Communities In New Mexico Research Articles

Participatory action research to develop and implement multicomponent, multilevel strategies for implementing colorectal cancer screening interventions in American Indian communities in New Mexico

BackgroundDespite the effectiveness of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, American Indians (AIs) have low screening rates in the US. Many AIs receive care at Indian Health Services, Tribal, and Urban Indian (I/T/U) healthcare facilities, where published evidence regarding the implementation of CRC screening interventions is lacking. To address this gap, the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Albuquerque Area Southwest Tribal Epidemiology Center collaborated with two tribally-operated healthcare facilities in New Mexico with the goal of improving CRC screening rates among New Mexico’s AI communities.MethodsGuided by the principles of Community Based Participatory Research, we engaged providers from the two tribal healthcare facilities and tribal community members through focus group (two focus groups with providers (n = 15) and four focus group and listening sessions with community members (n = 65)), to elicit perspectives on the feasibility and appropriateness of implementing The Guide to Community Preventive Services (The Community Guide) recommended evidence-based interventions (EBIs) and strategies for increasing CRC screening. Within each tribal healthcare facility, we engaged a Multisector Action Team (MAT) that participated in an implementation survey to document the extent to which their healthcare facilities were implementing EBIs and strategies, and an organizational readiness survey that queried whether their healthcare facilities could implement additional strategies to improve uptake of CRC screening.ResultsThe Community Guide recommended EBIs and strategies that received the most support as feasible and appropriate from community members included: one-on-one education from providers, reminders, small media, and interventions that reduced structural barriers. From the providers’ perspective, feasible and acceptable strategies included one-on-one education, patient and provider reminders, and provider assessment and feedback. Universally, providers mentioned the need for patient navigators who could provide culturally appropriate education about CRC and assist with transportation, and improved support for coordinating clinical follow-up after screening. The readiness survey highlighted overall readiness of the tribal facility, while the implementation survey highlighted that few strategies were being implemented.ConclusionsFindings from this study contribute to the limited literature around implementation research at tribal healthcare facilities and informed the selection of specific implementation strategies to promote the uptake of CRC screening in AI communities.

Understanding Latine perceptions of gun violence prevention strategies across New Mexico: A conceptual paper

Gun violence within Latine communities in New Mexico is on the rise and shows no signs of slowing down. The disparities in gun violence experiences mirror the structural and social position factors which negatively and disproportionately impact Latine people. In response to firearm-related deaths nearly doubling over the last decade, New Mexican legislators have been pressured to implement gun violence prevention policies. However well intended, these strategies often fail to address the structural inequities that underlie the rise in gun violence within Latine communities. There is an urgent need for research to better understand the unique experiences of Latine persons and their experiences in both gun violence and prevention. From a social ecological perspective, examining the structural barriers and facilitators which impede Latine involvement in gun violence prevention is critical to interrupting the cycles which render this group more susceptible. A deeper understanding of the factors associated with both gun violence and prevention is crucial for developing informed and culturally sensitive policies and interventions. This conceptual paper explores theory and research to better understand how gun violence impacts Latine communities and creates a conceptual framework to improve healthcare workers’ ability to encourage empowerment and efficacy regarding Latine engagement in gun violence prevention efforts. The objective of this paper is to analyze research from disciplines in the social and health sciences focusing on the experiences of Latine persons and groups experiencing gun violence and engaging in gun violence prevention.

Short-term effects of a high-severity summer wildfire on conifer forest moth (Lepidoptera) communities in New Mexico, USA.

Forest fires in North America are becoming larger in area and burning with higher severity as a result of climate change and land management practices. High-severity, stand-replacement fires can inflict major changes to forest insect communities, potentially extirpating many species through altered post-fire habitat resources. We assessed forest-dwelling macrolepidopteran moth communities in mixed conifer and ponderosa pine forests during the first year after the 2011 Las Conchas fire in New Mexico, USA. We deployed blacklight traps in replicated burned and unburned stands during June, July, and August in 2012. We collected 9,478 individuals, representing 211 species and 8 families. Noctuidae (124 species) and Geometridae (53) comprised the majority of the taxa, followed by Erebidae (21), Sphingidae (5), Notodontidae (3), Lasiocampidae (2), Saturniidae (2), and Drepanidae (1). Moth communities (species composition and abundances) in each forest type (mixed conifer vs. ponderosa pine) were statistically distinguishable, but shared 56.4% (119) of observed species. Overall, compared to unburned forests, post-fire moth communities in both forest types had significantly lower numbers of individuals, species richness and diversity, and lower evenness in ponderosa pine forests. As expected, categorizing moth taxa by larval host plant taxa revealed that reductions of moth populations following fire were associated with the elimination or reduction of available larval host plants (particularly conifers, oaks, and junipers). We predict that future moth community succession will likely parallel the overall transformation from a forested landscape to a montane meadow/grassland ecosystem, with continued reduction in tree-feeding species and increasing dominance by forb/grass-feeding species.

Family listening/circle program: The experience of community action projects to promote family and community wellness in three tribal communities in New Mexico.

The Family Listening/Circle Program (FLCP) is a community-based participatory research (CBPR), culture-centered, intergenerational family strengthening program that was co-developed in partnership with the University of New Mexico's Center for Participatory Research (UNM-CPR) and three tribal communities (Pueblo of Jemez, Ramah Navajo, and Mescalero Apache) in New Mexico. The Family Listening/Circle Program brings together fourth and fifth graders, their parents, caregivers, and elders to reduce risky behaviors associated with the initiation of substance use among the youth, and to strengthen family communication and connectedness to culture and language as protective factors. The tribal research teams (TRTs) from each community worked with UNM-CPR to co-create, pilot, implement, and evaluate the tribally-specific FL/CP curricula centered in their own tribal histories, language, knowledge, visions, and actions for the future. A key component of the FL/CP involved the planning and completion of community action projects (CAPs) by participating families. During the final session of the program, the families present their community action projects on poster boards, with children leading the presentations. The TRTs and UNM team document narratives of what was shared and learned by the families. The CAPs provide an empowerment and community benefit focus based on Paulo Freire's philosophy that people can become agents of change if they identify and work on issues that are important to them. The community action projects are also centered in Indigenous values and practices of reciprocity, responsibility, and being active members of the community. The CAPs added unique contributions to the Family Listening/Circle Program as the participants' learnings were strengthened when they had the opportunity to give back to their communities. The CAPs were important to document as they illustrated the potential range of effectiveness with their capacity to empower participants to address challenges within their communities, strengthen cultural norms and values, and improve the wellbeing of community members.

Plague circulation in small mammals elevates extinction risk for the endangered Peñasco least chipmunk

Wildlife diseases are a major concern for species survival around the world. Vector-borne diseases, in particular, are problematic for both humans and wildlife. Plague is an introduced disease to North America where many species have low natural resistance to infection by the causative bacterium, Yersinia pestis. Plague in the United States is often associated with large-scale epizootic events that impact rodent populations. However, we need more information regarding the effects of plague at enzootic levels and in species that rarely if ever experience epizootic events. New Mexico is a state that experiences regular epizootic plague events in several species of rodents but comparatively less is known about enzootic plague impacts within rodent communities in New Mexico. The Peñasco least chipmunk (Neotamias minimus atristriatus) is state-listed as endangered in New Mexico and is a candidate for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. It likely has been extirpated from the southern portion of its range and is now observed only at high elevations in isolated areas in the White Mountains. We evaluated plague presence in the more abundant small mammal species associated with these chipmunks. We used an F1 antigen plague-specific vaccine and a placebo injection to test whether plague was present and reducing survival in western deer mouse (Peromyscus sonoriensis) and vole (Microtus spp.) populations in the Lincoln National Forest. The effect of plague on survival differed among years and sites. Monthly apparent survival was up to 60 % higher for rodents given the vaccine compared to those given a placebo. Our results suggest that plague is likely impacting the small mammal community in the Lincoln National Forest and is even present at higher elevation sites where the Peñasco least chipmunk was most recently extirpated. Because least chipmunks are highly susceptible to plague, our results suggest that this disease may be an important factor in the population decline of the Peñasco least chipmunk.

Reaching the "Hard-to-Reach" Sexual and Gender Diverse Communities for Population-Based Research in Cancer Prevention and Control: Methods for Online Survey Data Collection and Management.

PurposeAround 5% of United States (U.S.) population identifies as Sexual and Gender Diverse (SGD), yet there is limited research around cancer prevention among these populations. We present multi-pronged, low-cost, and systematic recruitment strategies used to reach SGD communities in New Mexico (NM), a state that is both largely rural and racially/ethnically classified as a “majority-minority” state.MethodsOur recruitment focused on using: (1) Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) program, by the United States Postal Services (USPS); (2) Google and Facebook advertisements; (3) Organizational outreach via emails to publicly available SGD-friendly business contacts; (4) Personal outreach via flyers at clinical and community settings across NM. Guided by previous research, we provide detailed descriptions on using strategies to check for fraudulent and suspicious online responses, that ensure data integrity.ResultsA total of 27,369 flyers were distributed through the EDDM program and 436,177 impressions were made through the Google and Facebook ads. We received a total of 6,920 responses on the eligibility survey. For the 5,037 eligible respondents, we received 3,120 (61.9%) complete responses. Of these, 13% (406/3120) were fraudulent/suspicious based on research-informed criteria and were removed. Final analysis included 2,534 respondents, of which the majority (59.9%) reported hearing about the study from social media. Of the respondents, 49.5% were between 31-40 years, 39.5% were Black, Hispanic, or American Indian/Alaskan Native, and 45.9% had an annual household income below $50,000. Over half (55.3%) were assigned male, 40.4% were assigned female, and 4.3% were assigned intersex at birth. Transgender respondents made up 10.6% (n=267) of the respondents. In terms of sexual orientation, 54.1% (n=1371) reported being gay or lesbian, 30% (n=749) bisexual, and 15.8% (n=401) queer. A total of 756 (29.8%) respondents reported receiving a cancer diagnosis and among screen-eligible respondents, 66.2% reported ever having a Pap, 78.6% reported ever having a mammogram, and 84.1% reported ever having a colonoscopy. Over half of eligible respondents (58.7%) reported receiving Human Papillomavirus vaccinations.ConclusionStudy findings showcase effective strategies to reach communities, maximize data quality, and prevent the misrepresentation of data critical to improve health in SGD communities.

Research From a Diné-Centered Perspective and the Development of a Community-Based Participatory Research Partnership.

Purpose. Indigenous (Diné) communities have long endured high rates of behavioral and mental health diseases like depression, drug and alcohol dependency, and suicide due to historical trauma and posttraumatic stress disorders. Western research methods used to address these issues have often failed to provide sufficient understanding of the culturally nuanced dynamics underpinning these health disparities in Indigenous contexts. As a result, Indigenous health disparities have actually increased and complex culture-based relationships that influence health outcomes are underconceptualized. Aim. For the first time a community-based participatory research approach from a Diné perspective is introduced to three Navajo communities in New Mexico to collaboratively explore their perspectives about community-engaged research and community well-being from a Diné lens. The overarching research question was: Can a community-based participatory research approach embedded within a Diné research paradigm be utilized to develop a culturally centered intervention approach? Methods. The study utilized a mixed method approach that included surveys and focus groups. Results. Six overarching themes emerged that underscored the important role of utilizing a community-based participatory Diné-centered approach to define community well-being and increase community agency to address their own health disparities. Conclusion. Indigenous-centered community-engaged research can potentially become an intervention approach for informing Indigenous communities' understandings of well-being by drawing upon local cultural Indigenous knowledge. This study demonstrated that developing an effective community-engaged research partnership to address health disparities in a Diné context must be informed by a Diné paradigm grounded in local community cultural knowledge.

Tonita Peña and the Politics of Pueblo Art

During the early twentieth century, several artists from Pueblo communities in New Mexico and Hopi in Arizona took up watercolor painting, using the new (to them) medium to produce largely represen...

Fracking in Pueblo and Diné Communities

Fracking must be regulated from a tribal perspective and ultimately phased out by renewable energy sources in order to prevent environmental contamination and threats to health and safety.  Like many other components of extractive industry, fracking disproportionately harms indigenous communities due to the socioeconomic status of indigenous communities, their unique relationship to the land (and specifically to water), and other harmful effects of colonization and racialization.  This Comment explores the proposed and ongoing fracking near Chaco Canyon and discusses the environmental justice issues this raises for indigenous communities in New Mexico.  This discussion is timely, as the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs recently released the long-awaited Farmington Mancos-Gallup Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment and Environmental Impact Statement, which amends the original Environmental Impact Statement for the Chaco Canyon area.  This Comment highlights the unregulated nature of fracking (specifically the uncertainty of spills, cleanup and remediation), its exemption from several environmental statutes, and the threats it poses to groundwater and general water quality.  The pervasiveness of these issues suggests that the most direct solution lies in cultural sovereignty and decolonial approaches to land management.

Honoring and Embodying the Mandate of Community-Accountable Archaeology: Perspectives from the Indo-Hispano/a Southwest

The lack of diversity in the archaeological community is worsened by the sense of exclusivity created at the meeting of archaeological practice and descendant communities. The authors’ work, carried out in partnership with Indo-Hispano/a communities in New Mexico, attempts to counteract this steep gradient of inclusion through the incorporation, professionalization, and leadership of our research collaborators. Our work confronts historical paradigms denying the significance of late colonial and Mexican period community-making in the Southwest, bringing to light the problematic nature of prior historical silences for their propagation of essentialist notions of indigeneity. The dehistoricization of the Indo-Hispano/a political, social, and economic present can be combated by archaeologies that emphasize community priorities for the direction of research. Central to such commitments is an archaeological praxis which not only fully recognizes the political nature of the work, but translates that potential through a cooperative program of action and inclusion.

Dietary Intake of Upper Midwest and Southwest Native American Adults

ABSTRACT Limited information on current dietary patterns of Native American (NA) adults exists. This paper describes the dietary intake of 582 NA adults, aged 19–75 years, living in six communities in New Mexico and Wisconsin in 2016–2017 and compares macronutrient and micronutrient intakes, estimated via a semi-quantitative 30-day Block Food Frequency Questionnaire, among different age and sex groups. NA adults consumed a diet high in % energy from total fat, saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium. A general trend of lower micronutrient intakes with increasing age was observed. Health professionals can apply this information to develop effective and culturally relevant nutrition interventions. Abbreviations: NA = Native American; CVD = Cardiovascular diseases; IOM = Institute of Medicine; IRB = Institutional Review Board; AIQ = Adult Impact Questionnaire; FFQ = Food Frequency Questionnaire; NHANES = National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; NHNS: Navajo Health and Nutrition Survey

Reduced and Earlier Snowmelt Runoff Impacts Traditional Irrigation Systems

AbstractSeasonal runoff from montane uplands is crucial for plant growth in agricultural communities of northern New Mexico. These communities typically employ traditional irrigation systems, called acequias, which rely mainly upon spring snowmelt runoff for irrigation. The trend of the past few decades is an increase in temperature, reduced snow pack, and earlier runoff from snowmelt across much of the western United States. In order to predict the potential impacts of changes in future climate a system dynamics model was constructed to simulate the surface water supplies in a montane upland watershed of a small irrigated community in northern New Mexico through the rest of the 21st century. End‐term simulations of representative concentration pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 suggest that runoff during the months of April to August could be reduced by 22% and 56%, respectively. End‐term simulations also displayed a shift in the beginning and peak of snowmelt runoff by up to one month earlier than current conditions. Results suggest that rising temperatures will drive reduced runoff in irrigation season and earlier snowmelt runoff in the dry season towards the end of the 21st century. Modeled results suggest that climate change leads to runoff scheme shift and increased frequency of drought; due to the uncontemporaneous of irrigation season and runoff scheme, water shortage will increase. Potential impacts of climate change scenarios and mitigation strategies should be further investigated to ensure the resilience of traditional agricultural communities in New Mexico and similar regions.

Perceptions of water and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption habits among teens, parents and teachers in the rural south-western USA.

The present research aimed to describe perceptions and behaviours around the consumption of water and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) by youths. A formative, qualitative study which conducted four focus groups. Transcripts were analysed and themes related to reasons youths drink SSB and water, and conversely do not drink SSB and water, were analysed to reveal thematic clusters around sensory factors, environment and policy, access, marketing and role model influences, and health risks. A rural, tri-ethnic community in New Mexico, USA.ParticipantsMiddle- and high-school students, parents and teachers. Although youths and adults were aware of the health risks of soda, they did not translate this information to other SSB, including sports drinks and sweetened tea. Moreover, their perceptions of risks of dyes outweighed their concern with sugar. Youths and adults were aware of water's health benefits, but they focused on short-term benefits. Youths and adults perceived water as unappealing. Adults were also concerned with water safety and access. This formative research has implications for decreasing SSB consumption and simultaneously increasing water intake among youths in rural communities. Addressing unique access and safety concerns related to water in rural communities, as well as increasing awareness of the risks of all types of SSB, can work together in a positive feedback loop to change perceptions and behaviours with long-term health consequences. Specific policy suggestions include strengthening school policies to restrict all types of SSB and water promotion efforts that address access, safety and health benefits.

A Year of Crisis: Memory and Meaning in a Navajo Community's Struggle for Self-Determination

In 1979, when a remote Diné (Navajo) community in New Mexico learned that under new federal self-determination guidelines it could establish its own school, it jumped at the opportunity. But just two years after the school's founding, conditions were so bad that teachers and community, in fear of a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) takeover, mounted a full-scale rebellion against the school's leadership. Now, some thirty-five years later, the author, who witnessed the events described, recalls in intimate and painful detail this story—a moment in Native American educational history, he suggests, not without meaning for other Indigenous communities' ongoing quest for greater educational sovereignty.

Abstract SY14-04: Cancer health disparities in American Indian and Alaskan Native populations

Abstract SY14-04: Cancer health disparities in American Indian and Alaskan Native populations

Summer Reads

WORLDLIT.ORG 77 We’re standing up for Turtle Island and the waters, we’re standing up for the future we refuse to gamble away as if it doesn’t matter, as if it should be someone else’s story, someone else’s problem. We may not be Skins in Space but we invented Science Fiction—the awareness that almighty science divorced from wisdom is a reckless beast. The dominant society made a fiction of our science though their breakthroughs are leading them back to what we knew all along, what we tried to tell them in the very beginning. They’ve been educating us for years, for several lost generations, but we’re up-ending that one-sided desk, that one-sided conversation that can only tell stories in a single direction. Don’t tell us we’re finding our voices in some new academic-artistic renaissance you can study at conferences or exploit in pages on Amazon.com—we’ve been speaking all along as poets and rappers, counselors and prophets, healers and politicians. The problem was, no one was listening to our parents and grandparents, and for certain not our great-grandparents who were too busy facing down guns to hand over their dissertation. You may not want to listen now, but that’s okay, we’ve learned your language and can ride our ponies through communication highways that cross reservation lines. Our ancestors never gave up and they’re singing us awake. We’re inside and outside, listening and speaking, standing up and dancing, connecting and reaching—we’ve got a world to save, yours as well as ours. Saint Paul, Minnesota There are three recent books from the University of Oklahoma Press that I know would make great summer reading. My own Mestizos Come Home! Making and Claiming Mexican American Identity deals with current social and cultural issues essential for understanding the Latino community and what they are working through during this difficult time. A. Gabriel Meléndez’s The Book of Archives and Other Stories from the Mora Valley, New Mexico is a haunting collection of stories that takes readers into a vibrant and magical community in New Mexico that they otherwise would never know about. Alfredo Véa’s The Mexican Flyboy is one of the most notable novels of the recent era, a book with the combined appeal of Roberto Bolaño, Rudolfo Anaya, and Thomas Pynchon. – RC DavisUndiano , Executive Director Robert Con Davis-Undiano Mestizos Come Home! Making and Claiming Mexican American Identity This book tries to demonstrate already-existing cultural connections between the US and large patterns of historical development evident throughout Latin America. It focuses on six ways that Mexican Americans and Latinos have changed mainstream American culture since the 1960s, ultimately arguing that US mainstream culture needs to stop making Latinos the “enemy” and that Mexican Americans and Latinos need to take the final steps toward full assimilation through political involvement and greater success in education. A. Gabriel Meléndez The Book of Archives and Other Stories from the Mora Valley, New Mexico This beautiful book works with the actual history of the Mora Valley in New Mexico and weaves a large southwestern cultural fabric that many mainstream readers will know little about. Mora is a small village in which people still speak Spanish and English as two primary languages and celebrate their ties to traditional lands that house aspects of themselves, their families, and their pasts. This book’s treatment of the Book of Archives, a literal and figurative connection to tradition and the past in New Mexico, is a tour de force. Alfredo Véa The Mexican Flyboy This is one of the most impressive books to appear in English in recent years. Véa’s previous three novels— La Maravilla (1993), The Silver Cloud Café (1996), and Gods Go Begging (1999)—are known to followers of high-quality experimental fiction. This new novel—about Simon Vega’s use of a time machine to wander through history to save people who died unjust, tragic deaths—will bring Véa into a new circle of importance among contemporary novelists. We’re standing up for Turtle Island and...

CHILE: Outcomes of a group randomized controlled trial of an intervention to prevent obesity in preschool Hispanic and American Indian children

ObjectiveWe examined the outcomes of the Child Health Initiative for Lifelong Eating and Exercise (CHILE) study, a group randomized controlled trial to design, implement, and test the efficacy of a trans-community intervention to prevent obesity in children enrolled in Head Start centers in rural American Indian and Hispanic communities in New Mexico. MethodsCHILE was a 5-year evidence-based intervention that used a socioecological approach to improving dietary intake and increasing physical activity of 1898 children. The intervention included a classroom curriculum, teacher and food service training, family engagement, grocery store participation, and healthcare provider support. Height and weight measurements were obtained four times (fall of 2008, spring and fall of 2009, and spring of 2010), and body mass index (BMI) z-scores in the intervention and comparison groups were compared. ResultsAt baseline, demographic characteristics in the comparison and intervention groups were similar, and 33% of all the children assessed were obese or overweight. At the end of the intervention, there was no significant difference between the two groups in BMI z-scores. ConclusionsObesity prevention research among Hispanic and AI preschool children in rural communities is challenging and complex. Although the CHILE intervention was implemented successfully, changes in overweight and obesity may take longer than 2years to achieve.

Abstract B83: Development of a cancer coalition to promote colorectal cancer screening in rural underserved communities in New Mexico

Abstract Introduction: Cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death in the US; colorectal cancer (CRC) for example, has high incidence and mortality rates, even though much CRC is preventable. The rates of preventable cancers could be reduced through the promotion of early detection and screening. However, providing access to screening services to rural underserved communities, such as those found along the US – Mexico border can be difficult. Developing multidisciplinary collaborative screening efforts may expand the reach of regional healthcare services. Specifically, cancer coalitions have the potential to advance culturally competent health promotion programs because they include locally vested organizations and individuals working together to build a foundation for health promotion and social change. This study established the Southern New Mexico Cancer Coalition (SNMCC) to promote CRC education and increase access to CRC screening in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. Methods: Organizations and individuals from southern NM came together to address low CRC screening rates, a leading health concern in the state. SNMCC was created in October 2014 and included members representing New Mexico State University (NMSU), a local cancer center and endoscopy center, 2 federally qualified health centers (FQHC) who participated in the state CRC Control program, and a local community organization whose mission is to provide financial assistance to cancer patients in the county. Over a period of six months, the SNMCC planned and implemented a multi-component screening program that included the distribution of fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) in two regions of Doña Ana County, NM. The FITs were distributed by the Community Health Educator at NMSU and by promotoras de salud from the two FQHC's throughout February 2015. Individuals who received the FITs were asked to complete the tests and return them at the March Colorectal Cancer Awareness Day event held at a community center in southern Doña Ana County and at a church in northern Doña Ana County. All individuals who completed the test were entered into the FQHC's CRC Control Program and those with positive FITs were navigated to schedule colonoscopies. Results: A total of 100 FITs were distributed in Doña Ana County (50 in the southern sector and 50 in the northern sector) and had a 75% screening rate. In the southern sector of the county, 34 individuals completed and returned FITs at the event and at follow-up at the clinic. Of these, three were positive for blood in the stool; two of these received a follow-up colonoscopy. In the northern sector, a total of 41 individuals completed and returned FITs. Of these, 4 were positive for blood in the stool; three of these individuals received a follow-up colonoscopy, and have follow-up appointments scheduled for the colonoscopy results. Discussion: CRC continues to be a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in NM. Health promotion and prevention programs have the potential to address and reduce CRC incidence and mortality rates by promoting screening in regions where CRC screening is underutilized. Community-research collaborative efforts are crucial in increasing access to such healthcare and screening services and assist in closing the gaps in cancer health disparities found in the region. The development of the SNMCC was a comprehensive public health response to a major cancer issue affecting communities in southern NM. These coordinated efforts to promote colorectal cancer screening and improve access to cancer control programs had high screening rates (75%), identified at risk individuals at a high frequency, ~ 10% and navigated at risk individuals to treatment and further care. This program therefore has the potential to reduce CRC incidence and mortality among minority and underserved populations. Citation Format: Janeth I. Sanchez, Lynn Arnold, Daniel Armistead, Diana Dorado, Tara Lucero, Cliff Sanders, Frances Scappaticci, Tim Washburn, Yolanda Diaz, Beti Thompson, Mary O'Connell. Development of a cancer coalition to promote colorectal cancer screening in rural underserved communities in New Mexico. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr B83.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Cuba: findings from a group model building process in the rural Southwest.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Cuba (HKHCuba) is 1 of 49 community partnerships that participated in the national Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. One method of evaluation was to introduce systems thinking at the community level by identifying the essential parts of the HKHCuba system and how it influences policy and environmental changes to promote healthy eating and active living as well as to prevent childhood obesity in this unique, triethnic, rural community in New Mexico. In this cross-sectional design, 12 HKHCuba partners participated in a group model building (GMB) session to develop behavior over time graphs and a causal loop diagram. Twenty-seven influences identified in the behavior over time graphs emerged as feedback loops and 5 subsystems emerged within the causal loop diagram. In addition to specific strategy-related influences (eg, access to healthy food, participation in community gardens), sense of cultural pride, sense of community, and social engagement, particularly among youth, were highly salient topics. The GMB process provided participants with the opportunity to explore the connections across their specific areas of work and make connections between policy and environmental influences on healthy eating and active living behaviors. The GMB processes and systems thinking approaches were new to the majority of participants, received positively, and perhaps should have been introduced earlier in the project period.

“Is always that sense of wanting … never really being satisfied”: Women’s Quotidian Struggles With Food Insecurity in a Hispanic Community in New Mexico

In this article, we explore women’s everyday experiences with food insecurity. Women’s narratives from a Hispanic community in New Mexico depict the poignant struggles women confront as they actively engage with buffering the experience of hunger to hide scarcity and mask and cope with emotional distress. These data give us a lens for understanding women’s lives in the context of disparity as it relates to food insecurity as a public health issue and provide a way to conceptualize how social determinants operate and integrate with quotidian life activities and processes.