Randomized pilot trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy and acceptance-based behavioral therapy in the treatment of Spanish-speaking Latino primary care patients with generalized anxiety disorder.

The evidence base supporting the usefulness of traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and newer acceptance-based CBT treatments for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has grown over the past decades. GAD is prevalent among several Latino subgroups, particularly Puerto Ricans. However, there remains uncertainty regarding the appropriateness of these interventions for Spanish-speaking Latinos since they have been routinely excluded in both efficacy and effectiveness studies.

A randomized clinical trial of prolonged exposure and applied relaxation for the treatment of Latinos with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Robust evidence supports the use of prolonged exposure therapy (PE) as a first-line treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, Latinos have not benefitted equally from advancements in the treatment of PTSD and continue to face barriers to receiving care. There is consensus that it is necessary to support the expansion of high-quality culturally and linguistically appropriate treatment to address disparities experienced by racial and ethnic minorities in behavioral health care.

Using Risk Communication Strategies for Zika Virus Prevention and Control Driven by Community-Based Participatory Research.

In this study, we use community-based participatory processes to engage community and academic partners in a meaningful exchange to identify and pilot test risk communication strategies for Zika virus prevention and control. Community members were actively involved in planning, developing, and implementing a risk communication initiative. Qualitative and quantitative data gathered through individual interviews, focus groups, and community advisory board input provided information for the identification of relevant risk communication strategies to increase the understanding about Zika virus and to promote behavior change.

Probable Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Psychiatric Co-morbidity among Latino Primary Care Patients in Puerto Rico.

Background: The present investigation was designed to study PTSD among inner city primary care patients in Puerto Rico. Specifically, we examined the rate of probable PTSD, PTSD co-morbidity with MDD and GAD, and the association of probable PTSD and co-occurring disorders with demographic, treatment, and alcohol related factors.

Methods: We screened 3,568 patients at primary care practices serving primarily low-income patients.

Prolonged exposure for the treatment of Spanish-speaking Puerto Ricans with posttraumatic stress disorder: a feasibility study.

Background: Most of the empirical studies that support the efficacy of prolonged exposure (PE) for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been conducted on white mainstream English-speaking populations. Although high PTSD rates have been reported for Puerto Ricans, the appropriateness of PE for this population remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of providing PE to Spanish speaking Puerto Ricans with PTSD.

Collaborative care for depressed patients with chronic medical conditions: a randomized trial in Puerto Rico.

Objective: This study examined whether a collaborative care model for depression would improve clinical and functional outcomes for depressed patients with chronic general medical conditions in primary care practices in Puerto Rico.

Methods: A total of 179 primary care patients with major depression and chronic general medical conditions were randomly assigned to receive collaborative care or usual care. The collaborative care intervention involved enhanced collaboration among physicians, mental health specialists, and care managers paired with depression-specific treatment guidelines, patient education, and follow-up.

Cultural relevance and equivalence in the NLAAS instrument: integrating etic and emic in the development of cross-cultural measures for a psychiatric epidemiology and services study of Latinos.

This paper describes the development, translation and adaptation of measures in the National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS). We summarize the techniques used to attain cultural relevance; semantic, content and technical equivalency; and internal consistency of the measures across languages and Latino sub-ethnic groups. We also discuss some of the difficulties and thallenges encountered in doing this work.

Considering context, place and culture: the National Latino and Asian American Study.

This paper provides a rationale for, and overview of, procedures used to develop the National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS). The NLAAS is nationally representative community household survey that estimates the prevalence of mental disorders and rates of mental health service utilization by Latinos and Asian Americans in the US. The central aims of the NLAAS are to: 1) describe the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of psychiatric disorders and the rates of mental health services use for Latino and Asian American populations using nationwide representative samples of Latinos and Asian Americans, 2) assess the associations among social position, environmental context, and psychosocial factors with the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and utilization rates of mental health services, and 3) compare the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of psychiatric disorders, and utilization of mental health services of Latinos and Asian Americans with national representative samples of non-Latino whites (from the National Comorbidity Study-Replication) (NCS-R) and African Americans (from the National Survey of American Life) (NSAL).

Understanding hard-core drug use among urban Puerto Rican women in high-risk neighborhoods.

The objectives of the current study were to determine the incidence and prevalence of hard-core drug (HCD) use and to explore the predictors of HCD use in a three-wave longitudinal study of women ages 18-35 living in urban areas of high drug traffic in Puerto Rico. Prevalence of HCD use was determined by positive self-report or positive toxicological tests for crack, cocaine, or heroine at baseline and follow-up periods. Incidence density was calculated using Poisson methods.

Inequalities in use of specialty mental health services among Latinos, African Americans, and non-Latino whites.

Objective: The authors investigated whether there are disparities in the rates of specialty mental health care for Latinos and African Americans compared with non-Latino whites in the United States.

Methods: Data were analyzed from the 1990-1992 National Comorbidity Survey, which surveyed a probability sample of 8,098 English-speaking respondents aged 15 to 54 years. Respondents self-identified their race or ethnicity, yielding a sample of 695 Latinos, 987 African Americans, and 6,026 non-Latino whites.