Understanding Associations Between Hurricane Harvey Exposure and Mental Health Symptoms Among Greater Houston-Area Residents.

Objective: Hurricane Harvey made landfall on August 25, 2017 and resulted in widespread flooding in Houston and the surrounding areas. This study aimed to explore the associations between exposure to Hurricane Harvey and various mental health symptoms.

Methods: Self-reported demographics, hurricane exposure, and mental health symptomatology were obtained from residents of the greater Houston area through convenience sampling for a pilot study, 5 months after the storm from January 25-29, 2018 (N = 161).

Is Socioeconomic Advantage Associated With Positive Health Behaviors and Health Outcomes Among Asian Indians?

Objective: The South Asian Health Needs Assessment was conducted to collect health status information on the rapidly growing Asian Indian (AI) community in the Houston area. Many were highly educated and reported high income levels, factors usually associated with better health outcomes. This study examined the relationship between socioeconomic advantage and the health behaviors and health outcomes of AIs.

Chronic Health Conditions, Physical Activity and Dietary Behaviors of Bhutanese Refugees: A Houston-Based Needs Assessment.

Bhutanese refugees resettling in the U.S. face many challenges including several related to health and health care.

A1C Testing and its Sociodemographic Predictors: Implications for Diabetes Self-management Programs.

Background: One of the Healthy People (2020) goals related to the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) test is to increase the percentage of adults (aged 18 years and older) with diabetes who have had an HbA1C test at least twice in the past 12 months from 64.6% percent in 2008 to 71.1% by 2020.

Characterizing urban vulnerability to heat stress using a spatially varying coefficient model.

Identifying and characterizing urban vulnerability to heat is a key step in designing intervention strategies to combat negative consequences of extreme heat on human health. This study combines excess non-accidental mortality counts, numerical weather simulations, US Census and parcel data into an assessment of vulnerability to heat in Houston, Texas. Specifically, a hierarchical model with spatially varying coefficients is used to account for differences in vulnerability among census block groups.

Determinants of fruits and vegetables consumption among persons with doctor-diagnosed chronic diseases.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the factors associated with fruits and vegetables consumption pattern among persons with doctor-diagnosed chronic diseases.

Method: The authors examined cross-sectional, random-digit-dialed health survey data collected in 2008 in Houston, Texas, a city with a diverse ethnic population. The survey sample, which was designed to represent all households with telephones, was drawn using standard list-assisted random-digit-dialing methodology from telephone exchanges that serve the study area.

Disparities in fruits and vegetables consumption in houston, Texas: implications for health promotion.

Background: The consumption of the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables is believed to help prevent nutrient deficiency disorders and lower the risk of several chronic diseases. Information on the disparity of fruit and vegetable consumption may be useful in designing targeted health promotion programs for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. The objective of this pilot study was to examine disparities in fruit and vegetable consumption among Houston residents based on sociodemographic characteristics.

Communication strategies to improve HIV treatment adherence.

Although antiretroviral therapy has increased the survival of HIV-positive patients, traditional approaches to improving medication adherence have failed consistently. Acknowledging the role of communication in health behavior, we conducted a qualitative study to learn about patients' HIV treatment adherence experiences and to identify which communication strategies might influence adherence. Findings indicate that five constructs--cultural beliefs/language, stigma, cues to action, self-efficacy, and mood state--are potentially modifiable by improved communication.

Disaster preparedness of linguistically isolated populations: practical issues for planners.

In the absence of culturally and linguistically appropriate disaster preparedness plans, several linguistically isolated and culturally diverse population groups are disproportionately disadvantaged in the United States. The communication gap poses challenges to emergency preparedness planners and response personnel in predisaster communication and postdisaster response efforts. Houston Department of Health and Human Services aimed to develop practical recommendations for local emergency response personnel so as to improve dissemination of emergency information and equitable delivery of services to linguistically isolated communities in the greater Houston area.

Prenatal Care Barriers in an Inner-city Neighborhood of Houston, Texas.

The objective of this qualitative pilot study was to explore barriers to prenatal care among women (aged 17 to 30 years) with pregnancy experience who resided in an underserved and predominantly African American neighborhood in Houston, Texas. The authors conducted 5 focus group discussions with, and collected demographic information from, the 32 participants. Discussions were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed manually.

Community-based participatory research in disaster preparedness among linguistically isolated populations: a public health perspective.

Working with linguistically isolated immigrants on public health issues poses a set of methodological challenges unique to this population. We used community-based participatory research (CBPR) techniques to investigate the disaster preparedness needs of four linguistically isolated population groups in Houston, Texas (Vietnamese, Chinese, Somali, and Spanish-speaking) in partnership with community-based organizations and community researchers. As a local health department conducting CBPR, we witnessed various challenges, including: engaging and using interpreters versus using community researchers; translating focus group questions from English to other languages; recruiting participants from linguistically isolated populations; and handling issues of community power, data collection, and data reliability.