The Phenotypic, Psychological, and Social Interplays of Skin Color and Developmental Outcomes among Mexican-origin Adolescents: Dismantling Systems of Racism and Oppression during Adolescence: Dismantling Systems of Racism and Oppression during Adolescence.

Mexican-origin children from immigrant families are impacted by various systemic oppressions in life. The study seeks to examine how adolescents' developmental outcomes are associated with specific phenotypic, psychological, and social features of skin color, as manifested by skin tone, skin color satisfaction, and foreigner stress. By taking a holistic approach, we examine both positive and negative adjustment outcomes, including delinquency, resilience, and effortful control.

Health Disparities Past the Classroom: The Impact of Frontier Medicine on Students.

In 2000, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education issued a standard for cultural competence for medical students, stating the necessity of understanding different belief systems and cultures and how biases can affect health care and perpetuate health disparities. While many programs travel overseas to address this standard, our study evaluated an in-state, study-away, service-learning mission trip program's efficacy of improving cultural competence and awareness of health disparities, as well as facilitating the ease of participation for students. Our overall goal was to provide a rich field opportunity in our own backyard that would allow students to visit a foreign environment without leaving the country, simultaneously eliminating the financial burden that comes with international travel and to expose the students to health disparities through partnership with local community centers and clinics present in the frontier region of southwest Texas (2016 - 2018).

Parental knowledge gaps and barriers for children receiving human papillomavirus vaccine in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

: Despite its availability for more than a decade, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has low uptake in Texas (49%). The objective of this study was to understand parental knowledge and attitudes about HPV and the HPV vaccine as well as child experience with the HPV vaccine among a medically underserved, economically disadvantaged population. : As part of a Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas-funded project to improve HPV vaccination rates, we surveyed parents / guardians of 4-12 graders (ages 9-17) in the Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent School District (RGCCISD).