A regional approach to health care reform: the Texas border.

The purpose of this article is to analyze health insurance disparities related to labor environment factors in the Texas-Mexico border region. A logistic regression model was performed using microdata from the 2010 American Community Survey to estimate the probability of having employer-based insurance, controlling labor environment factors such as hours worked, occupation industry, and the choice of private, nonprofit or public sector jobs. Industries primarily employing the Mexican American population are less likely to offer employer-based health insurance.

Does injury prevention education initiate household changes in a Spanish-speaking minority population?

Young children from low income families are among the most affected population of unintentional injury. This non-randomized longitudinal study examined knowledge for home and child safety with an injury prevention training offered to parents of children who reside in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Eighty eight parents received the training and pre-and post-test surveys were used to measure knowledge outcomes.

Progression in understanding and implementing the cultural and linguistic appropriate services standards: five-year follow-up at an academic center.

In 2001, 14 national standards on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in health care were issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health to guide outcomes specific to disparities affecting patients with limited English proficiency. Additionally, demographic changes are rapidly occurring throughout the United States leading to more culturally and racially diverse communities, which have increased language barriers in the health care environment. This nonrandomized, cross-sectional study assessed changes and attitudes and applications of CLAS in an academic health care setting over a 5-year period (2006 to 2011).

Bridging research and policy to address childhood obesity among border Hispanics: a pilot study.

Background: Mexican-American children are disproportionately affected by obesity compared to other population groups. Although national guidelines recommend using environmental and policy approaches to address this public health issue, the majority of Mexican-American children do not meet physical activity recommendations.

Purpose: To describe a knowledge transfer process involving local decision makers to address childhood obesity and physical activity needs among low-income, Mexican-American children and to examine environmental policy recommendations generated in this process.

Health-related quality of life among Latinos with multiple sclerosis.

This study identifies characteristics associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among Latinos with multiple sclerosis (MS). Data were collected from 99 Latinos with MS, with multiple linear regression models utilized to analyze these data. Marital status, MS symptoms, depressive symptoms, treatment at MS clinics, and satisfaction with insurance coverage of MS-related care were significantly linked with physical HRQOL.

Personal and cultural influences on diabetes self-care behaviors among older Hispanics born in the U.S. and Mexico.

Older Hispanics are disproportionately affected by diabetes, but little is known about predictors of diabetes self-care among this group. This study compared the magnitude of three self-care behaviors (diet, physical activity (PA), and glucose monitoring) among older Hispanics with type 2 diabetes born in the United States (n = 59) to those born in Mexico (n = 179), and investigated the influence of personal and health indicators on each self-care behavior. Findings were based on data drawn from convenience sample data collected with a questionnaire.

The impact of asthma health education for parents of children attending head start centers.

Parents of children who attend Head Start Centers are key participants in the health promotion and care of their own children. This non-randomized, longitudinal study aimed to test the effectiveness of an educational intervention based on the asthma and healthy homes curriculum targeting parents of Head Start children with or without an asthma diagnosis. One hundred and fifteen parents of children in Head Start Centers received an educational intervention at their corresponding sites, additionally pre- and post-test surveys were administered to measure educational intervention outcomes.

Incorporating what promotoras learn: becoming role models to effect positive change.

Promotoras (community health workers) play an important health promotion role and must be continuously trained, but little is known about how much of their learning they actually put into practice. This non-randomized, longitudinal study examined knowledge and home environmental outcomes of an asthma and healthy homes training offered to promotoras using a train-the-trainer model. Eighty-five promotoras received the training and pre- and post-test surveys were used to measure training outcomes.

A pilot study of Latinos with multiple sclerosis: demographic, disease, mental health, and psychosocial characteristics.

In this study the authors present results from a survey of 99 Latinos with multiple sclerosis (MS), including demographic, disease, and mental health characteristics. Four in 10 respondents reported depressive symptoms; half thought they had more worries than other people due to their MS; and about 29 % thought they needed mental health care in the past year. Whereas 76 % of respondents were highly satisfied with their access to MS-focused care, only 61% were highly satisfied with their access to mental health care.

Comparisons of Latinos, African Americans, and Caucasians with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: Identify racial/ethnic differences among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in demographics, MS disease characteristics, and health services received.

Participants: We analyzed enrollment data from the Registry of the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) Project to compare 26,967 Caucasians, 715 Latinos, and 1,313 African Americans with MS.

Design: Racial/ethnic analyses of NARCOMS data focused on descriptive characteristics, using ANOVA and chi-square tests to identify significant differences in means and frequencies among Caucasians, Latinos, and African Americans.

Multi-criteria assessment of county public health capability disparities.

Objective: This paper proposes an analytical approach to the assessment of geographic population health disparities that are measured as the consolidation of public health related indicators into geographic-specific scores, and are representative of the level of public health capability within counties in the state of Mississippi.

Study Design: A multi-criteria decision model was employed to develop an additive scoring system that assigns a numerical score of public health capability disparities for a geographical area (county).

Methods: Routinely collected indicators were used to measure each county's current public health related concerns.

Awareness of the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services at an academic health center.

The study's objectives were to (a) determine the level of familiarity of faculty and students at an academic health center with the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS), (b) identify faculty's and students' interest and preferred method of learning Medical Spanish, and (c) determine their aptitude for working with medical interpreters. A survey was developed, piloted, and sent via e-mail to all faculty members (n = 1,025) and students (n = 1,956) currently affiliated with or enrolled at the Medical College of Georgia. Reminder e-mails were sent after 2 weeks, and responses were accepted for 1 month.