristics. However, in both study areas SoVI and BRIC measurements are negatively associated. Given their inclusion in the National Risk Index, both social vulnerability and resilience metrics are needed to interpret the local community capacities in natural hazards risk planning, as a vulnerable community could be highly resilient or vice versa.

Abstract 5967: ROSA: An ambassador program facilitating bidirectional partnerships between communities and basic scientists

Abstract Background: Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) is integral in NCI-designated Cancer Centers. COEs work with community stakeholders identifying community needs, communicating research, and catalyzing significant activities to Cancer Center’s catchment areas. To facilitate this, the University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC) Office of COE established the Research Outreach for Southern Arizona (ROSA) program, supporting bidirectional partnerships between basic scientists and underrepresented communities in catchment areas. Objective: To describe a community and student ambassador program developed as ROSA, bridging gaps between basic science programs and community needs in UACC catchment areas. Methods: The UACC catchment areas include five southern Arizona counties where 40% of residents are Hispanic, compared to 18.3% in the US. Moreover, ambassadors were bilingual/bicultural Hispanic undergraduate students (n=4) and Hispanic community members (n=4). The ambassador program held weekly cancer educational discussions, research methods, monthly Meet the Scientist events, and presentations on experiences. Evaluations for ROSA were completed by all affiliates. Results: Overall, ROSA ambassadors reported increased knowledge of research and increased confidence sharing cancer information. Facilitators of ROSA community members included a bilingual/bicultural team, outreach collaborations, and participant compensation. Barriers included payments for undocumented members, lack of Spanish-speaking scientists, and reduced in-person activities. As a result of ROSA partnerships, scientists, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders is developing Scientific Cafes where scientists present research proposals for community feedback. The workgroup will select a community-driven project to implement in the future. Discussion: Based on positive ambassador evaluations and working group collaborations, ROSA is successful in growing authentic partnerships between scientists and communities. Recently, a community-based survey was developed by members to examine perceptions of cancer and willingness of clinical research participation. This survey will inform how basic scientists align research within community needs. ROSA will continue to be valuable in providing bidirectional engagement from basic scientists and community members in cancer research. Citation Format: Gabriela Ruiz, MEd., Amanda Lee. ROSA: An ambassador program facilitating bidirectional partnerships between communities and basic scientists [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5967.

A multisectoral approach to advance health equity in rural northern Arizona: county-level leaders’ perspectives on health equity

BackgroundMultisectoral and public–private partnerships are critical in building the necessary infrastructure, policy, and political will to ameliorate health inequity. A focus on health equity by researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers prioritizes action to address the systematic, avoidable, and unjust differences in health status across population groups sustained over time and generations that are beyond the control of individuals. Health equity requires a collective process in shaping the health and wellbeing of the communities in which we live, learn, work, play, and grow. This paper explores multisectoral leaders’ understanding of the social, environmental, and economic conditions that produce and sustain health inequity in northern Arizona, a geographically expansive, largely rural, and culturally diverse region.MethodsData are drawn from the Southwest Health Equity Research Collaborative’s Regional Health Equity Survey (RHES). The RHES is a community-engaged, cross-sectional online survey comprised of 31 close-ended and 17 open-ended questions. Created to assess cross-sectoral regional and collective capacity to address health inequity and inform multisectoral action for improving community health, the RHES targeted leaders representing five rural northern Arizona counties and 13 sectors. Select open-ended questions were analyzed using an a priori coding scheme and emergent coding with thematic analysis.ResultsAlthough leaders were provided the definition and asked to describe the root causes of inequities, the majority of leaders described social determinants of health (SDoH). When leaders described root causes of health inequity, they articulated systemic factors affecting their communities, describing discrimination and unequal allocation of power and resources. Most leaders described the SDoH by discussing compounding factors of poverty, transportation, housing, and rurality among others, that together exacerbate inequity. Leaders also identified specific strategies to address SDoH and advance health equity in their communities, ranging from providing direct services to activating partnerships across organizations and sectors in advocacy for policy change.ConclusionOur findings indicate that community leaders in the northern Arizona region acknowledge the importance of multisectoral collaborations in improving health equity for the populations that they serve. However, a common understanding of health equity remains to be widely established, which is essential for conducting effective multisectoral work to advance health equity.

Examining the policy effects of Arizona’s 2016 pre-emption law on firearm suicide rates in the greater Tucson area: an observational study

ObjectiveIn 2016, Arizona enacted SB 1487 to nullify Tucson’s ordinance permitting the municipality to destroy confiscated and forfeited firearms and instead require the firearms to be resold to the public...

Updates of Historic and Contemporary Records of Jaguars (Panthera onca) from Arizona

We summarize >80 accounts of jaguars killed and/or photographed in Arizona during a 160-year period. These accounts include 13 previously unrecorded animals and six contemporary photographic records. The period with most records occurred between 1900 and 1920. Occurrences ranged from Sonoran desertscrub < 1000 m ASL to mixed confer forest at 2,134 m ASL. Every county in Arizona save four had jaguar records and distribution of records indicate a north by northwest movement along montane corridors from the southeastern quarter of the state northwest to the Grand Canyon. Three counties bordering Sonora yielded numerous records over protracted periods, namely Santa Cruz, Cochise, and Pima Counties. The distribution, number of occurrences and records of females and sub-adults before 1920 suggest some animals may have been breeding residents.

The Social Determinants of Health in Relation to Sexually Transmitted Infections in Maricopa County Arizona

The Social Determinants of Health in Relation to Sexually Transmitted Infections in Maricopa County Arizona

Ethnic discrimination and psychological stress among Hispanic emerging adults: Examining the moderating effects of distress tolerance and optimism

Hispanic emerging adults are often exposed to ethnic discrimination, yet little is known about coping resources that may mitigate the effects of ethnic discrimination on psychological stress in this rapidly growing population. As such, this study aims to examine (1) the associations of ethnic discrimination, distress tolerance, and optimism with psychological stress and (2) the moderating effects of distress tolerance and optimism on the association between ethnic discrimination and psychological stress. Data were drawn from a cross-sectional study of 200 Hispanic adults ages 18–25, recruited from two urban counties in Arizona and Florida. Hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analyses were utilized to examine these associations and moderated effects. Findings indicated that higher optimism was associated with lower psychological stress. Conversely, higher ethnic discrimination was associated with higher psychological stress. Moderation analyses indicated that both distress tolerance and optimism moderated the association between ethnic discrimination and psychological stress. These study findings add to the limited literature on ethnic discrimination among Hispanic emerging adults and suggest that distress tolerance may be a key intrapersonal factor that can protect Hispanic emerging adults against the psychological stress often resulting from ethnic discrimination.

First U.S. Records of the Mistletoe-Associated Micrutalis discalis (Walker) (Hemiptera: Membracidae), Description of the Male, and Redescription of the Female

The treehopper Micrutalis discalis (Walker), subfamily Smiliinae, tribe Micrutalini, was described in 1858 from Veracruz, Mexico. We report the first U.S. records from five counties in Arizona, describe the male and fifth instar for the first time, and redescribe the female. We collected nymphs and adults from desert mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum Nutt.; Viscaceae), which was hemiparasitic on trees and shrubs of the Fabaceae: yellow paloverde (Parkinsonia microphylla Torr.), velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina Wooten), and catclaw acacia (Senegalia greggii [A. Gray] Britton and Rose). Our observations of nymphs in both late March to early May and in August suggest that M. discalis is bivoltine. We collected another adult, perhaps incidental, from the mistletoe Phoradendron villosum (Nutt.) Nutt. on Sonoran scrub oak (Quercus turbinella Greene; Fagaceae) and consider an adult from mule-fat (Baccharis salicifolia [Ruiz. and Pav.] Pers.; Asteraceae) an incidental occurrence.