Preliminary assessment of connected speech and language as marker for cognitive change in late middle-aged Black/African American adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Connected speech-language (CSL) has been a promising measure of assessing cognitive decline in populations at-risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) populations. A common way to obtain CSL is through using picture description tasks such as the most frequently used image Cookie Theft (CT). However, questions have been raised about using CT for diverse communities.

Cardiovascular disease risk in Hispanic American women.

Hispanic American women have an increased risk for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study examined CVD risk in a sample of immigrant Hispanic women using Framingham point scores and the Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) Risk Estimator for 10-year CVD risk and prevalence of metabolic syndrome. A cross-sectional study using baseline data from a diabetes self-management intervention study in a sample of 118 Hispanic American women was conducted.

Reliability and Validity of the Spoken Knowledge in Low Literacy in Diabetes in Measuring Diabetes Knowledge Among Hispanics With Type 2 Diabetes.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Spoken Knowledge in Low Literacy in Diabetes (SKILLD) scale in measuring diabetes knowledge among Hispanics with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Methods: A total of 111 Hispanic participants with T2DM were recruited from clinics and churches in the Southeastern US. The Spanish version of the SKILLD was used.

More Than a "Number": Perspectives of Prenatal Care Quality from Mothers of Color and Providers.

Introduction: African American mothers and other mothers of historically underserved populations consistently have higher rates of adverse birth outcomes than White mothers. Increasing prenatal care use among these mothers may reduce these disparities. Most prenatal care research focuses on prenatal care adequacy rather than concepts of quality.

Perceived discrimination and health-related quality-of-life: gender differences among older African Americans.

Purpose: Emerging data suggest that African-American women may fare worse than African-American men in health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL). Perceived discrimination is an important contributor to poor health overall among African Americans, but few studies examined the intersecting effects of perceived discrimination and gender in explaining HRQOL disparities. We investigated gender differences in HRQOL and tested whether perceived discrimination accounted for these differences.

Understanding Factors That Influence Adolescent Mothers' Doula Use: A Qualitative Study.

In this study, we examined factors that influenced doula use among adolescent mothers in a community-based childbirth education and doula program. We used a qualitative case study approach to gather perspectives from adolescent mothers and doulas through semistructured interviews, field observations, and a focus group. These women collectively revealed multiple themes related to doula use among adolescent mothers, including relationship development and barriers to doula use at the individual and structural levels.

Race, Age, and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status in Low Birth Weight Disparities Among Adolescent Mothers: An Intersectional Inquiry.

Introduction: Few studies examined socioeconomic contributors to racial disparities in low birth weight outcomes between African-American and Caucasian adolescent mothers. This cross-sectional study examined the intersections of maternal racial status, age, and neighborhood socioeconomic status in explaining these disparities in low birth weight outcomes across a statewide sample of adolescent mothers.

Methods: Using data from the North Carolina State Center of Health Statistics for 2010-2011, birth cases for 16,472 adolescents were geocoded by street address and linked to census-tract information from the 2010 United States Census.

Does Neighborhood Risk Explain Racial Disparities in Low Birth Weight among Infants Born to Adolescent Mothers?

Study Objective: To test associations and interactions between racial identification, neighborhood risk, and low birth weight disparities between infants born to African-American and white adolescent mothers.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Birth cases were geocoded and linked to census tract information from the 2010 US Census and the 2007-2011 American Community Survey.

Improving Physical Activity in Hispanics with Diabetes and their Families.

Objective: This study examined changes in physical activity among Hispanics with diabetes and their families who received an 8-week diabetes self-management intervention.

Design: A quasi-experimental design was used to conduct a secondary analysis of physical activity data from two intervention studies that used the same protocols and measures.

Sample: A total of 65 patients and 66 family members participated in the studies.

Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Age: Exploring Intersections in Preterm Birth Disparities among Teen Mothers.

Few studies have examined disparities in adverse birth outcomes and compared contributing socioeconomic factors specifically between African-American and White teen mothers. This study examined intersections between neighborhood socioeconomic status (as defined by census-tract median household income), maternal age, and racial disparities in preterm birth (PTB) outcomes between African-American and White teen mothers in North Carolina. Using a linked dataset with state birth record data and socioeconomic information from the 2010 US Census, disparities in preterm birth outcomes for 16,472 teen mothers were examined through bivariate and multilevel analyses.

"I managed it pretty good": birth narratives of adolescent mothers.

The aim of this study was to understand adolescent mothers' childbirth experiences. Semistructured interviews were conducted with participants recruited from a community-based program for adolescent mothers. Fourteen mothers described their birth experiences.

Exploring birth outcome disparities and the impact of prenatal care utilization among North Carolina teen mothers.

Background: This study investigated the role of prenatal care utilization in explaining disparities in birth outcomes between African-American and White teen mothers in North Carolina.

Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed birth record data for African-American and White teen mothers provided by the North Carolina State Center of Health Statistics for 2009 (n = 10,515). Hierarchical moderated multiple regression models were completed to explore associations between racial status, prenatal care utilization, and birth outcome disparities amid multiple demographic and medical risk factors.

Early breastfeeding experiences of adolescent mothers: a qualitative prospective study.

Background: Teen mothers face many challenges to successful breastfeeding and are less likely to breastfeed than any other population group in the U.S. Few studies have investigated this population; all prior studies are cross-sectional and collect breastfeeding data retrospectively.