Unexpected benefits of and lessons learned from shifting to virtual focus group discussions in the BEECON trial.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many human subjects research to halt in-person activities and pivot to virtual engagement, including Focus Groups (FGs). We highlight learnings from our experience of hosting virtual FGs from our BEhavioral EConomics for Oral health iNnovation (BEECON) study focusing on oral hygiene behaviors among low-income, predominantly Hispanic families, including practical tips and potential pitfalls to avoid for researchers considering virtual engagement.

Results: There can be particular benefits to holding virtual sessions among minority parents of young children-to provide flexibility, comfort, and reduced logistical barriers for participation-while still facilitating friendly conversation with minimal distractions.

Monetary incentives for improving smartphone-measured oral hygiene behaviors in young children: A randomized pilot trial.

Aims: To assess feasibility, acceptability, and early efficacy of monetary incentive-based interventions on fostering oral hygiene in young children measured with a Bluetooth-enabled toothbrush and smartphone application.

Design: A stratified, parallel-group, three-arm individually randomized controlled pilot trial.

Setting: Two Los Angeles area Early Head Start (EHS) sites.

A qualitative study of the multi-level influences on oral hygiene practices for young children in an Early Head Start program.

Background: Individual child-level risk factors for Early Childhood Caries (ECC) have been studied, but broader family- and community-level influences on child oral hygiene behaviors are less well understood. This study explored multiple levels of influence on oral hygiene behaviors for young children in Early Head Start (EHS) to inform a future behavioral intervention targeting children from low-income families.

Methods: Twenty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted with mothers of children under 4 years old, enrolled in the home visitor (HV) component of one EHS program in Los Angeles, CA, who participated in the BEhavioral EConomics for Oral health iNnovation pilot study (BEECON) in 2016-7.

Subjective Social Status and Self-Reported Health Among US-born and Immigrant Latinos.

Subjective social status is associated with a range of health outcomes. Few studies have tested the relevance of subjective social status among Latinos in the U.S.

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.

Corner Store Inventories, Purchases, and Strategies for Intervention: A Review of the Literature.

Introduction: An increasingly popular strategy to improving the food retail environment and promoting healthy eating in low-income and minority communities is the corner store conversion. This approach involves partnering with small 'corner' food stores to expand access to high-quality fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods.

Methods: We conducted a structured review of the literature to assess inventories and sales in corner stores, as well as to identify intervention strategies employed by corner store conversions.

The health status of youth in Puerto Rico.

Background: Few population-based studies have assessed health outcomes and health care access and use among youth in the US Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Methods: Data are from an island population-based sample of 337 youth, 10 to 17 years old, who participated in the Asthma, Depression, and Anxiety in Puerto Rican Youth Study. In-person interviews with youth and caregivers assessed self-rated physical and mental health, weight status, diagnosed health conditions, and health care access and use.

Immigration disparities in cardiovascular disease risk factor awareness.

The association between immigration status and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor awareness is unknown. Using physical examination-based data and participants' self-report of prior diagnosis, we assessed immigration-based disparities in awareness of diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and overweight among 12,124 participants in the 2003-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Unawareness of CVD risk factors is high among all groups, but tends to be higher among foreign-born English and non-English speaking participants than among US-born participants.

Occurrence and correlates of overweight and obesity among island Puerto Rican youth.

Unlabelled: OBJECTIVE AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: This article provides 2005-2008 population-based prevalence data on obesity and overweight among youth residing in Puerto Rico.

Design And Setting: Data for this report are from the Asthma, Depression, and Anxiety in Puerto Rican Youth (ADA) study. Measures included height and weight level data on youth in Puerto Rico aged 10 to 19 years with and without asthma as well as body mass index data on their caregivers.

Variations in healthcare access and utilization among Mexican immigrants: the role of documentation status.

The objective of this study is to identify differences in healthcare access and utilization among Mexican immigrants by documentation status. Cross-sectional survey data are analyzed to identify differences in healthcare access and utilization across Mexican immigrant categories. Multivariable logistic regression and the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition are used to parse out differences into observed and unobserved components.