Advancing Health Literacy Among Hispanic Immigrants: The Intersection Between Education and Health.

Health literacy is a priority issue in both medicine and public health, as it refers to the capacity to obtain and understand basic health information and services and to make appropriate health decisions. Health literacy has been associated with a variety of health care and health outcomes such as hospital admissions, use of preventive services, management of chronic conditions, and mortality. There is also evidence of the connection between low health literacy and health disparities.

A Cardiovascular Health Intervention for Spanish Speakers: The Health Literacy and ESL Curriculum.

Spanish speakers in the United States are in need of effective interventions that address both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and health literacy. However, the literature lacks interventions that have used and evaluated a strategies that focus on both, particularly at the community level. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of a health literacy curriculum on cardiovascular health behavior among Spanish speaking adults.

Predictors of English Health Literacy among U.S. Hispanic Immigrants: The importance of language, bilingualism and sociolinguistic environment.

In the United States, data confirm that Spanish-speaking immigrants are particularly affected by the negative health outcomes associated with low health literacy. Although the literature points to variables such as age, educational background and language, only a few studies have investigated the factors that may influence health literacy in this group. Similarly, the role that bilingualism and/or multilingualism play in health literacy assessment continues to be an issue in need of further research.

Health literacy level of Hispanic college students.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the health literacy levels of Hispanic college students.

Methods: Participants were students at a major Hispanic-serving university in the southwestern United States. The design was cross-sectional, and data were collected using the Newest Vital Sign in English.

[Tobacco industry strategies to attract young smokers in Spain: a review of companies' internal documents].

Background: Tobacco companies' strategies to promote tobacco use and undermine tobacco control policy are key in tobacco use among young people. The analysis of tobacco companies' internal documents can be instrumental in identifying those strategies, improving social support for tobacco control policy, and planning public health interventions. The goal of this study was to identify and analyze internal documents related to the activities of tobacco companies during the 1980s and 90s aimed at promoting smoking in young Spaniards.

Self-assessed emergency readiness and training needs of nurses in rural Texas.

Objective: Nurses, particularly public health nurses, play a key role in emergency preparedness and response in rural areas. To prepare rural jurisdictions for unforeseen disastrous events it is imperative to assess the public health emergency readiness and training needs of nurses. The objective of this study was to assess the self-reported terrorism preparedness and training needs of a nurse workforce.

Assessing bioterrorism preparedness and response of rural veterinarians: experiences and training needs.

Veterinarians play a unique role in emergency preparedness and response, and federal agencies and academic institutions therefore allocate considerable resources to provide training to enhance their readiness. However, the level of preparedness of veterinarians in many rural regions is yet to be improved. This article reports an assessment of the bioterrorism preparedness, specifically the experience and training needs, of rural veterinarians in North Texas.

Public health preparedness of health providers: meeting the needs of diverse, rural communities.

Meeting the needs of public health emergency and response presents a unique challenge for health practitioners with primary responsibilities for rural communities that are often very diverse. The present study assessed the language capabilities, confidence and training needs of Texas rural physicians in responding to public health emergencies. In the first half of year 2004, a cross-sectional, semistructured survey questionnaire was administered in northern, rural Texas.

Physician assistants and bioterrorism preparedness.

Despite the resources dedicated since 2001 to training health providers in emergency and bioterrorism preparedness and response, the literature on the participation of physician assistants (PAs) is very limited. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the training level and experiences of PAs in the diagnosis and treatment of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive agents that could be used in a bioterrorism attack. The study population consisted of licensed PAs in 37 northern Texas counties.

Hispanic physicians' tobacco intervention practices: a cross-sectional survey study.

Background: U.S. Hispanic physicians constitute a considerable professional collective, and they may be most suited to attend to the health education needs of the growing U.

Assessing the readiness and training needs of non-urban physicians in public health emergency and response.

Emergency readiness has become a public health priority for United States communities after the 9/11 attacks. Communities that have a less developed public health infrastructure are challenged to organize preparedness and response efforts and to ensure that health care providers are capable of caring for victims of terrorist acts. A survey was used to assess non-urban physicians' prior experience with and self-confidence in treating, and preferred training needs for responding to chemical, biologic, radiologic, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) cases.

Evaluating the disparity of female breast cancer mortality among racial groups - a spatiotemporal analysis.

BACKGROUND: The literature suggests that the distribution of female breast cancer mortality demonstrates spatial concentration. There remains a lack of studies on how the mortality burden may impact racial groups across space and over time. The present study evaluated the geographic variations in breast cancer mortality in Texas females according to three predominant racial groups (non-Hispanic White, Black, and Hispanic females) over a twelve-year period.