Hispanic American Populations Research Articles

Cross-cultural study of idioms of distress among Spanish nationals and Hispanic American migrants: susto, nervios and ataque de nervios

Susto (fright), nervios (nerves) and ataque de nervios (attack of nerves) are idioms of distress widely experienced amongst Hispanic Americans, often associated with psychiatric disorders. This study explores understanding of these idioms of distress and attitudes to help seeking amongst indigenous Spanish and Hispanic American residents in Spain. A population survey was undertaken in four adult education centres in Spain. Hypothetical case vignettes of individuals suffering from the idioms of distress were used to investigate understanding and help seeking by a Spanish sample compared with Hispanic American migrants to Spain. 350 questionnaires were obtained (94.6% response rate). The idioms ataque de nervios and nervios were recognised by the majority of the Spanish group but by significantly more of the Hispanic American migrants. However, susto was infrequently recognised by the Spanish group but it was recognised by half of the Hispanic Americans. Hispanic Americans were also more likely to recommend consultation with a psychiatrist/psychologist than Spanish respondents for ataque de nervios and nervios. The Spanish group were more likely to recommend non-medical sources of support such as relatives and priest than Hispanic Americans. Hispanic Americans, more recently arrived, did not show greater recognition of the three idioms than those who have been in Spain longer. Regression analysis showed that being Hispanic American and having lower educational attainment was associated with greater use of susto. The study suggests that people hold multiple models of distress and disorder. This may influence clinical presentations and help seeking behaviour in Spanish as well as Hispanic American populations.

Utilizing the media to help increase organ donation in the Hispanic American population

As the shortage of suitable organs for transplantation is especially pronounced among Hispanic Americans (HA), our objective was to determine whether a focused media campaign including culturally sensitive educational material on organ donation would positively influence organ donation awareness, perceptions, and beliefs, and increase the likelihood of organ donation in the HA community. Cross-sectional telephone surveys were conducted before and after a media campaign in four Southern California neighborhoods with a high percentage of HA. Respondents, age ≥18 yr, were drawn randomly from lists of Hispanic surnames. Awareness, perception, and belief regarding organ donation and intent-to-donate were measured. The differences between the Pre- and Post-media surveys were analyzed. A total of 524 Pre-media and 528 Post-media subjects were evaluated. The Post-media surveys demonstrated improvements in: organ donation awareness (43% vs. 31%, p < 0.0001), the belief that donation is a social responsibility (54% vs. 45%, p = 0.008), and the belief that donation helps people (91% vs. 87%, p = 0.09). A media campaign emphasizing culturally sensitive educational material can significantly influence organ donation awareness and beliefs in HA.

New Mexico Baseball: Miners, Outlaws, Indians and Isotopes: 1880 to the Present (review)

Reviewed by: New Mexico Baseball: Miners, Outlaws, Indians and Isotopes: 1880 to the Present Ron Briley L. M. Sutter , New Mexico Baseball: Miners, Outlaws, Indians and Isotopes: 1880 to the Present. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2010. 251 pp. Paper, $38.00 While baseball fervor is not usually associated with the state of New Mexico, Virginia-based writer L. M. Sutter makes an eloquent case for the national pastime in the Land of Enchantment. Basing her observations upon an extensive reading of territorial and state newspapers, as well as interviews with New Mexicans, Sutter presents a convincing argument which may seem strange to filmmaker Ken Burns as well as Red Sox-Yankee fans who display an Eastern-centric perception of the game. Writing in a clear narrative fashion, Sutter demonstrates a strong grasp of New Mexican history and culture. For example, Sutter notes that at the 1911 territorial fair in Albuquerque, with New Mexico on the eve of statehood, baseball contests at the fairgrounds included Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and Anglos, during a time when much of the country was ablaze with racial and ethnic conflicts. Of New Mexico in 1911, Sutter [End Page 132] writes, "But this was a place that, by the eve of statehood, had already learned to tout its tri-cultural history. For three centuries, the different peoples had been forced to learn-and periodically have to relearn the same lesson-that New Mexico's strength lies in her diversity" (51). And Sutter tends to emphasize this diversity by concentrating upon more indigenous baseball culture in the state, rather than the connection between Major League Baseball and farm clubs such as the Albuquerque Dukes or Isotopes. In this approach, she is following the example established by Dorothy Seymour Mills and Harold Seymour in The People's Game (1990). The major exception to this rule is Sutter's examination of the Class C West Texas-New Mexico League during the 1940s and 1950s. Considerable attention is devoted to the actions of Grover Seitz, who established a notorious reputation for baiting umpires while managing franchises in Pampa, Texas, and Clovis, New Mexico. With relatively small ballparks and high altitudes, which allowed for the ball to carry well, the West Texas-New Mexico League was noted for its hitting. In 1954, Joe Bauman, playing for the Roswell Rockets, established a new professional baseball home run mark with 72 four-base hits. In a moving portrait, Sutter tells the story of Bauman through the eyes of his friends and widow, whom she interviewed at the family home in Roswell. The bulk of Sutter's history, however, deals with amateur and semiprofessional baseball in New Mexico. Similar to many Western territories and states, baseball flourished in the mining camps of New Mexico. The Copper League, which featured franchises in both Arizona and New Mexico, was employed by company bosses as a tactic to distract their workers from union activities. Hiring athletes who were sometimes asked to do little work underground, franchises in the Copper League attracted outlaw players such as Buck Weaver and Chick Gandil, who were banned from Organized Baseball following the infamous 1919 Black Sox scandal. Sutter also chronicles the exploits of the Madrid Miners, Tererro Tigers, and the Jackpile Miners from Laguna Pueblo in the Central New Mexico League from the 1930s into the 1950s. In addition to mining camps, Sutter observes that New Mexico enjoyed a baseball tradition associated with military installations, from the Buffalo Soldiers of the nineteenth-century frontier to the Flying Kellys from Albuquerque's Kirtland Air Force Base during World War II. The importance of New Mexico to contemporary amateur baseball is told in the story of Farmington, located in the Four Corners area of the state, which in 1963 became home to the Connie Mack World Series for boys ages sixteen to eighteen. Sutter also notes the significance of baseball to the New Mexico state penitentiary outside of Santa Fe, an institution probably best known for the brutality which characterized a 1980 inmate uprising. [End Page 133] However, the most poignant chapters of Sutter's book deal with baseball among the state's Hispanic and Native American populations. Based upon numerous family interviews...

Association of PPP2CA polymorphisms with systemic lupus erythematosus susceptibility in multiple ethnic groups

T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) express increased amounts of PP2Ac, which contributes to decreased production of interleukin-2 (IL-2). Because IL-2 is important in the regulation of several aspects of the immune response, it has been proposed that PP2Ac contributes to the expression of SLE. This study was designed to determine whether genetic variants of PPP2AC are linked to the expression of SLE and specific clinical manifestations and account for the increased expression of PP2Ac. We conducted a trans-ethnic study of 8,695 SLE cases and 7,308 controls of 4 different ancestries. Eighteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across PPP2CA were genotyped using an Illumina custom array. PPP2CA expression in SLE and control T cells was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. A 32-kb haplotype comprising multiple SNPs of PPP2CA showed significant association with SLE in Hispanic Americans, European Americans, and Asians, but not in African Americans. Conditional analyses revealed that SNP rs7704116 in intron 1 showed consistently strong association with SLE across Asian, European American, and Hispanic American populations (odds ratio 1.3 [95% confidence interval 1.14-1.31], meta-analysis P=3.8×10(-7)). In European Americans, the largest ethnic data set studied, the risk A allele of rs7704116 was associated with the presence of renal disease, anti-double-stranded DNA, and anti-RNP antibodies. PPP2CA expression was ∼2-fold higher in SLE patients carrying the rs7704116 AG genotype than those carrying the GG genotype (P=0.007). Our data provide the first evidence of an association between PPP2CA polymorphisms and elevated PP2Ac transcript levels in T cells, which implicates a new molecular pathway for SLE susceptibility in European Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asians.

Efficacy of combined pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy in Jewish patients of Israel suffering from chronic hepatitis C

The efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon and ribavirin treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in the Jewish population has not been previously ascertained. The aims of our study were to determine the efficacy of pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy in an Israeli outpatient practice. The medical records of 331 consecutive naïve patients with CHC infection treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin between 2003 and 2010 were reviewed in order to document the virological response to the combination therapy. We used logistic regression to identify predictors for the sustained virological response (SVR). Variable selection in multivariable modeling was based on clinical and statistical significance and performed in a hierarchical fashion. First demographic characteristics, then patient clinical characteristics, viral characteristics, and finally adherence to the therapy were introduced into the model. The overall SVR was 57.1% (42.5% in genotype 1, 87.5% in genotype 2, 81.6% in genotype 3, and 100% in genotype 4). SVR was significantly associated with genotype 2 (OR 3.77, 95% CI 1.04-13.60, P=0.04), genotype 3 (OR 9.72, 95% CI 4.07-23.20, P<0.001), baseline viral load lower than 400,000IU/mL (OR 23.1, 95% CI 8.23-64.98, P<0.001), and adherence to the 80/80/80 rule (OR 36.22, 95% CI 11.14-117.72, P<0.001). Combined pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy was of similar or even higher efficacy in the Israeli population as compared to that reported by international trials in Caucasian, Hispanic, and African American populations.

Spoken Language Assessment Considerations for Children With Hearing Impairment When the Home Language Is Not English

Although the most prominent language in the United States is English, the U.S. is not a monolingual country. According to the U.S. Census in 2000, there were over 40 languages other than English spoken by 55 million people, with 34 million speaking Spanish or Spanish Creole. Given projections based on population studies and the prevalence of hearing loss in the Hispanic-American population, the number of persons who speak English as a second language will grow substantially over the next several decades. Hence, hearing health care professionals must be equipped to provide services for children who have hearing loss and speak English as a second language. The following article describes special considerations speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and educators should take into account when providing intervention designed to develop spoken language for children who have hearing loss and for whom the home language is not English.

Hemoglobin A1C Criterion for Diabetes Diagnosis Among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Populations

To report on the performance of the recently recommended hemoglobin A(₁c) (A1C) criterion for diabetes diagnosis in comparison with the standard fasting plasma glucose and 2-hour post-glucose challenge (PG) test criteria across racial and ethnic groups. We evaluated local and national survey data from 689 Dominican, 4,862 Hispanic, 4,694 African American, and 6,883 white study subjects. We compared rates of diabetes classification by diagnostic criteria, agreement and disagreement between A1C and PG criteria for diagnosing diabetes, and differences in cardiometabolic risk among the 3 diagnostic groups across racial and ethnic stratifications. The A1C-based diabetes diagnoses were higher among Dominican and African American study subjects (81.6% and 67.0%, respectively), and lower among Hispanic and white subjects (46.0% and 37.9%, respectively). Among those not meeting any PG criterion for diabetes, the A1C criterion identified diabetes in 8.3% of Dominican, 3.5% of African American, 0.9% of Hispanic, and 0.5% of white study subjects. The A1C criterion, however, did not identify diabetes in 64.5% of white, 46.1% of Dominican, 44.0% of African American, and 41.9% of Hispanic subjects who were diagnosed with diabetes by a PG criterion. For single tests, the agreement was greatest between A1C and fasting plasma glucose test criteria among Dominican, Hispanic, and African American study populations-76.9%, 65.6%, and 60.7%, respectively. There was no clear difference in selected cardiometabolic risks between A1C and PG-only diabetes diagnoses across racial and ethnic groups. The A1C criterion yields racial- and ethnic-specific differences in diagnosing diabetes and in test agreements with PG-based criteria. Furthermore, diagnostic differences were observed between the Dominican subgroup and the Hispanic study population, of whom 91.5% were Mexican American.

Hispanic-American Poverty

&lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0.6in 0pt 0.5in;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"&gt;Since 1970, the Hispanic-American population has grown rapidly and has become a progressively larger proportion of the overall American population.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;Over the same time period, the Hispanic share of total American poverty has grown at an even more rapid pace.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;Hispanic-Americans, however, are not a homogeneous cultural or economic segment of the population.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;Although Hispanics in general have experienced poverty rates which far exceed the national rates, there are large differences among various Hispanic ethnic groups.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;The purpose of this article is to examine the patterns of poverty within the Hispanic-American community.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Contributing Factors for the Willingness to Donate Organs in the Hispanic American Population

To identify factors that contribute to intent to donate organs in Hispanic American individuals. Cross-sectional telephone surveys. Four southern California neighborhoods with a high percentage of Hispanic American individuals. Respondents 18 years or older were drawn randomly from lists of Hispanic surnames. Telephone surveys were conducted that measured demographic and socioeconomic factors, cultural factors, awareness and knowledge, and perception and belief regarding organ donation, as well as the intent to become an organ donor. Logistic regression was performed to identify independent contributing factors to intent to register for organ donation. Five hundred twenty-four telephone surveys were conducted over a 3-week period. Seventy-three percent of those surveyed were between the ages of 18 and 44 years and the sample was equally divided between men and women. The following independent risk factors contributed to intent to register: low acculturation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.24-0.62; P < .001), religion (AOR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.17-0.60; P < .001), perception that the wealthy are more likely to receive organs (AOR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.25-0.65; P = .001), belief that donation disfigures the body and impacts the funeral (AOR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.22-0.89; P = .02), and family influence (AOR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.28-3.22; P = .004). Among Hispanic American individuals, low acculturation, religion, belief, and family influence affect the intent to register for organ donation. To improve organ donation, these risk factors should be considered using specific, effective educational programs.

Prenatal and Perinatal Complications: Is It the Link Between Race and SES and Childhood Sleep Disordered Breathing?

Recent evidence has suggested that low socioeconomic status (SES), race, prematurity, and maternal smoking during pregnancy are associated with childhood sleep disordered breathing (SDB). We investigated (1) the association of SDB with a wide range of risk factors, including prenatal and perinatal complications; (2) the association of these complications with SES and race; and (3) the association of SDB with developmental milestones. Six hundred thirteen school-aged children (105 clinically referred and 508 community control subjects) underwent overnight polysomnography and had a complete history and physical examination. A comprehensive child development questionnaire was completed by a parent. We compared clinically referred children with SDB to population-based control children without SDB from The Penn State Children's Cohort. Maternal smoking during pregnancy; maternal age and weight gain during pregnancy; prenatal complications, such as maternal high blood pressure and gestational diabetes; perinatal complications related to prematurity; delayed motor milestones; race and SES were significantly associated with the presence of childhood SDB. Most of the risk factors became nonsignificant when analyses controlled for race and SES. Delayed motor milestones remained significantly associated with SDB after controlling for race and SES. These data suggest that there is a significant association between children who experience prenatal or perinatal distress and the development of moderate to severe childhood SDB. SES and race may be mediating the impact on SDB through increased prenatal and perinatal risks. The significant delay in motor milestones suggests that prenatal and perinatal distress may result in neurologic insult, which could influence the development of SDB in later childhood.

Mutational analysis of HOXA2 and SIX2 in a Bronx population with isolated microtia

Objective Microtia is a developmental malformation of the external ear with genetic and environmental causes. The prevalence of microtia varies but several studies suggest increased incidence in Hispanic and African American populations. No causal genetic mutations have been identified in these populations. Mutations in the homeobox gene HOXA2 caused microtia in a single Iranian family. Another homeobox gene, SIX2, acts downstream of HOXA2 during development and provides another possible candidate for mutational analysis. Methods To determine whether mutations in HOXA2 or SIX2 cause sporadic microtia, DNA sequencing analysis was performed on exons in both genes in 8 patients of Hispanic and African descent in the Bronx. Identified variants were assayed in an additional 4 patients and 100 Hispanic control samples using Sequenom MassArray to rule out causality in heterozygous patients. Results No mutations were identified in the coding sequence of HOXA2 or SIX2. Four novel single nucleotide variants were identified among the patient samples. These variants lie in the intron and 3′ UTR of HOXA2 and the 5′ and 3′ UTRs of SIX2. One variant in the intron of HOXA2 lies in a conserved predicted transcription factor binding site for SMARCA3. All four variants are also present at >5% frequency in Hispanic control samples, ruling out these novel variations as causal. Conclusions Lack of mutations in the coding regions of HOXA2 or SIX2 among the sporadic microtia patients studied indicate different etiologies. Identification of four novel single nucleotide polymorphisms in patients and controls of Hispanic descent, but not of Caucasian populations, points to genetic diversity in an understudied population.

Enduring Issues of HIV/AIDS for People of Color: What Is the Roadmap Ahead?

It is with great pleasure that we write an introduction to this eagerly anticipated special issue that is devoted to challenges and interventions among people of color with HIV/AIDS. Our goal is to provide a window into how social work has contributed to the development of innovative, culturally appropriate prevention and treatment approaches and to the empowerment of people of color. The challenge of addressing HIV/AIDS in the United States remains as multifaceted as the virus. Although there has been an increase in the number of individuals who are tested and screened for HIV and in the number of people who have access to medications (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2006), a treatment regimen or vaccine to prevent or cure HIV/AIDS has not yet been found. The AIDS phenomenon is considered as a set of overlapping, cross-cutting local epidemics, each with its own configuration of risk factors, at-risk populations, incidence, and prevalence. Some of the overarching issues are related to increasingly high rates of poverty, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, and crime. These factors interact to contribute to endangering the quality of life for people of color throughout the world. HIV infection occurs against a backdrop of longstanding sociocultural issues and challenges in affected communities. These challenges include macro forces of racism, sexism, homophobia, and poverty as well as fear and stigma (Cargill, Stone, & Robinson, 2004). These forces fuel not only the high transmission rate, but also the complex array of responses to the virus. The interplay of these factors affects every aspect of the HIV/AIDS epidemic among people of color: prevention, access to health care, mental health support, treatment, treatment adherence, and participation in clinical research. Superimposed on this matrix are the cultural contexts of risk behavior and cultural norms around sexual and other behaviors, including gender roles (Valleroy et al., 2000). On many fronts, the particulars of race, gender, geography, income level, and sexual orientation play powerfully into a person's risk for HIV. In May of 2009, the CDC reported that 63 interventions have been rigorously evaluated and have demonstrated efficacy in reducing HIV, STD incidence, HIV-related risk behaviors, or in pro-rooting safer behaviors. However, in its previously published review of 25 years of AIDS prevention and treatment research (1981 to 2006), the CDC (2006) noted that we are encountering obstacles in diffusing these evidence-based interventions to at-risk populations. At the same time, in an examination of the 25-year legacy of AIDS prevention and treatment published for the National Minority AIDS Council, Fullilove (2006) reported that the most striking issue of this time period is the racial divide of HIV/AIDS. Several factors influence the racial divide of HIV/ AIDS. First, indigent members of African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American populations may choose to forgo health or other necessities to survive. Thus they may delay medical care, including seeking testing and treatment for HIV/AIDS, in favor of obtaining basic human needs. Second, in the United States, women comprise about 27 percent of HIV infections, up from about 8 percent in 1984. In many countries around the world, women already represent over 50 percent of HIV infections. Rates of sexually transmitted infections among youths and teenage pregnancy have risen over the past several years--both indicators that we may soon see a corresponding rise in HIV infections among both young women and men. And, although generally considered a chronic manageable condition in the United States, HIV continues to be the leading cause of death among African American women ages 25 to 34 years. During the same period, it was the third leading cause of death for black women ages 35 to 44 years and the fourth leading cause of death for Hispanic women ages 35 to 44 years (CDC, 2006). …

Different Natural History of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) in Hispanic and Caucasian Patients with Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis (IPAA)

Purpose: Inflammatory bowel disease is becoming increasingly recognized in ethnic and racial minorities. IPAA has become the treatment of choice for patients with UC requiring surgery. Few studies have characterized UC and pouch outcomes in the Hispanic American population. The aim of the study was to characterize natural history and outcome of IPAA in a Hispanic population. Methods: Hispanic ethnicity was designated by self-report and the Hispanic patients with UC and IPAA were identified from the prospectively maintained pouch database. Demographics, clinical characteristics and pouch outcomes in Hispanic population were compared to those in a random sample of Caucasian patients (1:2 ratio). Exclusion criteria were patients with a preoperative diagnosis of Crohn's disease, indeterminate colitis, or familial adenomatous polyposis, and patients of other ethnic groups. Results: 33 Hispanic patients with IPAA were identified. Gender distribution, family history of IBD, smoking history, preoperative immunomodulator use, extent of UC, toxic megacolon or fulminant colitis, pouch configuration, stage of pouch, presence of extraintestinal manifestation, autoimmune disorders, primary sclerosing cholangitis, or significant comorbidities were similar between the two groups. Current pouch conditions including normal pouch, irritable pouch syndrome, acute pouchitis, chronic pouchitis, cuffitis, surgical complications, and anismus were also similar. However, when compared with Caucasian controls (n=66), Hispanic patients were younger at UC diagnosis and at colectomy, and they were more likely to have colectomy for dysplasia. The interval between diagnosis and colectomy was comparable. No Hispanic patients received biologic agents for UC before colectomy or pouch disease while 10.3% and 11.8% of Caucasian patients had biologics for underlying UC or for pouch diseases, respectively (Table). Conclusion: The natural history of UC differed between the two ethnic groups before colectomy, but similar after colectomy and IPAA. Biosocioeconomical factors may lead to these differences, which warrants further investigation.Table 1: Comparison of clinical characteristics between Hispanic and caucasian populations

Prevalence of HCV Risk Factors in Hispanic-American Sub Populations

To assess the prevalence of HCV risk factors among Hispanic-American subpopulations in Philadelphia. Patients from four primary care practices in Philadelphia were enrolled. Demographics and HCV risk factors were ascertained using a self-administered questionnaire. Five hundred and three patients who identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino were included in the study. Approximately half were born in Puerto Rico or mainland US and the remaining participants were born in 19 other countries. One quarter or less of individuals born in these countries reported having a HCV risk factor. In comparison, 45% of individuals born in Puerto Rico and mainland US reported having a HCV risk factor. With each year individuals born outside the US live in the US, odds of having a risk factor increased by approximately 7% (P = 0.014). US born Hispanics are more likely to have a HCV risk factor than Hispanics born outside the US. Furthermore, the prevalence of risk factors increase among Hispanic immigrants after living in the US. These findings have a direct public health impact by providing rationale to focus HCV prevention efforts on recent immigrants.

Appropriateness of waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio cutoffs for different ethnic groups

Current waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) cutoffs have been identified from studies of predominantly European-derived populations. However, these cutoffs may not be appropriate for other ethnic groups. This paper reviews the literature regarding ethnic differences in body composition and the appropriateness of ethnic-specific WC and WHR cutoffs in various ethnic groups. Studies investigating ethnic-specific cutoffs were identified among Aboriginal, Asian, African (Sub-Saharan), African-American, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Pacific Islander and South American populations. Abstracts that recommended WC and/or WHR cutoffs (or rejected the use of cutoffs) were included with their supporting literature. The evidence for ethnic-specific WC and/or WHR cutoffs was then rated as either convincing, probable, possible or insufficient. The majority of studies recommending ethnic-specific cutoffs was for Asian populations. Few studies recommended cutoffs in Aboriginal, African (Sub-Saharan), Pacific Islanders and South American populations. All studies were cross-sectional, and the overwhelming majority of studies used receiver operating characteristic curves. The studies used a number of methods for assessing WC and WHR, and a variety of outcome measures, making cross-study comparison difficult. There is possible evidence that Asians should have a lower WC cutoff than Europeans. The evidence is insufficient for specific cutoffs for African-American, Hispanic and Middle Eastern populations but some studies indicate current cutoffs for Europeans may be appropriate, whereas there is insufficient evidence for the other ethnic groups. Future studies are needed to address the methodological limitations of the current literature.

Identifying HIV Risk-Reduction Strategies for Hispanic Populations in Broward County

To improve the effectiveness of behavioral interventions for Hispanic young adults, we studied their perceived risks for HIV infection, lifetime and more recent sexual experiences, use of condoms, and HIV-antibody testing histories. Logistic regression was used to analyze computer-assisted telephone-interview surveys of 1,596 randomly selected Hispanic residents of 12 high AIDS-incidence ZIP-code areas. After we controlled for gender, age, marital status, educational attainment, and language of preference, differences were found by country of origin. Those coming from Peru (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=3.45; 95%CI=1.85-6.43) and Colombia (AOR=1.94; 95%CI=1.12-3.36) were more likely than U.S.-native Hispanics to perceive their risk of acquiring HIV as above average. Sexually active Mexicans (AOR=1.80; 95%CI=1.04-3.10) were significantly more likely than U.S. natives to have used a condom in the past 12 months. Young adults coming from Puerto Rico (AOR=0.55; 95%CI=0.33-0.91) were less likely than U.S.-native Hispanics to have ever been tested for HIV. Virginity and sexual abstinence were unrelated to country of origin, but respondents interviewed in Spanish were more likely than those interviewed in English to be sexually active (AOR=2.57; 95%=1.39-4.75). To maximize the impact of behavioral interventions, risk-reduction programs must adjust for social and cultural differences within the Hispanic-American population.

Capacity for Delivering Culturally Competent Mental Health Services in New Mexico: Results of a Statewide Agency Survey

The Federal government has promoted National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) to reduce mental health disparities among Hispanic and Native American populations. In 2005, the State of New Mexico embarked upon a comprehensive reform of its behavioral health system with an emphasis on improving cultural competency. Using survey methods, we examine which language access services (i.e., capacity for bilingual care, interpretation, and translated written materials) and organizational supports (i.e., training, self-assessments of cultural competency, and collection of cultural data) mental health agencies in New Mexico had at the onset of a public sector mental health reform (Office of Minority Health 2001).

CLCNKB-T481S and essential hypertension in a Ghanaian population

Prior to the discovery of chloride channel Kb with a variant threonine change to serine at position 481 (CLCNKB-T481S) there were no variants or clinical disorders associated with gain-of-function defects in thick ascending limb of the kidney channels or transporters. CLCNKB-T481S is a novel gain-of-function variant that has been associated with essential hypertension. This finding has not been replicated until our current study. In this study, we re-examined CLCNKB-T481S using a large homogenous population from Ghana, and coupled genetic analyses with the functional characterization of this polymorphism using a mammalian expression system. We genotyped CLCNKB-T481S in four ethnically defined control populations and a homogenous cohort of normotensive and hypertensive Ghanaians. Functional analysis was performed by whole-cell patch-clamp recording of tsA201 cells (a cell line derived from the human renal cell line, HEK-293) transiently transfected with ClC-Kb and barttin. CLCNKB-T481S was found more commonly in the African and Caucasian-Americans when compared with the Asian and Hispanic American populations, having minor allele frequencies of 0.20, 0.15, 0.06 and 0.01 respectively. Additionally, CLCNKB-T481S was significantly associated with hypertension in Ghanaian males. In stratified logistic regression analysis with Ghanaian males, we observed a significant odds ratio of 3.29 (1.17-9.20 95% confidence interval, P=0.024) in the recessive model (TT versus AT&TT). Unlike previous results obtained in Xenopus oocytes, coexpression of CLCNKB-T481S with the obligatory accessory subunit barttin in tsA201 cells did not generate larger currents than coexpression of the wild-type allele. We conclude that CLCNKB-T481S is associated with essential hypertension in males within the Ghanaian population; however, further studies are needed to understand its sex and ethnic segregation as well as to identify cellular factors that account for the divergent functional expression of ClC-Kb-T481S plus barttin in Xenopus oocytes and mammalian cells.

Aquí no se habla Spanglish: the issue of language in US Hispanic media

A strong and still growing ethnic community in the United States, Hispanic Americans, with a common language but culturally diverse, have for years constituted a challenge for the media. How to communicate with them? With the development of Spanish-language print, broadcast, and cable outlets within American territory, communication became easier. Some of these media, however, have for years denied Hispanic Americans one of their most genuine forms of expression: namely, the use of Spanglish, a language generated by immigrants. The two major Hispanic American television networks in particular have adopted the policy of vetoing the use of Spanglish. The issue may be very upsetting for many Hispanic Americans who consume information on a daily basis. It becomes even more upsetting, then, when the same media also self-appoint themselves as “representatives of the Hispanic American population”. If the hybrid language is one of the few elements that indeed unite and represent the Hispanic group in America, shouldn’t these media rethink their practices? This is exactly what this article intends to answer, taking the case of Hispanic American television, from an initial description of Hispanics in America, to a closer analysis of the major media outlets available in the country.

Ethnic Differences in Sexual Attitudes of U.S. College Students: Gender, Acculturation, and Religiosity Factors

Although it has been hypothesized that culture and religion play an important role in sexuality, the relative roles of acculturation and religiosity on ethnic differences in sexual attitudes have not been often empirically explored. The present study assessed differences in sexual attitudes in Euro-American, Asian, and Hispanic American populations using measures of acculturation to analyze the relative effects of heritage and mainstream cultures, as well as religiosity, within each ethnic group. A total of 1,415 college students (67% Euro-American, 16% Hispanic, 17% Asian; 32% men, 68% women) completed questionnaires which assessed attitudes towards homosexuality, gender role traditionality, casual sex, and extramarital sex. In concordance with previous studies, Asians reported more conservative sexual attitudes than did their Hispanic and Euro-American peers. Hispanics reported sexual attitudes similar to that of Euro-Americans. For both Hispanic and Asians, higher acculturation predicted sexual attitudes similar to that of Euro-Americans. For Asian, Hispanic, and Euro-American women, there was a significant interaction between intrinsic religiosity and spirituality such that the relationship between conservativism of sexual attitudes and intrinsic religiosity was stronger at higher levels of spirituality. In Euro-Americans and Asians, intrinsic religiosity and religious fundamentalism strongly predicted conservative sexual attitudes; while still significant, these relationships were not as pronounced in the Hispanic sample, implying an ethnic-by-religious effect. Novel to this study, acculturation did not mediate the relationship between religiosity and sexual attitudes, indicating that ethnic differences in religiosity effects were distinct from acculturation.