Young Hispanics Research Articles

Acculturation Linked to Some Sexual Risk Behaviors And Health Care Access Among Young Hispanics

Acculturation Linked to Some Sexual Risk Behaviors And Health Care Access Among Young Hispanics

Alcohol Use Among Hispanic Early Adolescents in the United States: An Examination of Behavioral Risk and Protective Profiles

Few studies have examined the behavioral and protective correlates of alcohol use among young Hispanics. Using a national sample (N = 7,606), logistic regression and latent profile analysis (LPA) are employed to examine the relationships between alcohol use, psychosocial factors, and externalizing behavior among Hispanics during early adolescence. Early drinkers are more likely to report truancy, fighting, smoking, and drug use. LPA results revealed a three class solution. Classes identified included: psychosocial risk (41.11%), moderate protection (39.44%), and highly religious (19.44%). Alcohol use is clearly associated with externalizing behavior; however, an important degree of psychosocial and behavioral heterogeneity nevertheless exists.

Young Hispanics at risk of type 2 diabetes display endothelial activation, subclinical inflammation and alterations of coagulation and fibrinolysis

BackgroundHispanics have a high rate of diabetes that exposes them to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that many of the pathophysiological mechanisms that cause atherosclerotic disease may be present in young Hispanics who do not have clinical diabetes but are at increased risk of developing it.MethodsWe studied 36 young Hispanic adults without diabetes (ages 18–40). Seventeen participants were at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes given by overweight and a family history of diabetes on one or both parents (at risk group). Nineteen participants with normal body-mass index and no parental history of diabetes constituted the control group. We measured and compared plasma markers of endothelial dysfunction, disturbed coagulation and fibrinolysis, subclinical inflammation and adipose tissue dysfunction in the at risk and control groups.ResultsParticipants at risk of diabetes were more insulin-resistant according to different indicators, and had significantly higher levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), inhibitor of plasminogen activator-1 (PAi-1), high sensitivity C-reactive protein and free fatty acids, signaling the presence of multiple proatherogenic alterations despite the absence of overt diabetes. Levels of the prothrombotic molecule PAi-1 were most elevated in participants who were not only at risk of diabetes by the study definition, but also abdominally obese.ConclusionsYoung adult Hispanics at risk of type 2 diabetes but without overt disease already bear considerably high levels of markers reflecting processes that lead to the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Trends in Relative Mortality Between Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Whites Initiating Dialysis: A Retrospective Study of the US Renal Data System

Hispanic patients undergoing long-term dialysis experience better survival compared with non-Hispanic whites. It is unknown whether this association differs by age, has changed over time, or is due to differential access to kidney transplantation. National retrospective cohort study. Using the US Renal Data System, we identified 615,618 white patients 18 years or older who initiated dialysis therapy between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 2007. Hispanic ethnicity (vs non-Hispanic whites), year of end-stage renal disease incidence, age (as potential effect modifier). All-cause and cause-specific mortality. We found that Hispanics initiating dialysis therapy experienced lower mortality, but age modified this association (P < 0.001). Compared with non-Hispanic whites, mortality in Hispanics was 33% lower at ages 18-39 years (adjusted cause-specific HR [HRcs], 0.67; 95% CI, 0.64-0.71) and 40-59 years (HRcs, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.66-0.68), 19% lower at ages 60-79 years (HRcs, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.80-0.82), and 6% lower at 80 years or older (HRcs, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.91-0.97). Accounting for the differential rates of kidney transplantation, the associations were attenuated markedly in the younger age strata; the survival benefit for Hispanics was reduced from 33% to 10% at ages 18-39 years (adjusted subdistribution-specific HR [HRsd], 0.90; 95% CI, 0.85-0.94) and from 33% to 19% among those aged 40-59 years (HRsd, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.80-0.83). Inability to analyze Hispanic subgroups that may experience heterogeneous mortality outcomes. Overall, Hispanics experienced lower mortality, but differential access to kidney transplantation was responsible for much of the apparent survival benefit noted in younger Hispanics.

Incidence and Survival of Colorectal Cancer Among Hispanics in the United States: A Population-Based Study

Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the United States (US). We evaluated the incidence and survival of colorectal cancer (CRC) among this population. Data from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results program were used to calculate CRC age-adjusted and age-specific incidence rates in Hispanics during 1993-2007. Temporal trends in CRC incidence were examined using annual percent change (APC) and Poisson regression. The 1- and 5-year survival rates were calculated. The annual age-adjusted incidence rates for CRC in Hispanics of all ages declined from 47.4 per 100,000 in 1993-1997 to 43.8 per 100,000 in 2003-2007, with an APC during 1993-2007 equal to -0.8/year. However, there was a 45 % increase in CRC incidence among Hispanic men and women aged 20-49 years that affected both the right and left colon. The proportions of CRC cases with regional (+37 %) and distant (+18 %) spread increased, now constituting 72 % of cases diagnosed at that age. The Poisson model confirmed the increasing CRC incidence in Hispanics aged 20-49 years during 1993-2007 while adjusting for sex and geographic region. The 1-year survival improved in younger Hispanics from approximately 86 % in 1993-1997 to 91 % in 2003-2007 with no significant improvement in 5-year survival. In Hispanics aged >50 years, no significant improvements in survival were observed. The incidence of CRC in young Hispanic men and women has increased in the US. Most are diagnosed with regional or distant disease. No significant improvement in long-term survival was observed in young Hispanics with CRC.

Mortality Differs by Stage for Right- vs Left-Sided Colon Cancer: Analysis of SEER-Medicare Data

G A A b st ra ct s (95% CI: 15.3-16.5) in 1993-1997 to 18.3 (95%CI: 17.8-18.9) in 2003-2007. On the other hand, a 32% decrease was observed in ages >50 from 120.0 (95% CI: 119.1-121.8) in 1993-1997 to 90.6 (95% CI: 89.6-91.7) in 2003-2007. Hispanic men had 27% higher CRC rates than Hispanic women, but the age and time trends were similar for men and women. The overall stage distribution was 33% localized, 42% regional, and 25% distant in ages 50. Over time, the proportion of cases with regional and distant disease increased by 37% and 18% in ages 50. The Poisson regression model confirmed the increasing CRC incidence in younger Hispanics during 1993-2007. The 1-year observed and relative survival “improved” in all ages from approximately 86% to 90%, however no significant improvement in 5-year observed or relative survival was observed in patients <50 years. CONCLUSION: The incidence of CRC in Hispanics <50 years is rapidly increasing in the United States. This increase has affected both men and women, many of which are diagnosed with regional or distant disease. Unlike older patients, long-term survival has not improved in younger age groups. This finding may have implications on CRC screening guidelines.

Father Involvement among Young Hispanics

This study presents an analysis of young Hispanic fathers' involvement with their children during and following a fatherhood program. It was conducted through a teen parenting program and uses a nonprobability sample of young men who volunteered for the program. Results indicated that father involvement increased steadily and significantly from the program pretest to 2 years post program, there were no differences between father involvement for male and female children, and younger fathers differed from older fathers in their involvement with their children. Despite a number of study shortcomings, results bolster the argument that parenting programs are needed and useful, and highlight the need for more research on Hispanic parenting. Public policy implications and suggestions for further research are included.

The Impact of Sexual Imagery in Advertising: Comparing Hispanics’ and Non-Hispanics’ Attitudes and Responses Toward Print Ads

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in attitudinal responses to sexual imagery in advertising by young adult Hispanics and non-Hispanics and establish whether any gender differences exist. A quantitative methodology was used. Results show that the lack of influence of the ethnicity variable suggests that respondents appear to overwhelm Hispanic cultural predispositions. Although males were more accepting of the sexual imagery, this did not translate as influence by the advertisements. Although undefined by this research, the reptilian ad appears to exceed some tolerance levels. As a result advertisers and marketing managers should be wary of utilizing strong sexual appeals.

Poster Abstracts from the AAAP 20th Annual Meeting and Symposium

Poster Abstracts from the AAAP 20th Annual Meeting and Symposium

Efficacy and safety of routine intravenous iron replacement therapy for chemotherapy-induced anemia in the community setting

e20563 Background: Anemia occurs frequently during cancer chemotherapy and contributes to the development of fatigue. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are successfully utilized in this setting but recent studies have raised concerns regarding their potentially harmful effects. Iron deficiency, real or functional is a common problem among cancer patients. In addition to bleeding and poor oral intake new studies have hypothesized that cancers as well as chemotherapy can lead to overproduction of the hormone hepcidin that shifts usable iron to the storage pool. We hypothesized that chemotherapy induced anemia (CIN) could be reversed simply by increasing the supply of usable iron by intravenous iron infusion and adopted this practice empirically at our UNC affiliated community practice. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 50 patients with documented CIN. Each received treatment with intravenous iron preparations to provide between 1,000–4,000 mg of elemental iron over a period of 1–4 weeks based on serum iron and % saturation. The goal was to identify the frequency of transfusion, ESA use, adverse events and overall cost effectiveness of this approach. Results: Intravenous iron therapy (IIT) led to an average 3g/dL increase of hemoglobin in 80% of all patients with a hemoglobin level at or below 10g/dL during chemotherapy. Transfusion could be avoided in 95% cases. Total usage of ESAs to maintain the target hemoglobin level above 10g/dL during chemotherapy was reduced by 50% of the standard recommended dose. Total cost of infusing 1,000 mg of IIT was roughly 60% of a single 40,000 unit dose of erythropoietin. We recorded a 4% incidence of grade I-II and 2% incidence of grade III-IV adverse events but no fatalities. Adverse events were significantly more frequent among young females and Hispanics. Conclusions: A prospective study should be designed to confirm the encouraging result of this review. IIT may become a standard component of anemia management during chemotherapy. It appears to be safe and cost effective, can be given alone or in combination with ESAs and we found it suitable for routine use in community cancer clinics. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Culturally Informed and Flexible Family‐Based Treatment for Adolescents: A Tailored and Integrative Treatment for Hispanic Youth

The increasing utilization of evidence-based treatments has highlighted the need for treatment development efforts that can craft interventions that are effective with Hispanic substance abusing youth and their families. The list of evidence-based treatments is extremely limited in its inclusion of interventions that are explicitly responsive to the unique characteristics and treatment needs of young Hispanics and that have been rigorously tested with this population. Some treatments that have been tested with Hispanics do not articulate the manner in which cultural characteristics and therapy processes interact. Other treatments have emphasized the important role of culture but have not been tested rigorously. The value of well designed interventions built upon an appreciation for unique patient characteristics was highlighted by Beutler et al. (1996) when they argued that "psychotherapy is comprised of a set of complex tasks, and practitioners need comprehensive knowledge of how different processes used in psychotherapy interact with patient characteristics in order to make treatment decisions that will maximize and optimize therapeutic power" (p. 30). A focus on how treatment processes interact with patient characteristics is particularly relevant in the Hispanic population because of the considerable heterogeneity beneath the Hispanic umbrella. Our new program of clinical research focuses on articulating how the varied profiles with regard to immigration stressors, acculturation processes, values clashes, sense of belonging to the community, discrimination, and knowledge about issues important to adolescent health can be more effectively addressed by a culturally informed treatment.

Early Experiences of Young Men of Latin Descent

This article focuses on the narratives and experiences of young Hispanics in south Texas. These youths matured during America’s high period of civic engagement. Their involvement in the development of social clubs defined and reinforced their culture. Growing up Hispanic meant belonging to a large, supportive, Hispanic family. The clubs defined dating rituals and social behavior. This article also raises the issues of how social capital is realized within the Hispanic culture and its repercussions.

Physical activity levels in young adult Hispanics and Whites: Social cognitive theory determinants

The psychosocial determinants of health-impairing physical inactivity among Hispanic populations have not been well explored nor have systematic comparisons been made with White populations using Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) measures. Three exercise-relevant efficacy measures (task, scheduling, and response efficacy), three exercise-relevant expectancy measures (physical health, psychological health, and self-evaluative), and self reports of activity levels were obtained from 20-year-old male and female Hispanics (n = 94) and Whites (n = 94). Activity levels for the two groups were analyzed in separate regression analyses that included the six SCT measures and gender as predictors. The set of seven predictors accounted for 51% of the variance in self-reported activity levels in each analysis. For young adult Hispanics, task efficacy, response efficacy, mental-health expectancies, and self-evaluative expectancies predicted activity level. For young adult Whites, scheduling efficacy and self-evaluative expectancies predicted activity level. Gender was not a significant predictor of activity level for either group. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated that the only SCT predictor on which Hispanics and Whites significantly differed was mental-health expectancies. The results of this study indicate that the psychosocial determinants of exercise are qualitatively different for the two groups and that the determinants of physical activity levels for young adult Hispanics may not be as effective as those of young adult Whites in sustaining lifelong exercise habits. Thus the present study offers a promising strategy for detecting inactivity-related physical- and mental-health risks at an age when lifelong habits of physical activity are still being formed.

Ethnic Differences and Responses to Pain in Healthy Young Adults

Ethnic disparities in pain have recently gained increasing attention; however, relatively few studies have examined ethnic differences in pain prevalence, and even fewer have addressed whether ethnic groups differ in their pain-reducing behaviors. Thus, this study investigated ethnic differences in pain prevalence and impact among healthy young African Americans, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites.(1) Also, ethnic differences in pain-reducing behaviors were explored. Undergraduate students (N = 1,037) from three ethnic groups completed a telephone survey of recent pain experiences. Groups did not differ in overall pain frequency or severity; however, more African Americans reported chest and stomach region pain, whereas more Hispanics reported pain in the legs/feet. Significant group differences regarding pain-reducing behaviors emerged. More whites utilized self-care behaviors, compared to Hispanics and African Americans. Conversely, greater numbers of African Americans and Hispanics than whites reported having prayed to relieve pain. The predictors of the total number of pain-reducing behaviors used differed across ethnic groups. For whites, pain intensity and interference were the strongest predictors of pain-reducing behaviors. For African Americans, total pain sites, as well as interference and frustration, were significantly associated with pain-reducing behaviors, while among Hispanics, worry and frustration were the strongest predictors for total pain-reducing behaviors. These results suggest potentially important ethnic differences in patterns and predictors of pain-reducing actions, and their emergence in a healthy sample suggest that ethnic differences in pain-related responses predate the development of chronic pain. These findings may have important implications for understanding ethnic differences in responses to clinical pain and for tailoring treatment approaches to eliminate disparities.

Among Minority Youth, Females have Less Sexual Experience than Males

A survey was conducted with students in five junior high schools and one middle school in 1996 as part of a project aiming to reduce infant mortality among racial and ethnic minority groups. It was also designed to examine the percentage of female sexual experience in comparison with males. Demographic background sexual attitudes and behavior and contraceptive knowledge and use were assessed. Two items determined sexual inexperience; namely the age at first intercourse and contraceptive use at last intercourse. Results showed that background characteristics were similar among male and female students and among young Blacks and Hispanics. Female students were almost 6 times as likely as males to be sexually inexperienced. Investigators recommend that school programs designed to reduce adolescent sexual activity should consider gender gap and gender-specific factors.

Condom use in young blacks and Hispanics in public STD clinics.

Young blacks and Hispanics are an emerging risk group for contracting HIV. The goal of this study was to assess the most salient correlates of condom use for young Hispanics and blacks in Los Angeles county sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinics as a first step toward designing a short clinic-based intervention. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 376 patients younger than the age of 27 years at six STD clinics operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Assessment included several attitudinal variables and AIDS risk behaviors. Condom use at last intercourse ranged from 40% among Hispanic females to 48% among black males. Among females, condom users were more likely to report high self-efficacy regarding condom use, peer norms supporting condom use, and more sexual communication than respondents who did not use a condom at last intercourse. Among males, no relationship was found between condom use at last intercourse and these attitudinal variables, except for sexual communication. The most important correlate of condom use among males and females was the frequency of carrying condoms. Our findings suggest that offering educational group sessions and attractive means for carrying condoms to patients in STD clinics may have the potential to increase condom use. The efficacy of these intervention strategies should be explored in future studies.

Health-Related, Help-Seeking Behaviors In Female Mexican-American Adolescents

purpose. To explore and describe the health-related, help-seeking behaviors of young female Mexican-American adolescents. design. Qualitative exploratory-descriptive design using focus groups. setting. Community recreation centers. participants. 18 female Mexican-Americans ages 10–16 years residing in a South Central state. main outcome measures. A demographic information form and semi-structured interview designed for the study. results. Subjects described two themes of help-seeking behaviors: seeking help for physical health problems and preventive healthcare from formal sources (i.e., community health clinics, family physicians, and public schools), and seeking help for concerns about pubertal development and pregnancy from informal sources (i.e., their mothers, aunts, sisters, and friends). conclusion. While young, female Hispanic adolescents may seek help from formal sources for preventive healthcare services and physical health problems not related to sexuality, they tend to seek help from informal sources for psychosocial and sexuality issues. Community-based interventions should be developed that focus on the importance of this pattern of help-seeking behaviors for young female Hispanics.

Effect of Proposition 187 on mental health service use in California: a case study.

In this DataWatch we examine whether the passage of California's Proposition 187 affected the use of mental health services in San Francisco County. Using time-series analyses, we identified a 26 percent decrease in the initiation of outpatient mental health services by younger Hispanics at selected service sites after the passage of Proposition 187 in November 1994. Further analyses suggest that decreased use of outpatient mental health services by young Hispanics was associated with their subsequent increased use of crisis services. Other studies of Proposition 187's effect on mental health service use in California are needed to corroborate the findings of this case study.

The Relative Occupational Attainment of Young Blacks, Whites, and Hispanics

economic analysis of labor markets. In the literature on the relative position of white and minority workers, there are numerous studies on ethnic and racial wage differentials [22; 8], racial differences in employment patterns [10; 13], and racial disparities in the acquisition of human capital [25]. In addition, recent work has focused on racial differences in occupational attainment [24; 9; 12]. Such work is particularly important, since a large part of earnings differentials can be attributed to differences in occupations. Much of this research has been devoted to determining the extent to which the differences we observe (be it earnings, employment rate, or occupational attainment) are the result of labor market discrimination. In this paper, we add to our knowledge about discrimination and the occupational status of ethnic minorities in several ways. First, in our analysis we include Hispanic workers, a large and growing segment of the labor force which has been ignored in previous comparisons of occupational attainment. Second, we use an empirical formulation commonly employed in studies of male-female differentials [6] which measures the extent of discrimination-based occupational segregation among blacks and Hispanics.' Finally, we

Young Hispanics’ Motivations to Use Smartphones: A Three-Country Comparative Study

The fast-changing digital media environment has provoked new communication processes in contemporary society. In particular, younger generations engage in new ways of interacting with each other thanks to the constant emergence of digital technologies and mobile communication outlets. New habits arise every year, changing not only our interpersonal communication, but also our overall consumption of information and entertainment content, with video and instant messaging apps being particularly popular among younger populations. This study employs a mixed method approach to measure young Hispanics’ motivations to use smartphones in Chile, Mexico and the U.S. The subjects, 18 to 25 years old, participated in focus groups and surveys conducted in 2015: 55 Hispanic smartphone users joined focus groups whilst 1,403 respondents completed surveys in Chile, Mexico and Texas (U.S.). Results show similarities and differences in young Hispanics’ motivations and uses of smartphones, including the personal and commercial value they ascribe to information, time spent on social networks, and their preferences for mobile devices compared to other media. The findings are used to develop three archetypes of young users, based on smartphone’s motivations and uses. Utilizing factor analysis scores, a linear regression analysis was conducted to identify the main traits of these three archetypes: “always connected,” “entertained,” and “secure.”