Integrating Theory With a User-Centered Design Approach to Maximize mHealth Acceptability and Usability.

Mobile phone interventions are evidence-based methods for preventing obesity among Latino adults and school-aged children; however, few such interventions exist to improve the obesogenic behaviors of children in the developmentally critical preschool years (ages 2-5). Focusing on this age group is important since over one-quarter of 2- to 5-year-old Latino children are overweight or obese. Moreover, most documented interventions target mothers exclusively, ignoring the influence that other caregivers such as fathers and grandparents have on the environment and the child's behaviors.

Factors Influencing the Use of Domestic Violence Restraining Orders in Los Angeles.

Domestic violence restraining orders (DVROs), although a widely used legal intervention in preventing future risk of intimate partner violence (IPV), there is a lack of documentation on the facilitators and barriers of utilization of DVROs among IPV survivors in Los Angeles County (LAC). We conducted 19 key informant interviews with various professionals working in domestic violence prevention in LAC. Factors such as survivors' motivation, ease of navigating the legal procedures, and availability of community resources facilitate the use of DVROs.

Measuring impact of storyline engagement on health knowledge, attitudes, and norms: A digital evaluation of an online health-focused serial drama in West Africa.

Background: "Cest la Vie!" (CLV) is a serial drama that entertains, educates, and promotes positive health behaviors and social change for West African audiences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if watching the CLV Season 2 series online had an impact on people's health knowledge, attitudes, and norms, focusing on populations in francophone West Africa.

Methods: Between July 2019 and October 2019, viewers of CLV and non-viewers were recruited from Facebook and YouTube.

Community Residents' Beliefs About Neighborhood Corner Stores in 2 Latino Communities: Implications for Interventions to Improve the Food Environment.

We assessed community residents' perceptions of corner stores to better understand what facilitates and deters patronage at these food outlets. Data came from 978 household interviews in 2 Latino communities undergoing corner store interventions. Chi-square tests, an independent sample test, and a multivariate logistic regression were conducted to assess the relationship between residents' perceptions about corner stores and their reported patronage at these food outlets.

Facilitating Partnerships With Community- and Faith-Based Organizations for Disaster Preparedness and Response: Results of a National Survey of Public Health Departments.

Objective: We identify characteristics of local health departments, which enhance collaborations with community- and faith-based organizations (CFBOs) for emergency preparedness and response.

Methods: Online survey data were collected from a sample of 273 disaster preparedness coordinators working at local health departments across the United States between August and December 2011.

Results: Using multiple linear regression models, we found that perceptions of CFBO trust were associated with more successful partnership planning (β=0.

A corner store intervention to improve access to fruits and vegetables in two Latino communities.

Objective: Investments have been made to alter the food environment of neighbourhoods that have a disproportionate number of unhealthy food venues. Corner store conversions are one strategy to increase access to fruits and vegetables (F&V). Although the literature shows modest success, the effectiveness of these interventions remains equivocal.

Comparing Lay Community and Academic Survey Center Interviewers in Conducting Household Interviews in Latino Communities.

Background: The employment of professional interviewers from academic survey centers to conduct surveys has been standard practice. Because one goal of community-engaged research is to provide professional skills to community residents, this paper considers whether employing locally trained lay interviewers from within the community may be as effective as employing interviewers from an academic survey center with regard to unit and item nonresponse rates and cost.

Methods: To study a nutrition-focused intervention, 1035 in-person household interviews were conducted in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights, 503 of which were completed by lay community interviewers.

Understanding where and why Senegalese adolescents and young adults access health information: A mixed methods study examining contextual and personal influences on health information seeking.

Background: Adolescent and young adult years are critical to the development of behaviors that influence health across the life course. To reveal which health communication channels should be used to effectively reach and influence younger populations in Senegal, we used a mixed methods approach to identify and interpret the multifaceted influences surrounding where and why this population accesses health information.

Methods: We conducted 16 focus group discussions among adolescents and young adults in Senegal in September 2012.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) awareness and vaccine receptivity among Senegalese adolescents.

Objective: To examine HPV vaccine awareness and receptivity among adolescents and young adults in Senegal.

Methods: Participants from six high schools and five community centres across five regions of Senegal (n = 2286) completed a self-administered questionnaire in October and November 2014. The study assessed HPV awareness and receptivity towards receiving the HPV vaccine.

Training the Next Generation of Latino Health Researchers: A Multilevel, Transdisciplinary, Community-Engaged Approach.

Reducing health disparities is a national public health priority. Latinos represent the largest racial/ethnic minority group in the United States and suffer disproportionately from poor health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease risk. Academic training programs are an opportunity for reducing health disparities, in part by increasing the diversity of the public health workforce and by incorporating training designed to develop a skill set to address health disparities.

Evaluating Strategies For Reducing Health Disparities By Addressing The Social Determinants Of Health.

The opportunities for healthy choices in homes, neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces can have decisive impacts on health. We review scientific evidence from promising interventions focused on the social determinants of health and discuss how such interventions can improve population health and reduce health disparities. We found sufficient evidence of successful outcomes to support disparity-reducing policy interventions targeted at education and early childhood; urban planning and community development; housing; income enhancements and supplements; and employment.

The association between self-rated eating habits and dietary behavior in two Latino neighborhoods: Findings from Proyecto MercadoFRESCO.

Objective: Latinos are the largest racial and ethnic minority group in the United States and bear a disproportionate burden of obesity related chronic disease. Despite national efforts to improve dietary habits and prevent obesity among Latinos, obesity rates remain high. The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between self-rated dietary quality and dietary behavior among Latinos and how this may vary by socio-demographics to help inform future public health efforts aiming to improve eating habits and obesity rates.

Substantial improvements not seen in health behaviors following corner store conversions in two Latino food swamps.

Background: The effectiveness of food retail interventions is largely undetermined, yet substantial investments have been made to improve access to healthy foods in food deserts and swamps via grocery and corner store interventions. This study evaluated the effects of corner store conversions in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights, California on perceived accessibility of healthy foods, perceptions of corner stores, store patronage, food purchasing, and eating behaviors.

Methods: Household data (n = 1686) were collected at baseline and 12- to 24-months post-intervention among residents surrounding eight stores, three of which implemented a multi-faceted intervention and five of which were comparisons.

Access to Care and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: A Cross-Sectional Study in 2 Latino Communities.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading killer of Americans. CVD is understudied among Latinos, who have high levels of CVD risk factors. This study aimed to determine whether access to health care (ie, insurance status and having a usual source of care) is associated with 4 CVD prevention factors (ie, health care utilization, CVD screening, information received from health care providers, and lifestyle factors) among Latino adults and to evaluate whether the associations depended on CVD clinical risk/disease.

Reliability and validity of the Assessment for Disaster Engagement with Partners Tool (ADEPT) for local health departments.

Objective: This study presents reliability and validity findings for the Assessment for Disaster Engagement with Partners Tool (ADEPT), an instrument that can be used to monitor the frequency and nature of collaborative activities between local health departments (LHDs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) and faith-based organizations (FBOs) for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.

Methods: We used formative research to develop the instrument by ranking LHDs according to their disaster outreach and engagement activities. We validated the scale through a 2011 national survey of disaster preparedness coordinators (n=273) working in LHDs.

Proyecto MercadoFRESCO: a multi-level, community-engaged corner store intervention in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights.

Urban food swamps are typically situated in low-income, minority communities and contribute to overweight and obesity. Changing the food landscape in low income and underserved communities is one strategy to combat the negative health consequences associated with the lack of access to healthy food resources and an abundance of unhealthy food venues. In this paper, we describe Proyecto MercadoFRESCO (Fresh Market Project), a corner store intervention project in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights in California that used a multi-level approach with a broad range of community, business, and academic partners.

The association between nutrition facts label utilization and comprehension among Latinos in two east Los Angeles neighborhoods.

Background: The Nutrition Facts label can facilitate healthy dietary practices. There is a dearth of research on Latinos' utilization and comprehension of the Nutrition Facts label.

Objective: To measure use and comprehension of the Nutrition Facts label and to identify correlates among Latinos in East Los Angeles, CA.

Substance use recovery outcomes among a cohort of youth participating in a mobile-based texting aftercare pilot program.

Project ESQYIR (Educating & Supporting Inquisitive Youth in Recovery) is a pilot study examining the feasibility of a 12-week mobile-based aftercare intervention for youth (ages 12 to 24) transitioning out of community-based substance abuse treatment programs. From January 2012 through July 2013, a total of 80 youth were recruited from outpatient and residential treatment programs, geographically dispersed throughout Los Angeles County, California. Results revealed that youth who participated in the texting mobile pilot intervention were significantly less likely to relapse to their primary compared to the aftercare as usual control condition (OR=0.

Using the Precaution Adoption Process model to describe a disaster preparedness intervention among low-income Latinos.

Only 40-50% of households in the United States are currently disaster prepared. In this intervention study, respondent-driven sampling was used to select a sample (n = 187) of low income, Latino residents of Los Angeles County, randomly assigned into two treatment conditions: (i) household preparedness education received through 'promotora' (community health worker) led small group meetings, and (ii) household preparedness education received through print media. Weinstein's Precaution Adoption Process, a stage model appropriate for risk communication guided the intervention.

Perceptions about recovery needs and drug-avoidance recovery behaviors among youth in substance abuse treatment.

Objective: This study used mixed methods to explore youth attitudes about recovery-related needs and important drug-avoidance behaviors after treatment.

Method: Focus groups were conducted with 118 substance using youth in treatment (four residential and 10 outpatient settings) throughout Los Angeles County.

Results: The average age was 17.

Exploring the feasibility of text messaging to support substance abuse recovery among youth in treatment.

This exploratory study examined treatment involved youth opinions about (i) the utility of using text messaging to support recovery behaviors after treatment; (ii) important types of text messages that could help youth self-manage their substance use behaviors after treatment; and (iii) programmatic or logistical areas associated with text messaging programs. Eight focus groups were conducted with 67 youth (aged 12-24) enrolled in outpatient and residential publicly funded substance abuse treatment programs around Los Angeles County, California. Results highlight that 70% of youth positively endorsed text messaging as a viable method of intervention during aftercare, 20% expressed ambivalent feelings, and 10% conveyed dislike.

Perceptions of chronicity and recovery among youth in treatment for substance use problems.

Purpose: To explore how youth contextualize substance use problems and recovery, in general and for themselves, in relation to the commonly accepted chronicity framework.

Methods: Fourteen focus groups were conducted with 118 youth in substance abuse treatment settings (aged 12-24 years; 78.3% male; 66.