Mexican Descent Research Articles

0070 A Mexican Spanish Version of the Brief Index of Sleep Control

Abstract Introduction The Brief Index of Sleep Control (BRISC) is a 4-item assessment of the degree to which an individual perceives that they are in control of their sleep. Previous work shows that this measure may be useful for sleep health promotion efforts. The present study describes an attempt to develop a version of this measure in Spanish, particularly for individuals of Mexican descent. Methods Data were collected from a sample of N=100 individuals of Mexican Descent in Nogales, Arizona, located at the US-Mexico border. The BRISC is a 4-item scale that quantifies the degree to which an individual perceives that their sleep is under their control, assessing perceived control over time to bed, time out of bed, total sleep time, and sleep quality. To translate the measure into Spanish, the following procedure was followed: (1) a bilingual study team member performed an initial translation; (2) a bilingual community member edited the translation; (3) a certified medical translator edited the revision; (4) a focus group of N=5 bilingual community members made contextual edits; (5) a back-translation was performed; (6) an additional bilingual focus group examined the final version for compatibility; and (7) the medical translator certified the accuracy of the final version. T-tests examined differences between those who completed the measure in Mexican Spanish vs English. Results Of the N=100 survey respondents, N=42 completed the BRISC in Spanish. No significant differences were seen in overall scores between those who completed the measure in English or Spanish (p=0.69). In addition, no differences were seen for individual items regarding time to bed (p=0.30), wake time (p=0.77), total sleep time (p=0.58), or sleep quality (p=0.98). Conclusion Data collection instruments be linguistically and culturally appropriate to the study population. This version of the BRISC was adapted to Mexican Spanish for use in future studies. Support (If Any)

Do connectedness and self-esteem play a role in the transition to future suicide attempts among Latina and Latino youth with suicide ideation?

ObjectiveThe impact of social connectedness and self-esteem on suicide behaviors among Latina/o youth with suicide ideation were examined. Method: Data were employed from Add Health Waves 1 and 2. The analysis for this study focused on 210 Latino/a youth who reported suicide ideation, but no suicide attempts at Wave 1. A multinomial variable (no suicide ideation, persistent suicide ideation, and transition to attempts) was created to examine suicide behaviors a year later in Wave 2. Multinomial logistic regression models were used. Results: Family connectedness reduced the odds of transitioning from ideation to suicide attempts relative to no ideation, adjusting for demographic and psychological covariates. In addition, school connectedness reduced the odds of persistent ideation relative to no ideation. Cuban-descent adolescents compared with those of Mexican descent, had increased odds of transitioning to attempts relative to no ideation group. Depression was not associated with the transition from ideation to attempts or persistent ideation. Conclusions: Suicide prevention efforts with Latino/a youth should target family and school connectedness as intervention strategies. Attention to diversity within Latinx subgroups should be emphasized.

0066 A Mexican Spanish Version of the Assessment of Sleep Environment

Abstract Introduction Sleep research that has been previously completed with individuals of Mexican descent generally do not use instruments that have been translated in accordance with the language norms of the target community. In this study, the Assessment of Sleep Environment (ASE) was translated by a bilingual research study team. The ASE was then completed by English and Spanish speaking participants, in their preferred language. Methods Data were collected from a sample of N=100 individuals of Mexican descent in Nogales, Arizona, located at the US-Mexico border. The ASE is a 13-item scale that quantifies the degree to which an individual perceives that their physical environment interferes with their sleep quality. It includes items about heat, cold, noise, quiet, light, dark, smell, humidity, comfort of sleeping surface and bedding, and safety. To translate the measure into Spanish, the following procedure was followed: (1) a bilingual study team member performed an initial translation; (2) a bilingual community member edited the translation; (3) a certified medical translator edited the revision; (4) a focus group of N=5 bilingual community members made contextual edits; (5) a back-translation was performed; (6) an additional bilingual focus group examined the final version for compatibility; and (7) the medical translator certified the accuracy of the final version. T-tests examined differences between those who completed the measure in Spanish vs English. Results Of the N=100 survey respondents, N=42 completed the ASE in Spanish. No significant differences were seen in overall scores between those who completed the measure in English or Spanish (p=0.17). In addition, no differences were seen for individual items assessing light (p=0.19), dark (p=0.21), noise (p=0.73), quiet (p=0.15), heat (p=0.08), cold (p=0.96), pillows (p=0.93), firmness (p=0.98), other sleeping surface issues (p=0.08), or safety (p=0.28), but mean differences were seen for humid (0.04), smell (0.04), and softness (p=0.02), with respondents to the Spanish version reporting a lower degree of disturbance due to these factors. Conclusion There were no significant differences seen in overall scores between those that completed the English and Spanish versions. Future studies can use the Spanish version of the ASE when assessing this population. Support (If Any)

Evaluating the Dissemination and Implementation of a Community Health Worker-Based Community Wide Campaign to Improve Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Physical Activity among Latinos along the U.S.-Mexico Border.

This study evaluated the dissemination and implementation of a culturally tailored community-wide campaign (CWC), Tu Salud ¡Si Cuenta! (TSSC), to augment fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption and physical activity (PA) engagement among low-income Latinos of Mexican descent living along the U.S.-Mexico Border in Texas. TSSC used longitudinal community health worker (CHW) home visits as a core vehicle to enact positive change across all socioecological levels to induce behavioral change. TSSC’s reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) was examined. A dietary questionnaire and the Godin-Shepherd Exercise Questionnaire measured program effectiveness on mean daily FV consumption and weekly PA engagement, respectively. Participants were classified based on CHW home visits into “low exposure” (2–3 visits) and “high exposure” (4–5 visits) groups. The TSSC program reached low-income Latinos (n = 5686) across twelve locations. TSSC demonstrated effectiveness as, compared to the low exposure group, the high exposure group had a greater FV intake (mean difference = +0.65 FV servings daily, 95% CI: 0.53–0.77) and an increased PA (mean difference = +185.6 MET-minutes weekly, 95% CI: 105.9–265.4) from baseline to the last follow-up on a multivariable linear regression analysis. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that the high exposure group had higher odds of meeting both FV guidelines (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.65–2.47) and PA guidelines (AOR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.10–1.68) at the last follow-up. The program had a 92.3% adoption rate, with 58.3% of adopting communities meeting implementation fidelity, and 91.7% of communities maintaining TSSC. TSSC improved FV consumption and PA engagement behaviors among low-income Latinos region wide. CHW delivery and implementation funding positively influenced reach, effectiveness, adoption, and maintenance, while lack of qualified CHWs negatively impacted fidelity.

Differences in metabolic biomarkers in people with schizophrenia who are of Mexican descent compared to non-Hispanic Whites

<h3>Introduction</h3> Metabolic syndrome, a significant risk factor for cardiovascular-related mortality, is highly prevalent in people with schizophrenia (PwS). It is a leading contributor to the growing mortality gap between PwS and the general population. Hispanics/Latinos/as/x (henceforth Hispanics) with schizophrenia, are more likely to have metabolic dysregulation (e.g.,insulin resistance and abdominal obesity) compared to non-Hispanic Whites (NHW). Yet, little is known about the prevalence of metabolic risk factors in PwS of Mexican descent (Mex) and whether they differ from NHW PwS. Further, metabolic biomarkers such as leptin and adiponectin have not been explored in Hispanic PwS. This study compares metabolic biomarkers between Mex PWS that self-report as Mexican, Mexican-American, or Chicano and NHW PwS. We hypothesized that Mex PwS will have worse biomarker levels compared to NHW PwS. We explored the relative contributions of Mex descent and schizophrenia diagnosis to metabolic biomarker levels. Within PwS, we explored whether biomarker differences observed were related to illness-related group differences (e.g.,antipsychotic doses). <h3>Methods</h3> This cross-sectional study included 95 PwS (37% Mex, 46% women) and 88 non-psychiatric comparison participants (NC; 24% Mex, 56% women), ages 26-68 years. Standardized assessments were administered to evaluate body mass index (BMI) and psychopathology (Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms). Fasting levels of leptin, adiponectin, lipids, hemoglobin A1c, insulin, glucose, and insulin resistance (HOMA) were measured. Antipsychotic defined daily dosage (DDD) was determined using the WHO guidelines. Independent sample <i>t</i>-tests were used to assess sociodemographic and clinical differences between Mex and NHW PwS. Linear regression models were conducted to examine the relative contribution of Mex heritage to biomarker levels, including the interaction of Mex heritage and schizophrenia diagnosis as well as controlling for age and sex. Follow-up linear regression models within PwS examined whether biomarker differences were associated with antipsychotic DDD. <h3>Results</h3> Mex and NHW PwS had comparable severity of positive and negative symptoms. Mex PwS reported higher antipsychotic DDD compared to NHW PwS (M=2.42,SD=1.7 and M=1.66,SD=1.6, respectively). Mex NCs had higher mean BMI compared to NHW NCs, but Mex PwS and NHW PwS had similar mean BMI. In the whole sample, there were no significant Mex descent by schizophrenia diagnosis interactions for any of the biomarkers. Mexican descent and having schizophrenia were associated with higher insulin resistance (B=0.16, SE=.05, <i>p</i>=.003, η_p²=0.05 and B=0.24,SE=0.05, <i>p</i><.001, η_p²=0.13, respectively). Mexican descent, female sex, and having schizophrenia were associated with higher leptin levels (B=0.20, SE=0.08, p=0.007, η_p²=0.04; B=0.57, SE=.07, <i>p</i><.001, η_p²=0.29 and B=0.33,SE=0.07, <i>p</i><.001, η_p²=0.12, respectively). The remaining metabolic biomarkers (adiponectin, lipids, hemoglobin, A1c, insulin, and glucose) were not significantly associated with Mexican descent. In the PwS group alone, higher insulin resistance was associated with Mexican descent (B=0.22,SE=0.08,p=.009,η_p²=0.08), but not with antipsychotic DDD (B=-0.02,SE=0.02,p=0.42,η_p²=0.008). Among the PwS group, higher leptin levels were associated with female gender (B=0.62,SE=0.09,p=<.001,η_p²=0.35), but not with Mexican descent or antipsychotic DDD. <h3>Conclusions</h3> PwS of Mexican origin reported higher antipsychotic doses than NHW PwS. Consistent with other studies, we found worse insulin resistance in Mex PwS compared to NHW PwS, despite similar mean BMI. These findings highlight the importance of examining biomarker differences in Hispanic subgroups with schizophrenia, as they may illuminate specific underlying mechanisms in the development of metabolic dysregulation. The current study strengths include its focus on Mexico as the country origin and examining multiple metabolic biomarkers, though limitations include lack of statistical control of dietary intake and acculturation. Future studies of Hispanic PwS should examine antipsychotic dosing, which can be influenced by systemic prescribing practices and symptom severity, as well as the impact of culturally focused interventions to improve metabolic health. In order to improve health outcomes for Hispanic PwS, a deeper understanding of biological, cultural, and medical influences is warranted. <h3>This research was funded by</h3> This work was supported, in part, by the Veterans Affairs Pala Pilot Grant(PI: Ellen E. Lee, MD), NARSAD Young Investigator grant from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation(PI: Ellen E. Lee, MD), National Institute of Mental Health grants T32 Geriatric Mental Health Program MH019934(PI: Dilip V. Jeste), R01MH094151(PI: Dilip V. Jeste), K23 MH119375(PI: Ellen E. Lee), National Institutes of Health CTSA grant UL1TR001442 (PI: Gary Firestein, MD), and Stein Institute for Research on Aging at the University of California San Diego.

NEXMIF pathogenic variants in individuals of Korean, Vietnamese, and Mexican descent.

NEXMIF pathogenic variants have been known to produce a wide spectrum of X‐linked intellectual disability (ID) in both males and females. Thus far, few individuals from diverse populations have been described with NEXMIF‐related disorders. Herein, we report three individuals with NEXMIF pathogenic variants, the first two are the only males of Korean and Vietnamese descent described with this disorder to our knowledge. The last patient is a Hispanic female who harbors the same pathogenic variant as a previously described Caucasian individual, but with differing clinical presentation. These patients present with many classic symptoms of NEXMIF‐related disorders including ID, epilepsy, developmental delay, and dysmorphic features. In addition, they have symptoms that have not been thoroughly described in the literature, including allergies with multiple anaphylactic events and hypothyroidism. This report is intended to raise awareness and educate about the clinical signs that may prompt testing for NEXMIF‐related disorders.

Population-level deficit of homozygosity unveils CPSF3 as an intellectual disability syndrome gene

Predicting the pathogenicity of biallelic missense variants can be challenging. Here, we use a deficit of observed homozygous carriers of missense variants, versus an expected number in a set of 153,054 chip-genotyped Icelanders, to identify potentially pathogenic genotypes. We follow three missense variants with a complete deficit of homozygosity and find that their pathogenic effect in homozygous state ranges from severe childhood disease to early embryonic lethality. One of these variants is in CPSF3, a gene not previously linked to disease. From a set of clinically sequenced Icelanders, and by sequencing archival samples targeted through the Icelandic genealogy, we find four homozygous carriers. Additionally, we find two homozygous carriers of Mexican descent of another missense variant in CPSF3. All six homozygous carriers of missense variants in CPSF3 show severe intellectual disability, seizures, microcephaly, and abnormal muscle tone. Here, we show how the absence of certain homozygous genotypes from a large population set can elucidate causes of previously unexplained recessive diseases and early miscarriage.

The Fun Mother and Her Lovely Assistant

The Fun Mother and Her Lovely Assistant

Review: Risking Immeasurable Harm: Immigration Restriction and U.S.-Mexican Diplomatic Relations, 1924–1932, by Benjamin C. Montoya

Risking Immeasurable Harm makes an important contribution to the historiography by delineating the role that diplomatic pressure from the Mexican government played in limiting U.S. anti-immigrant measures in the pivotal period from 1924 to 1932. This period included the end of the so-called “Roaring Twenties” as well as the Great Depression. As historian Mai Ngai has argued, the 1920s featured attempts on a global scale to centralize the power of the nation-state—and specifically the notion of state sovereignty—by means of immigration restrictions. In 1926, B. Traven, a foreign-born resident of Mexico whose origins remain subject to debate, drove this point home in a possibly autobiographical novel, The Death Ship, which features a decrepit boat sailing the sea with a cargo of undocumented workers in search of a country to accept these migrants.Indeed, immigration restrictions were as powerful a political issue in the late 1920s and early 1930s as they are now. For Mexico, emigration to the United States served as an important escape valve at a time when three major rebellions—de la Huerta (1923–1924), Cristero (1926–1929), and Escobar (1929)—pitted citizens against a central government only gradually strengthening after the ravages of the first decade of the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920). At the same time, Mexican exiles threatened the stability of that government by plotting revolts, as Julian Dodson and others have demonstrated in recent scholarship. A well-regulated immigration policy hence benefited both governments.However, deep racial resentments precluded rational immigration policies. A State Department official considered Mexicans “backward, intellectually infantile, illiterate, prone to violence, inherently undemocratic” (p. 27). Advocates of legal restrictions believed Mexicans to be “a hazard to U.S. society and its institutions” (p. 126). Nonetheless, initial U.S. restrictions against immigrants from Mexico were “administrative” rather than “legislative” restrictions. In other words, restrictions were the result of a nascent immigration enforcement apparatus (much of which shared such ideas) rather than the product of legislation, and adherents of a quota did not get their wish, even after the onset of the Great Depression. In 1930, when a U.S. senator from Georgia, William J. Harris, proposed a bill instituting the first-ever quota system on Mexican immigration; administrative restrictions were so effective that “not a single common laborer…gained legal admittance into the United States for over a year” (p. 234). Thus, the Harris Bill failed precisely because administrative restrictions had been so effective. Not only had Mexicans been kept out, but the Great Depression had also eliminated the jobs that had attracted them in the first place. In addition, the U.S. government also removed U.S. citizens of Mexican descent from the national territory.One strength of the book is its binational lens on a topic that has usually been examined chiefly through an exclusively U.S. perspective. Montoya brings the Mexican perspective to life by drawing upon Mexican archival sources. However, these sources make fewer appearances in the notes than their U.S. counterparts. The author omits one important archive—the Fideicomiso Archivos Plutarco Elías Calles y Fernando Torreblanca, which houses the papers of several Mexican presidents and policymakers of the 1920s and 1930s and is particularly valuable for the study of foreign relations. Montoya only uses English-language scholarship, thus eliding the perspective of important Mexican scholars such as Lorenzo Meyer and many others. Therefore, Risking Immeasurable Harm is valuable as a study of U.S. immigration policy and the input in it provided by agents of the Mexican state and by the Mexican immigrants themselves. Montoya summarizes this input on p. 250 in explaining why the U.S. government opted for administrative restrictions over legislative strictures when it came to immigration from Mexico: “administrative restriction was the perfect compromise between a Westphalian sense of national sovereignty and a Wilsonian notion of more cooperative diplomatic relations.” From the Mexican perspective, the reality of how many Mexicans crossed the border was not as important as the absence of a formal discriminatory quota system and limits to a racialized discourse that discriminated against Mexicans.Taking an expansive view of immigration policies and practices beyond immigration law, this book is a valuable contribution to specialists interested in the history of immigration into the United States. It shows the complexity of the internal debates in the United States over immigration policy, as well as the role in Mexican diplomats and agents in these debates.

Long-term physical activity outcomes in the Seamos Activas II trial

Latinas report disproportionately low physical activity (PA) levels and related health conditions. Reducing chronic disease in Latinas requires interventions to increase and maintain health-enhancing PA levels; yet limited intervention studies have examined PA maintenance among Latinas. The present study evaluated the efficacy during the maintenance phase (months 6–12) of the Enhanced PA intervention for Latina adults in Seamos Activas II compared to the Original PA Intervention. Seamos Activas II was conducted in San Diego, California from 2015 to 2020. Underactive adult Latina women (N = 199), mainly of Mexican descent (89%) were randomized to the original intervention or a theory- and technology-enhanced intervention. Their PA was measured objectively (via accelerometers) and via self-report at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Quantile regression models assessed treatment effects on min/week of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) at 12 months. Generalized linear models examined treatment effects on indicators of meeting 2008 National PA Guidelines. Both groups maintained the significant gains in MVPA they had made during the first 6 months of the intervention, neither increasing nor decreasing their MVPA over the maintenance period, with no significant between-group differences. At 12 months, 46.3% of Enhanced Intervention participants were meeting self-reported PA guidelines (vs 35.6 % of the Original PA Intervention arm, p = .02). Even with minimal contact throughout the maintenance phase, participants maintained their MVPA, which underscores the importance of continued use of evidence-based behavior change tools and techniques to reinforce newly established habits. Theoretical and technological enhancements may help Latinas to continue meeting PA guidelines during maintenance periods.

Building a collaborative framework: a qualitative study of therapists collaborating with Curanderxs

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate psychotherapists’ perspectives on collaborations with curanderxs that may improve patient outcomes. All participants have licensed psychotherapists (marriage and family therapist, social work and psychology), between ages 40 and 60 years, and spoke both English and Spanish. They had a wide range of experience practicing in the field (5 to 33 years), the number of clients they had worked with of Mexican descent (10 to 2,000), and times they had collaborated with curanderxs (2 to 3 to more than 40). Interviews lasted 2 h.Design/methodology/approachPhenomenological methodology was followed in conducting interviews with eight mainstream mental health practitioners and in identifying codes and themes from the interviews.FindingsCollaboration between psychotherapists and curanderxs is rare. Few mental health training programs provide basic information on curanderismo or on how clinicians might integrate concepts related to indigenous healing approaches into their practices or collaborate with traditional healers. Substantial mistrust between psychotherapists and curanderxs is apparent and impedes collaboration.Originality/valueThe authors believe this to be one of the first integrative models that can provide guidance to services providers who would like to collaborate with traditional healers, not only with Latinx populations but also populations that seek traditional healers for physical, psychological and spiritual healing. Based on study findings, the authors offer educational, clinical and public policy recommendations.

Race, Ethnicity, Nativity and Perceptions of Health Risk during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US

Previous research demonstrates that pandemics, including COVID-19, have disproportionate effects on communities of color, further exacerbating existing healthcare inequities. While increasing evidence points to the greater threat posed by COVID-19 to Latinx communities, less remains known about how identification as Latinx and migration status influence their perception of risk and harm. In this article, we use cross-sectional data from a large national probability sample to demonstrate a large positive association between ethnic identity and migration status and perceptions of harm from COVID-19 in the US. We find that individuals identifying as Hispanic/Latinx and first-generation immigrants report significantly greater risks of becoming infected by COVID-19 in the next three months, and dying from the virus if they do contract it. Further, subgroup analysis reveals that health risks are especially felt by individuals of Mexican descent, who represent the largest share of US Latinxs. Collectively, our results provide evidence about how the pandemic places increased stress on people from Latinx and immigrant communities relative to White non-Hispanic individuals in the US.

Problematizing heritage language identities

Abstract Heritage speaker identities have traditionally been a relevant topic of inquiry among scholars of heritage language pedagogy. Nevertheless, there is little research on Spanish heritage language identities in a study abroad context. Additionally, most existing studies on this topic focus on heritage speakers of Mexican descent studying in Mexico (e.g., de Félix &amp; Cavazos Peña, 1992; McLaughlin, 2001; Riegelhaupt &amp; Carrasco, 2000). This study examines heritage language identities in a non-heritage context by exploring the experiences of three heritage speakers of Mexican descent studying in Mendoza, Argentina. By focusing on a non-heritage context, we move away from the presumption that all heritage speakers seek to (re)claim a specific ethnic identity through language study (see Leeman, 2015). Instead, our qualitative analysis illustrates the diverse ways heritage speakers in a non-heritage context construct, contest, and negotiate their identities with respect to linguistic awareness, negotiation between varieties, and perceptions of their abilities.

Archaeological investigations of the Porvenir Massacre, Presidio County, Texas

ABSTRACT The Porvenir Massacre of 1918 was one of the darkest chapters in U.S.-Mexico relations during the bloody Mexican Revolution of 1910. It was an episode that saw fifteen men and boys of Mexican descent murdered in front of a low rock bluff on the U.S. side of the border. In spite of a military and a Texas Congressional investigation, no criminal charges were ever filed and the location of the massacre was lost to time. For nearly a century, major questions surrounding the incident remained unanswered. In 2015, an archaeological investigation confirmed the alleged location of the massacre site and determined that both civilian and military ammunition was used. This project represents the first and only archaeological examination of this important site and challenges the long-standing historical record in presenting material evidence that suggests U.S. military involvement.

Culturally-consistent diet among individuals of Mexican descent at the US-Mexico border is associated with sleep duration and snoring

BackgroundExisting studies show that consuming food consistent with one’s culture reduces cardiometabolic risk. However, few studies have assessed whether these dietary choices influence sleep health. Accordingly, this study assessed how Mexican food consumption by individuals of Mexican descent residing at the US-Mexico border, was associated with various measures of sleep, after accounting for acculturation.MethodsData were provided by 100 adults between the ages of 18–60, in the city of Nogales, AZ. Questionnaires were provided in either Spanish or English. Acculturation was assessed with the Acculturation Scale for Mexican-Americans (ARSMA-II), with an additional question, asking how often “my family cooks Mexican foods.” Frequency of cooking Mexican food was coded as either “yes” or “no.” Sleep was assessed, using validated measures that include the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and sleep duration with the item “how many hours of actual sleep did you get at night?” Regression models estimated the associations between sleep health variables as outcomes and consumption of Mexican food as the independent variable. Covariates included age, sex, and acculturation scores. Parental education level was also included, as an indicator of childhood socioeconomic status and since food culture likely involves parents.ResultWe found that among individuals who identified as Mexican-Americans who consumed culturally-consistent foods, was associated with, on average, 1.41 more hours of sleep (95% CI 0.19, 2.62; p = 0.024) and were less likely to report snoring (OR: 0.25; 95% CI 0.07, 0.93; p = 0.039). Consuming Mexican food was not associated with sleep quality, insomnia severity or sleepiness.ConclusionIndividuals of Mexican descent residing at the US-Mexico border who regularly consumed Mexican food, reported more sleep and less snoring. Mexican acculturation has been shown previously to improve sleep health. This is likely due to consumption of a culturally- consistent diet. Future studies should examine the role of acculturation in sleep health, dietary choices, and subsequent cardiometabolic risk.

The Power of Relationships in the Academic Success of Mexican Descent Students: A Metasynthesis of Qualitative Research

ABSTRACT Qualitative research is often overlooked in regards to policy development and practices. This is due to the critique that it lacks the capability to determine cause and effect in educational settings. The advent of qualitative metasynthesis has provided one route to such studies becoming more generalizable. This study implements such a study in the effort to develop an understanding of what conditions lead to the successful completion of high school for Mexican-descent students. The ten research projects that met the criteria for inclusion in this study were analyzed and the results were synthesized. One condition was found to be prevalent in all of the studies, the development of relationships with school personnel (teachers in particular) and peers.

Disentangling acculturation and enculturation intergenerational gaps: Examining mother-youth value discrepancies andmental health among Mexican-descent college students.

To test the acculturation gap hypothesis by examining mother-youth value discrepancies (both acculturative and enculturative) and their association with mother-youth acculturative conflict and youth mental health outcomes. Participants were 273 Mexican descent college students attending a large, public, Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in West Texas (72% women). The participants' ages ranged 18-25 years (M = 19.33 years; SD = 1.54 years). Three models assessed the relationship between mother-youth value discrepancies and mental health outcomes (suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury, and depressive symptoms) as mediated by mother-youth acculturative conflict. Consistently, Mexican heritage cultural values were related to mental health outcomes while American cultural values were not. The study found that increased mother-youth discrepancies on Mexican cultural values were associated with increased negative mental health outcomes. Our findings suggest that adopting or learning new mainstream American values does not substitute for the Mexican cultural values that protect against negative outcomes.

Perceptions of Alerts Issued by Social Media Platforms in Response to Self-injury Posts Among Latinx Adolescents: Qualitative Analysis.

BackgroundThere is growing interest in using social media data to detect and address nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents. Adolescents often do not seek clinical help for NSSI and may adopt strategies to obscure detection; therefore, social media platforms may be able to facilitate early detection and treatment by using machine learning models to screen posts for harmful content and subsequently alert adults. However, such efforts have raised privacy and ethical concerns among health researchers. Little is currently known about how adolescents perceive these efforts.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to examine perceptions of automated alerts for NSSI posts on social media among Latinx adolescents, who are at risk for NSSI yet are underrepresented in both NSSI and health informatics research. In addition, we considered their perspectives on preferred recipients of automated alerts.MethodsWe conducted semistructured, qualitative interviews with 42 Latinx adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 years who were recruited from a nonprofit organization serving the Latinx community in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Latinx population in Milwaukee is largely of Mexican descent. All interviews were conducted between June and July 2019. Transcripts were analyzed using framework analysis to discern their perceptions of automated alerts sent by social media platforms and potential alert recipients.ResultsParticipants felt that automated alerts would make adolescents safer and expedite aid before the situation escalated. However, some worried that hyperbolic statements would generate false alerts and instigate conflicts. Interviews revealed strong opinions about ideal alert recipients. Parents were most commonly endorsed, but support was conditional on perceptions that the parent would respond appropriately. Emergency services were judged as safer but inappropriate for situations considered lower risk. Alerts sent to school staff generated the strongest privacy concerns. Altogether, the preferred alert recipients varied by individual adolescents and perceived risks in the situation. None raised ethical concerns about the collection, analysis, or storage of personal information regarding their mental health status.ConclusionsOverall, Latinx adolescents expressed broad support for automated alerts for NSSI on social media, which indicates opportunities to address NSSI. However, these efforts should be co-constructed with adolescents to ensure that preferences and needs are met, as well as embedded within broader approaches for addressing structural and cultural barriers to care.

Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a combination of health disorders that mainly result from overweight and obesity. It increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. (MetS) closely related to the existence weight gain or Obesity and laziness. It increases the serum levels of TNF-α and change the levels of a number of other parameters (e.g., adiponectin, resistin, and PAI-1). TNF-α dose not only appear to cause the production of inflammatory cytokines. It can trigger cell signaling by interacting with TNF-α receptors that can lead to insulin resistance. Usually, the digestive system molders the foods you eat and converts them to glucose. Insulin is an anabolic hormone produced by the pancreas that aids glucose get in your cells. To be utilize, as an energy source .Cells do not respond to insulin normally, and sugar cannot easily enter cells in people with insulin resistance. As outcome, blood glucose rises, until the body produces more insulin in an attempt to lower blood sugar. The following factors increase the chance of developing MetS as age increases the risk of developing MetS with age and ethnicity. In the United States, it appears that women of Mexican descent are more likely to develop MetS. Obesity carrying an extra amount of weight, especially in the abdomen, increases the risk of MetS. From this review, it stated that metabolic syndrome stands for the constellation of cardiovascular risk factors that raise the risk of cardiovascular arteriosclerosis and type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a major global public health issue with more than 300 million people projected in 2025.

Associations among Mexican-origin youth’s sibling relationships, familism and positive values, and adjustment problems.

Finding ways to protect youth from maladjustment during adolescence and young adulthood is important, and youth of Mexican descent are key targets for such efforts given that they experience higher rates of depressive symptoms, risky behaviors, and sexual risk behaviors compared to youth from other ethnic/racial groups. Using a sample of younger (Mage Time 1 = 12.77 years) and older (Mage Time 1 = 15.70 years) siblings from an 8-year longitudinal study of 246 Mexican-origin families, we conducted path analyses to test whether older siblings' reports of sibling intimacy predicted younger siblings' later positive values and adjustment problems controlling for prior adjustment and maternal and paternal warmth. Additionally, we tested whether younger siblings' familism values moderated and their positive values mediated the sibling intimacy to adjustment problem linkages. Findings revealed that sibling intimacy in early adolescence predicted younger siblings' adjustment problems in young adulthood via their positive values in later adolescence, but only for younger siblings with strong familism values. This study highlights the importance of examining promotive factors, such as positive relationship qualities and familism values, and how positive values protect against problems in young adulthood. Results also have practical implications for prevention programs including the utility of promoting positive sibling relationships and values. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).