Hispanic Girls Research Articles

Differences in Algebra I End-of-Course exam performance by the at-risk status of Hispanic high school girls: A Texas multiyear analysis

Addressed in this investigation was a comparison of Algebra I End-of-Course exam performance between Hispanic girls who were at-risk and Hispanic girls who were not at-risk in the 2016–2017, 2017–2018, and 2018–2019 school years. The dependent variables investigated in this study were Hispanic girls performance in the Approaches Grade Level standard, the Meets Grade Level standard, the Masters Grade Level standard, and raw score on the Algebra I End-of-Course exam. Inferential statistical procedures yielded statistically significant differences in all three school years for Hispanic girls who were at-risk. In all three school years, Hispanic girls who were at-risk failed to meet each of the three grade level standards at statistically significantly lower rates than Hispanic girls who were not at-risk. In raw score comparison, Hispanic girls answered more than 11 items, on average, less correctly than Hispanic girls who were not at-risk. Implications and recommendations for future research were made.

Parental incarceration and health risks in a population-based study of U.S. early adolescents: Results among racialized groups

Parental incarceration is an adverse childhood experience that inequitably burdens families of color and affects millions of U.S. children and adolescents. Although racialized disparities in exposure to parental incarceration are often acknowledged, researchers have yet to examine whether manifestations of racism may affect the link between parental incarceration and youth outcomes. This study provides a first look at how parental incarceration relates to health vulnerabilities in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, an ongoing, population-based study of U.S. children born between 2006 and 2008. We start by describing exposure to parental incarceration and then examine how parental incarceration, state-level racial prejudice, and discrimination relate to health risks among 9191 White (66%), Black (19%), or Hispanic (15%) youth. Consistent with what we know about pervasive racialized disparities in the U.S. criminal legal system, we find that 19.3% of Black children in our sample have experienced parental incarceration, followed by 7.8% of Hispanic children, and 4.8% of White children. Results of multilevel mixed models further indicate that parental incarceration was associated with increased health risks among White children whereas family economic hardship and discrimination experiences were more robustly associated with health vulnerabilities among Black and Hispanic children. Additional analyses explored whether parental incarceration was associated with other outcomes among Black and Hispanic children, revealing increased risk for behavior problems contingent upon parental incarceration and discrimination for Black children and Hispanic boys. Among Hispanic girls, parental incarceration was associated with increased risk of behavior problems in states with higher levels of racism. Results suggest that parental incarceration contributes to risk among early adolescents across racialized groups, but that the specific toll it takes depends on outcomes assessed and the context in which it occurs.

A Qualitative Exploration on Risk and Protective Factors of Substance Use Among Black Adolescent Girls

ABSTRACT Objective While Black adolescent girls use drugs at much lower rates than White and Hispanic girls, Black adolescent girls often have worse health outcomes due to drug use. This study seeks to highlight the voices of Black adolescent girls in order to understand their unique risk factors for substance use and misuse. Methods Utilizing the intersectionality and ecological systems theoretical frameworks, the research team conducted twelve focus groups among a sample of Black adolescent girls (N = 62) between the ages of 13–18 (M = 15.6 years SD = 1.50). Results Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the participant narratives. Four main themes arose: 1) stereotypes of Black adolescent girls; 2) the role of the physical and social environment (feeling unsafe in neighborhoods where they reside); 3) using drugs as a coping mechanism; 4) input on prevention programming for girls with a sub-theme involving family as a protective factor. Discussion Study findings deepen our qualitative understanding of risk and protective factors for substance use among Black adolescent girls. These findings provide insight on girls’ lived experiences for researchers and intervention development to create and implement substance abuse prevention programs that are race- and gender-specific for Black adolescent girls.

Ethosuximide and Drug-induced Lupus (DIL) in Hispanic Girls- Any Association? (P3-8.004)

Ethosuximide and Drug-induced Lupus (DIL) in Hispanic Girls- Any Association? (P3-8.004)

Population density and intergenerational upward mobility in the U.S.

ABSTRACT This paper documents a negative relationship between population density and intergenerational upward mobility in the U.S. which is entirely driven by disadvantaged boys, especially black boys. In contrast, disadvantaged black and Hispanic girls perform better in dense urban areas.

In-school suspension and number of days assigned by the ethnicity-race of grades 4 and 5 girls: A Texas, multiyear analysis

In this statewide, multiyear investigation, the extent to which student ethnicity/race was related to the rate and number of days that Grades 4 and 5 Black, Hispanic, and White girls were assigned to an in-school suspension was addressed. Separate analyses were conducted for each grade level and for each of the four school years. Established in this investigation was the clear presence of differences in the frequency and number of days that Grades 4 and 5 Black, Hispanic, and White girls were assigned to an in-school suspension in the 2016-2017 through the 2019-2020 school years. In both grade levels, Black and Hispanic girls were assigned to an in-school suspension at a statistically significantly higher rate than White girls. Black girls were assigned the highest average number of days to an in-school suspension, followed by White girls and Hispanic girls. Implications and recommendations for future research were made.

Hispanic adolescents' internalizing symptoms and positive family functioning: A bidirectional examination of associations over time.

Open communication with parents, defined as perceived ease of adolescent-parent disclosure, and family support are components of positive family functioning linked with fewer adolescent internalizing symptoms. However, relatively little is known about bidirectional pathways over time. Even less is known about bidirectional pathways for Hispanic adolescents or about the role of adolescent and parent gender. Therefore, this study examined bidirectional pathways between positive family functioning and adolescent internalizing symptoms over time in a sample of Hispanic middle school adolescents (N = 340; 51% female, Mage = 13.27 years, SD = .77), who completed surveys in the fall of 2016 (Time 1) and the spring of 2017 (Time 2; N = 284; 52% female). Results indicated that positive family functioning, including open communication with mothers and fathers, predicted fewer depressive symptoms for girls, but not for boys. Open communication with fathers predicted fewer anxiety symptoms for girls and boys. Girls' depressive symptoms, but not boys', predicted decreases in open communication with fathers. Boys' depressive symptoms predicted less family support. Unexpectedly, boys' anxiety symptoms predicted increased family support. These findings highlight gendered pathways linking family functioning and internalizing symptoms in Hispanic adolescents over time, including the relative importance of open communication with fathers. Gendered findings emphasize the utility of family-based prevention and early intervention programs targeting internalizing symptoms, especially for Hispanic girls. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Immigrant generation status and its association with pubertal timing and tempo among Hispanic girls and boys.

In the United States, Hispanic-Latino children reach puberty earlier on average than non-Hispanic white children. Yet among U.S. Hispanic/Latino children, pubertal timing comparisons between immigrant generations have not been made, hence we examined whether pubertal timing differs by immigrant generational status, independent of BMI and acculturation measures. Cross-sectional data on 724 boys and 735 girls, aged 10-15 years, from the Hispanic Community Children's Health Study/Study of Latino (SOL) Youth, were used to predict the median ages of thelarche, pubarche, and menarche in girls, and pubarche and voice change in boys, using Weibull survival models, while adjusting for SOL center, BMI, and acculturation. In girls, the first generation began thelarche earlier than second and third generations (median age [years] [95% confidence interval]: 7.4 [6.1, 8.8] vs. 8.5 [7.3, 9.7] and 9.1 [7.6, 10.7], respectively), but began menarche later (12.9 [12.0,137] vs. 11.8 [11.0, 12.5] and 11.6 [10.6, 12.6], respectively). Pubertal timing and tempo for boys did not differ by generational status. First-generation U.S. Hispanic/Latino girls had the earliest thelarche, latest menarche and longest pubertal tempo, compared to second and third generations. Factors beyond BMI and acculturation may account for the differences in pubertal timing by generational status of U.S. Hispanic/Latino girls.

Lower human papillomavirus vaccine initiation and completion among Asian American adolescents compared to their peers: National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey 2011-2018.

To compare human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination initiation and completion between Asian American adolescents and their peers. HPV vaccine initiation and completion of adolescents aged 9-17years old were analyzed using the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey data from 2011 to 2018. The outcomes were HPV vaccine initiation percentage among all adolescents and completion percentage among initiators. Odds ratios for initiation or completion among Hispanics, Blacks, and Asians (referred to as racial/ethnic minorities) versus Whites were compared using logistic regression, adjusted for adolescent's age, annual family income, parent education, and insurance coverage. From 2011 to 2018, overall initiation was less than 40% among U.S. adolescents. The initiation increased among boys (from 10% in 2011-12 to over 30% in 2017-2018) but not among girls. Compared to White girls, Black and Hispanic girls were more likely, while Asian girls were less likely to initiate vaccination. Although not statistically significant, Asian girls had ORs ranging from 0.65 to 0.99 for initiation compared to White girls in each of the four survey cycles. Black and Hispanic boys were more likely to initiate vaccination compared to White boys. Initiation among Asian boys increased to 39% in the 2017-2018 survey cycle. Racial/ethnic minority girls were less likely to complete the series compared to White girls, while the opposite was seen in Black boys. HPV vaccination status varies among racial/ethnic groups. Future efforts should be made to achieve the Healthy People 2020 goal of 80% vaccination among U.S. adolescents and address the gap among Asian American girls.

Abstract MP78: Race/Ethnic Disparities in Children’s Cardiovascular Health: The Role of Social Disadvantage in Early Life

Introduction: The loss of cardiovascular health (CVH) begins early in life and disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minorities, particularly children in single parent households, and households with lower education, family income and food insecurity. However, the contribution of these social determinants to CVH disparities in childhood are poorly understood. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that racial/ethnic differences in CVH among US children are explained by social disadvantages. Methods: Data from the 2013-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for children aged 2-18 (N=4,792) were used. CVH was measured using the AHA Life’s Essential 8 scores that combine nicotine exposure, diet, physical activity, sleep, body mass index, and blood pressure, lipids, and glucose. Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition methods were used to quantify the contributions of parental education, marital status and household income to poverty ratio, and food security to differences in CVH by race and sex. Results: Mean CVH score was highest among non-Hispanic White (mean [SE] = 73.7 [0.5]) than non-Hispanic Black (71.3 [0.6]) and Hispanic children (71.0 [0.4]). There was no significant difference among Black-White boys (mean differences [MD] = -1.52; 95% CI: -3.25, 0.21). Black girls had significantly lower CVH than White girls (MD= -2.66; 95% CI: -4.40, -0.91). Differences in parental college education accounted for 46% of the differences in CVH scores (MD = -1.21; 95% CI: -1.89, -0.54). Among Hispanic children, both boys (MD = -2.47; 95% CI: -4.22, -0.73) and girls (MD = -3.09; 95% CI: -4.60, -1.58) had significantly lower CVH scores than White boys and girls, respectively. Differences in parental education explained 66% of the difference in CVH among White-Hispanic boys and girls (MD= -0.66; 95%CI-1.11, -0.20; and MD= -0.66; 95%CI-1.20, -0.13). Discussion: Differences in parental college education largely explained lower levels of CVH among US Black and Hispanic children, a predictor of future cardiovascular disease.

Inequities in the Number of Days Assigned to an Exclusionary Discipline Consequence by the Ethnicity/Race of Texas High School Girls: A Statewide, Multiyear Investigation

Ascertained in this analysis was the extent to which inequities existed in the number of days that Texas Grade 9, 10, and 11 students were assigned to an exclusionary discipline consequence (i.e., in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension) by the ethnicity/race for the 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 school years. Inferential statistical procedures revealed the presence of statistically significant disparities in all three school years and at all three grade levels. At every grade level and school year, Black girls were assigned to more days in an in-school suspension than were Hispanic girls and White girls. For out-of-school suspensions across all three school years, Black girls were assigned to an out-of-school suspension statistically significantly more days than Hispanic girls and White girls, and Hispanic girls were assigned statistically significantly more days than White girls with the exception of Grade 10 in 2016-2017, and Grade 11 in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018.

Abstract B102: Multigenerational socioeconomic status and breast tissue composition in mothers and their adolescent daughters: Findings from a multiethnic cohort in New York City

Abstract Social environment may influence breast tissue composition and breast cancer risk through shaping risk factors operating in early life, adolescence, and adulthood. Socioeconomic status (SES) has been positively associated with breast cancer risk, and mammography studies in women in middle to late adulthood suggest the association might be mediated by the positive relationship between higher SES and higher breast density. Yet, the impact of SES on breast tissue composition earlier in the lifecourse has not been examined, thus limiting the ability to elucidate lifecourse social influences and pathways in the development of breast cancer. In this study, we examined if SES is associated with breast tissue composition in a New York City cohort of 216 Black and Hispanic adolescent girls (aged 11-20 years) and their mothers (aged 29-55 years). We used optical spectroscopy to measure breast tissue chromophores including water content, lipid content, and collagen content, as well as a combined optical index measure. Previous studies have shown that these measures positively (water, collagen, optical index) or negatively (lipid) correlate with mammographic breast density. Questionnaires captured SES indicators at different timepoints across generations: grandparents’ highest level of education; mother’s highest level of education at daughter’s birth; mother’s highest level of education at breast measurement; household income at daughter’s birth; and public assistance at daughter’s birth. We evaluated associations using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age at breast measurement, percent body fat at breast measurement, race/ethnicity, and mother’s birth country. We tested for additive effect modification by age at breast measurement. In daughters, higher mother’s education at birth was associated with lower lipid content (≥ bachelor’s degree vs. < high school degree, β: -6.96, 95% CI: -13.64, -0.27), and higher grandmother’s education was associated with higher water content (≥ some college vs. < elementary school, β: 3.77, 95% CI: 0.58, 6.97). In mothers, higher household income was associated with lower lipid content ($20,000-80,000 vs. < $10,000, β: -4.26, 95% CI: -7.93, -0.59) and higher optical index (β: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.58), while not being on public assistance was associated with higher collagen content (β: 2.54, 95% CI: 0.74, 4.34). Mothers with some college education vs. high school degree or lower at daughter’s birth had higher water content (β: 3.81, 95% CI: 1.07, 6.54), but no association was found comparing mothers with bachelor’s degree or higher vs. high school degree or lower. Associations were not modified by age at breast measurement. This study provides novel data linking intergenerational and early life SES to breast tissue composition in adolescent girls independent of body fat and provides evidence consistent with previous mammography studies of a positive relationship between SES and breast density in adult women. Further studies are needed to explore the downstream factors mediating these relationships. Citation Format: Rebecca D. Kehm, Parisa Tehranifar, E. Jane Walter, Melissa L. White, Sabine Oskar, Julie B. Herbstman, Frederica Perera, Lothar Lilge, Rachel L. Miller, Mary Beth Terry. Multigenerational socioeconomic status and breast tissue composition in mothers and their adolescent daughters: Findings from a multiethnic cohort in New York City [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B102.

Neighborhood Racial and Economic Privilege and Timing of Pubertal Onset in Girls

PurposeEarly puberty is associated with adverse health outcomes over the life course, and Black and Hispanic girls experience puberty earlier than girls of other racial/ethnic backgrounds. Neighborhood racial and economic privilege may contribute to these disparities by conferring differential exposure to mechanisms (e.g., stress, obesity, endocrine disruptors) underlying early puberty. We examined associations between neighborhood privilege, measured by the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE), and age at pubic hair onset (pubarche) and breast development onset (thelarche) in a large multiethnic cohort. MethodsA cohort of 46,299 girls born 2005–2011 at Kaiser Permanente Northern California medical facilities were followed until 2021. Pubertal development was assessed routinely by pediatricians using the Sexual Maturity Rating scale. ICE quintiles for race/ethnicity, income, and income + race/ethnicity were calculated using American Community Survey 2010 5-year estimates and linked to census tract at birth. We fit multilevel Weibull regression models accommodating left, right, and interval censoring for all analyses. ResultsICE measures were monotonically associated with pubertal onset, with the strongest associations observed for ICE–race/ethnicity. Adjusting for maternal education, age at delivery, and parity, girls from the least versus most privileged ICE–race/ethnicity quintiles were at increased risk for earlier pubarche (hazard ratio: 1.30, 95% confidence interval: 1.21, 1.38) and thelarche (hazard ratio: 1.45, 95% confidence interval: 1.36, 1.54). These associations remained significant after adjusting for girls' race/ethnicity and childhood body mass index. Additionally, adjustment for ICE partially attenuated Black–White and Hispanic–White disparities in pubertal onset. DiscussionNeighborhood privilege may contribute to pubertal timing and related disparities.

Visceral adipose tissue and cardiometabolic risk factors in young Hispanic and non-Hispanic girls.

BackgroundRisk factors for cardiometabolic diseases (e.g., type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease) can begin developing in childhood. Elevated body mass index (BMI) is associated with greater likelihood of developing such diseases; however, this relationship varies by race and ethnicity. Notably, Hispanics tend to have high rates of obesity and are disproportionately affected by type 2 diabetes. We aimed to determine if visceral adiposes tissue (VAT) is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors (i.e., triglycerides, cholesterol, insulin resistance, C-reactive protein, and blood pressure), independent of BMI percentile, in a sample of primarily Hispanic adolescent girls.Methods and resultsA total of 337 girls (73% Hispanic) took part in the cross-sectional study. Hispanic girls generally had greater BMI percentile, VAT, and cardiometabolic risk factors compared to non-Hispanic girls. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the relationships between Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA)-derived VAT and cardiometabolic outcomes, controlling for BMI percentile (<85th percentile or ≥85th percentile), age, ethnicity (Hispanic/non-Hispanic), and Tanner stage. Significant interactions between VAT and BMI percentile were identified for almost all cardiometabolic outcomes. Upon stratification, the association between VAT and cardiometabolic outcomes was strongest in girls ≥85th BMI percentile, as compared to girls <85th percentile. However, VAT was only significantly associated with higher triglycerides (girls ≥85th percentile) and higher insulin resistance (both BMI percentiles) after stratification.ConclusionVAT was associated with increased triglycerides and insulin resistance in girls with overweight or obesity. These findings warrant further investigation between VAT and cardiometabolic health in Hispanic adolescents who tend to accumulate more adipose tissue during adolescence.

Advanced stage cervical cancer: Who is at risk and is it related to screening and vaccination practices? (441)

<b>Objectives:</b> Advanced-stage cervical cancer is challenging to treat and is usually a terminal diagnosis focusing on palliation, not cure. We aimed to examine the trends in advanced-stage cervical cancer and explore the groups where this diagnosis is increasing. We also looked at changes in cervical cancer screening and vaccination patterns to understand if there is a correlation between these trends. <b>Methods:</b> Data on cervical carcinoma incidence and rates were obtained from the U.S. Cancer Statistics program from 2001 to 2018. Rates of cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination were evaluated using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and TeenVaxView (BRFSS: 2001-2016, TeenVaxView: 2008-2016, 13-17 years olds). SEER*Stat 8.3.8 and Joinpoint regression program 4.8.0.1 were used to calculate incidence trends. Since all the data used in this study were derived from de-identified files, no institutional review board approval was required for this study. <b>Results:</b> The incidence of advanced cervical cancer was 0.94/100,000 in 2018. Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) women had the highest incidence of cervical cancer at 1.33/100,000. Between the years 2001 and 2018, advanced-stage cervical cancer had been on the rise in all women with an average annual percent change (AAPC) of 1.24% (p<0.001). When examining race, rates were stable in all groups except Non-Hispanic White (NHW) women, where there was an increase of 1.67% per year (p<0.001). The South had the largest increase of all regions in the US with an AAPC of 2.11% (p<0.001). NHW women in the South had the largest increase with an AAPC of 2.79% (p<0.001). Dividing age into five years age groups, 85% of the increasing rate were found in patients younger than 60 years. More specifically, those within the age range of 30-34 years had a 3.27% increase per year. When examining age, rates were increasing in most younger age groups less than 60 years, with the largest increase in the 30-34 years old age group at 3.27% (p<0.001). When performing an intersection analysis, NHW in the South aged 40-44 had the highest rise in advanced cervical cancer at a rate of 4.56% annually (p<0.001). Using the BRFSS data, we found that NHW women had the highest rates of non-guideline screening (last pap smear > 5 years ago) at 26.65%, almost double compared to NHB women at 13.79%. The suboptimal screening had been increasing in all racial groups at 6.1% annually (p<0.001). When looking at vaccination, NHB women had the highest vaccination rate at 17.07%; however, vaccination rates were rising most quickly in NHW at an AAPC of 24.8% (p<0.001). When looking specifically at the teenage population, NHW girls aged 13-17 had the lowest vaccination rate at 66.10% compared to Hispanic girls at 75.30%. Rates of vaccination were rising the most in NHB girls at 6.9% annually (p<0.001). <b>Conclusions:</b> Disparities exist among diagnoses of advanced-stage cervical cancer, with rates disproportionately affecting minorities. However, advanced-stage cervical cancer is on the rise in the United States, especially in younger NHW women. Upon examining the screening and vaccination practices, NHW were more likely to be non- compliant with pap smear screening, and young NHW girls, for whom the vaccine was recommended, had the lowest vaccination rates. These factors could contribute to a rise in more advanced stage diagnosis.

Student self-ratings of social-emotional competencies: Dimensional structure and outcome associations of the WCSD-SECA among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White boys and girls in elementary through high school

School-based assessments of students' self-reported social-emotional competencies (SECs) are an essential part of social and emotional learning (SEL) initiatives. Few studies, however, have investigated whether such assessments align with the frameworks that inform SEL practices, especially for diverse populations. In the present study we investigated the dimensional structure of the 40-item Washoe County School District Social-Emotional Competency Assessment (WCSD-SECA), which was designed to measure the five domains of SECs defined by the widely used Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning framework (CASEL 5). Findings showed that a subset of 21 items fit a 3-factor solution that reflected Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, and Emotion-Focused competencies, a structure consistent with previous theorizing of broad SEC constructs. This 3-dimensional structure was partially invariant, with differences especially evident in item thresholds across subpopulations (defined by the intersection of grade level, gender, and race/ethnicity). Accounting for differences in item thresholds increased mean differences among subpopulations in the three domains. Across subpopulations, Intrapersonal scores were positively associated with students' standardized test scores and GPAs, and negatively related to the number of days they were absent from school, in multilevel models that adjusted for school-level clustering and included all three SEC scores and student demographic controls. Interpersonal scores were associated with fewer suspensions. Interpersonal and Emotion-Focused scores demonstrated unexpectedly negative associations with some outcomes in these models. Findings contribute to an emerging body of research that aims to deepen understandings of the content and structure of students' SECs as well as the factors that contribute to growth in these competencies.

Transient Elastography Measures of Hepatic Steatosis and Fibrosis Are Associated With Body Composition Among US Adolescents.

Obesity-related fatty liver disease impacts long-term adolescent liver health. We examined transient elastography assessed hepatic steatosis and fibrosis distributions and relationships with body composition and lifestyle factors in a United States national adolescent population sample. Liver stiffness and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) were assessed on 1080 non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic boys and girls aged 12-19 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018. Participants underwent anthropometry and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Compared with girls, boys had higher mean CAP (223.7 dB/m vs 215.3 dB/m) and liver stiffness (5.1 kPa vs 4.9 kPa). CAP and liver stiffness increased markedly with body mass index (BMI). In multivariable-adjusted analysis, CAP in the upper quartile was associated with Hispanic and non-Hispanic Asian ethnicity and increased BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, and sedentary time, and decreased physical activity and Healthy Eating Index-2015 score. In multivariable-adjusted analysis, liver stiffness in the upper quartile was associated with male sex, non-Hispanic black ethnicity, and increased BMI, alanine aminotransferase, CAP, and serum cotinine. DXA total percent fat and trunk fat percent were positively related to CAP ( P &lt; 0.001 for each), but not to liver stiffness with multivariable adjustment. Results were similar with CAP and liver stiffness as continuous characteristics. In US adolescents, increased anthropometric and DXA body composition measures and lifestyle factors were associated with higher CAP and liver stiffness. Transient elastography and similar noninvasive markers may be utilized for early detection of liver disease in high-risk pediatric populations.

Police Stops and the Erosion of Positive Future Orientation Among Urban Adolescents

PurposeThe objective is to examine the ramifications of adolescent personal and vicarious police stops for positive future orientation, among all adolescents and by race/ethnicity and sex subgroups, and to assess how features of police stops—including frequency, intrusiveness, resultant stigma, and resultant traumatic stress response—are associated with positive future orientation. MethodsWe used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 3,437), a national sample of at-risk urban-born youth, and a series of ordinary least squares regression models that account for observed nonrandom selection into police stops to examine the relationship between adolescent police stops and positive future orientation. ResultsThree key findings emerged. First, personal and vicarious police stops, compared to no police stops, are negatively associated with positive future orientation among adolescents. Second, associations are largest among Black and Hispanic girls. Third, any exposure to police stops, regardless of features of the stops (including frequency, intrusiveness, resultant stigma, and resultant traumatic stress response), is negatively associated with positive future orientation. DiscussionGiven that positive future orientation is linked to mental and physical health throughout the life course, the findings suggest both personal and vicarious police stops among adolescents may increase health inequality in the United States.

Habitual Phytoestrogen Intake Is Associated with Breast Composition in Girls at 2 Years after Menarche Onset.

High phytoestrogen intake during adolescence is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. Breast density (BD) is a strong predictor of breast cancer and can be considered an early marker. We aim to assess the association between the mean habitual intake of isoflavones, lignans, and total phytoestrogens intake during puberty until 2 years after menarche onset and absolute fibroglandular volume (AFGV) and percentage of fibroglandular volume (%FGV) in Hispanic girls at the end of puberty. Longitudinal study set up in the Growth and Obesity Chilean Cohort Study (GOCS). We included 329 girls with dietary data (multiple 24-hours recalls) from puberty until 2 years after menarche onset (81% had 2-4 recalls). Two international datasets were used to estimate isoflavones, lignans, and total phytoestrogens in the diet. Breast composition was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at 2 years after menarche. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the association between isoflavones, lignans, and total phytoestrogens intake and AFGV and %FGV. The average total phytoestrogen intake was 1 mg/day and %FGV was 50.7% (SD = 15.2) and AFGV 218.8 cm3 (SD = 79.3). An inverse association was found between consumption of isoflavones and AFGV, as well as, with total phytoestrogens [Q4 vs. Q1 adjusted model ß = -49.2 cm3; 95% CI (-85.5 to -13.0)]. Girls with a higher intake of total phytoestrogens and isoflavones during puberty until 2 years after menarche onset had significantly lower AFGV. Although the intake of phytoestrogens is low in Western populations, higher consumption of them during a critical period of life like puberty could be beneficial to reduce breast cancer during adulthood.

Underlying Etiologies of Primary Amenorrhea in a Large Ethnically Diverse Cohort

Background: No recent large studies in the US have reexamined the etiologies of primary amenorrhea since Reindollar (1981), particularly given increasingly obese and ethnically diverse populations. This study aims to characterize and compare underlying etiologies of primary amenorrhea across ethnic groups in a modern cohort. We hypothesize that PCOS is a leading cause of primary amenorrhea in Hispanic girls.