Cervical cancer screening in the US-Mexico border region: a binational analysis.

Cervical cancer mortality is high along the US-Mexico border. We describe the prevalence of a recent Papanicolaou screening test (Pap) among US and Mexican border women. We analyzed 2006 cross-sectional data from Mexico's National Survey of Health and Nutrition and the US Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

The effects of acculturation on healthy lifestyle characteristics among Hispanic fourth-grade children in Texas public schools, 2004-2005.

Background: Childhood obesity is a national epidemic that disproportionately affects Hispanic children. Evidence suggests that increased acculturation among this population adversely affects diet and other healthy lifestyle characteristics, leading to higher rates of overweight and obesity. Healthy lifestyle characteristics must be understood in order to prevent or decrease overweight and obesity among Hispanic children.

Surveillance of bleeding disorders, Texas, 2007.

Background: In 2007, some 1261 patients with hemophilia or other bleeding disorders were seen at federally funded hemophilia treatment centers (HTCs) in Texas. Although HTCs function as sites for passive surveillance of bleeding disorders, annual HTC visit data likely underestimate true prevalence of the disease due to the infrequent nature of healthcare utilization for this population.

Purpose: The main aim of this study was to compare two alternative methods for estimating prevalence of hemophilia and to describe the challenges associated with making valid prevalence estimates.

Are adolescents' perceptions of dietary practices associated with their dietary behaviors?

Despite interventions designed to change behavior, many adolescents continue to consume unhealthy foods. Dietary patterns are important for disease prevention, making it necessary to understand the reasons for these poor choices. This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between perception of dietary practices and dietary behaviors among adolescents.

History of maltreatment among unintentional injury deaths: analyses of Texas child fatality review data, 2005-2007.

Objective: This report examines unintentional injury deaths among children with and without a history of child maltreatment.

Methods: Data are from reviews of 1192 unintentional injury deaths occurring among children in Texas during 2005-2007. The study examined differences in child demographic characteristics, injury mechanism, and supervisor status at time of death between children with and without maltreatment history by using descriptive statistics and χ² tests.

Association between depressed mood and perceived weight in middle and high school age students: Texas 2004-2005.

Research exploring the relationship between weight perception and depressed mood among adolescents is limited in the United States. The purpose of this study is to examine the association of perceived versus actual body weight and depressed mood in a representative sample of 8th and 11th grade public school students in Texas. Using data from the 2004-2005 School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) study, logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association of weight perception with depressed mood.

Overweight among low-income Texas preschoolers aged 2 to 4 years.

Objective: Determine child/maternal factors associated with overweight among 2- to 4-year-olds enrolled in the Texas Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Design: Matched child and maternal data collected by self-report of the mother during WIC certification. These data were extracted from existing statewide WIC databases and merged.

Prevalence and risk factors for adult paternity among adolescent females ages 14 through 16 years.

To investigate sociodemographic factors associated with adolescent females ages 14-16 years having children fathered by males age 20 years or older and identify differences in correlates across rural, urban, and border areas. The method section was a cross-sectional study using Texas birth record data. From 2000 through 2004, there were 29,186 births to adolescent females aged 14-16 years with valid paternal age.

Observable weight distributions and children's individual weight assessment.

Social networks theory suggests obesity is "contagious" within peer groups in that known friends highly influence weight. On the other hand, an alternative model suggests that observable weight distributions affect perception of one's own obesity level. We examine whether the BMI levels of the most obese classmates in the individual student's grade by gender is positively associated with "under-assessment" of obesity and overweight (i.

Prenatal HIV testing in the US-Mexico border region, 2005: the Brownsville-Matamoros Sister City Project for Women's Health.

Introduction: Routine prenatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening provides a critical opportunity to diagnose HIV infection, begin chronic care, and prevent mother-to-child transmission. However, little is known about the prevalence of prenatal HIV testing in the US-Mexico border region. We explored the correlation between prenatal HIV testing and sociodemographic, health behavior, and health exposure characteristics.

Characteristics of young women who gave birth in the US-Mexico border region, 2005: the Brownsville-Matamoros Sister City Project for Women's Health.

Introduction: Childbearing during adolescence and young adulthood is associated with adverse effects on health and quality of life. Lowering birth rates among young women is a binational priority in the US-Mexico border region, yet baseline information about birth rates and pregnancy risk is lacking. Increased understanding of the characteristics of young women who give birth in the region will help target high-risk groups for sexual and reproductive health services.

Attempted breastfeeding before hospital discharge on both sides of the US-Mexico border, 2005: the Brownsville-Matamoros Sister City Project for Women's Health.

Introduction: The US-Mexico border region has a growing population and limited health care infrastructure. Preventive health behaviors such as breastfeeding ease the burden on this region's health care system by reducing morbidity and health care costs. We examined correlates of attempted breastfeeding before hospital discharge on each side of the US-Mexico border and within the border region.

Cervical cancer screening among women who gave birth in the US-Mexico border region, 2005: the Brownsville-Matamoros Sister City Project for Women's Health.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to examine correlates of ever having had a Papanicolaou (Pap) test among women who recently delivered a live infant and who resided near the US-Mexico border.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included women who delivered a live infant in Matamoros, Mexico (n = 488) and Cameron County, Texas (n = 453). Women were interviewed in the hospital before discharge between August 21 and November 9, 2005.

Crime rates and sedentary behavior among 4th grade Texas school children.

Introduction: Although per capita crime has generally fallen over the period which coincides with the obesity epidemic, it has not fallen uniformly across communities. It also has not fallen enough to allay fears on the part of parents. Over the past 30 years, technological changes have made the indoor alternatives to playing outside, where children are more vulnerable to criminal activity, more enjoyable (cable TV, video games, and the internet) and comfortable (the spread of air conditioning to low income neighborhoods).

The cost of quality improvements due to integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) in Uganda.

The goal of this paper is to measure the marginal change in facility-level costs of medical care for children under five due to an increase in service quality achieved through the integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) strategy. Since the beneficial effects of IMCI training on child health outcomes are due to IMCI's effects on service quality, costs of IMCI are regressed against measures of service quality in this paper. Our model shows that quality, as measured by a WHO-index of integrated child assessment is 44% higher in facilities with at least one health worker trained in IMCI as compared to facilities with no health workers trained in IMCI, adjusting for facility utilization as well as type of facility ownership.

Strategies for engaging the private sector in sexual and reproductive health: how effective are they?

The private health sector provides a significant portion of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in developing countries. Yet little is known about which strategies for intervening with private providers can improve quality or coverage of services. We conducted a systematic review of the literature through PubMed from 1980 to 2003 to assess the effectiveness of private sector strategies for SRH services in developing countries.