Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Connecting Culturally And Spiritually To Healthy Eating: A Community Assessment With Native Hawaiians, Mary Frances Oneha, Joan Dodgson, Mabel Ho`Oipo Decambra, Carol Titcomb, Rachelle Enos, Sandie Morimoto-Ching

Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal

Many of the chronic illnesses disproportionately experienced by Native Hawaiians are directly related to poor diets and long-standing obesity beginning in childhood. We report on the findings of in-depth key informant interviews (N = 14) that took place in two Native Hawaiian communities as part of a larger, community-based participatory research study that included a community assessment through individual interviews and focused group discussions, and a pilot intervention targeting pregnant women, their infants, and families. Four categories emerged from the qualitative analysis of interview transcripts that described an understanding of “healthy eating”: family roles and responsibilities, aspects of community …

Assessing Feasibility And Readiness To Address Obesity Through Policy In American Indian Reservations, Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan, Gail Boe, Carolyn Noonan, Leslie Carroll, Dedra Buchwald

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The Institute of Medicine and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified policy and environmental strategies as critical to the prevention and control of obesity. However such strategies are rare in American Indian communities despite significant obesity-related disparities. Tribal policymaking processes differ by tribal nation and are often poorly understood by researchers and public health practitioners, hindering the dissemination, implementation, and successful scale-up of evidence-base obesity strategies in tribal communities. To address these gaps in knowledge we surveyed 138 diverse stakeholders in two American Indian reservations to assess the feasibility of and readiness to implement CDC-recommended obesity policy …

Reducing Disparities By Way Of A Cancer Disparities Research Training Program, Lee S. Caplan, Tabia H. Akintobi, Tandeca K. Gordon, Tiffany Zellner, Selina A. Smith, Daniel S. Blumenthal

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: For minority populations, there is a continuing disparity in the burden of death and illness from cancer. Research to address this disparity should be conducted by investigators who can best understand and address the needs of culturally diverse communities. However, minorities are under-represented in health-related research. The goal of this project was to develop and evaluate an approach to motivating and preparing master’s degree students for careers dedicated to cancer disparities research.

Method: A Cancer Disparities Research Training Program (CDRTP) was initiated in 2010. The program consists of coursework, practicum experiences, and research opportunities. Assessment of the curriculum is …

Brighter Sights: Using Photovoice For A Process Evaluation Of A Food Co-Op Style Nutrition Intervention, Margaret P. Raber, Kimberly Kay Lopez, Mike Pomeroy, Avni Mody, Christine Markham, Shreela V. Sharma

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Access to healthy food is a critical factor impacting childhood obesity. Brighter Bites is a school-based program that addresses the issue of fresh food access among low-income families living in food deserts using a food co-op model. The aim of this study is to evaluate initial parent participant reactions to the ongoing Brighter Bites program using Photovoice. A predominately Hispanic, economically disadvantaged, urban school was chosen as the site for the Photovoice project. A total of seven Brighter Bites parent participants were enrolled and six completed the study. The participants developed research questions, took documentary photographs, completed a group analysis …

Feasibility Of A Community-Based Sickle Cell Trait Testing And Counseling Program, Ashley Housten, Regina Abel, Terianne Lindsey, Allison King

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Sickle cell trait (SCT) screening is required at birth in the United States; however, adults rarely know their SCT status prior to having children.

Purpose: Assess feasibility of a community-based SCT education and testing intervention.

Methods: Participants were recruited from eight community sites to complete an educational program and offered a hemoglobin analysis. A genetic counselor met individually with participants to discuss lab results.

Results: Between July 14, 2010 and May 31, 2012, 637 participants completed the educational program. Five hundred seventy (89.5%) provided a blood sample, and 61 (10.9%) had SCT or other hemoglobinopathies. The genetic counselor met …

Development Of A Capacity Building Program For Village Health Volunteers To Support Self-Management In A High Risk Population For Diabetes In A Rural Community In Northeast Thailand, Pakinee Srisarakham, Kwanjai Amnatsatsue, Patcharaporn Kerdmongkol, Prasit Leerapan

Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal

Similar to other parts of the world, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the Asia-Pacific Region has rapidly increased during the last few decades. The purposes of this pilot study were to determine the feasibility and the effects of a capacity building program for Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) to support self-management in a T2DM high risk population from a rural subdistrict in Northeast Thailand. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using surveys, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed and used to develop a 12-week capacity building program for VHVs. This program was then …

Physical Activity Among Older American Indians And Alaska Natives, David Hodgins, Linda Larkey, Barbara E. Ainsworth, Colleen Keller

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: Life style behaviors contribute to poor health among older Americans Indians/Alaska Native (AI/AN) in the United States, with low levels of physical activity (PA) particularly tied to the chronic disease profile of this population. Searched reviews of physical activity among AI/ANs are limited in assessing prevalence and correlates to PA among older adults > 40 years.

Methods: A literature search of reported physical activity studies among older AI/AN was assessed for prevalence and predictive factors associated with levels of physical activity.

Results: Fourteen studies were included in this review that either specifically quantified the amount of physical activity among older …

Blood Pressure Control For African American Parents And Children: Feasibility And Initial Outcomes Of A Faith-Based Intervention Pilot Study, Penny A. Ralston Ph.D., Tammye Farmer M.S., Iris Young-Clark Ph.D., Catherine Coccia Ph.D., R.D.

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The overall purpose was to determine the feasibility and initial outcomes of a faith-based intervention to improve blood pressure (BP) control in African American (AA) parents/guardians and their children, using a pre/post without control group design. Sample included AA parents and children (n=17) from three churches in North Florida. Health behaviors (daily servings of fruits/vegetables [F/V], minutes of physical activity [PA]) and physical health (BMI, systolic BP and diastolic SB) were examined. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and correlations. Feasibility outcomes showed high attendance (91% children, 88% parents) and completion (100%) rates. F/V significantly increased at post-test …

Responsible Consumption Of Gambling: Results From A Survey Of Experts, Nerilee Hing, Alex M.T. Russell

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Consumers are now advised to “gamble responsibly” and to adopt a range of responsible gambling (RG) consumption strategies, such as setting time and expenditure limits, taking frequent breaks, and balancing gambling with other activities. However, it is unclear whether RG consumption strategies are aimed at non-problem and low-risk gamblers as a harm prevention strategy, higher-risk gamblers as a harm minimization strategy, or problem gamblers as a means to address their gambling problem. Indeed, conceptual developments in RG consumption are in their infancy and agreed definitions, principles, goals and behaviors are lacking.

This paper presents findings from an expert survey conducted …

Childhood Health Status And Adulthood Cardiovascular Disease Morbidity In Rural China: Are They Related?, Qing Wang, Jay Shen

Public Health Faculty Publications

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are among the top health problems of the Chinese population. Although mounting evidence suggests that early childhood health status has an enduring effect on late life chronic morbidity, no study so far has analyzed the issue in China. Using nationally representative data from the 2013 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a Probit model and Two-Stage Residual Inclusion estimation estimator were applied to analyze the relationship between childhood health status and adulthood cardiovascular disease in rural China. Good childhood health was associated with reduced risk of adult CVDs. Given the long-term effects of childhood health on …

An Examination Of Early Colorectal Cancer Screening Guidelines For African Americans: Hints From The Hints Data, Torhonda C. Lee, Arlesia L. Mathis, Matthew T. Dutton

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Despite the overall gains in reducing colorectal cancer (CRC) deaths due to the increase in screening, minority racial/ethnic groups who have disparately higher rates of death compared to Whites, also have disproportionately lower screening rates. Patient-provider communication about screening has a strong influence on the uptake of screening. In much the same way that gradual impact was made after the 1996 implementation of guidelines recommending screening starting at age 50 for those at average risk, it may be expected that the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) guidelines suggesting screening start at 45 for Blacks combined with a recent …

Community-Engagement To Support Cardiovascular Disease Prevention In Disparities Populations: Three Case Studies, Deborah C. Glik, Mienah Zulfacar Sharif, Katherine L. Tucker, Shirley A. Tejada, Michael L. Prelip, Alice S. Ammerman, Thomas C. Keyserling, Shioban E. Torres, Stephanie Jilcott Pitts

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in the United States, and are characterized by socioeconomic, geographic, ethnic, and gender disparities in risk, morbidity and mortality. In response, public health efforts have moved beyond approaches focusing on individual-level behavior change toward culturally appropriate community-focused efforts. In specific, engagement of community partners is now recognized as essential to facilitate changes at multiple levels to improve cardiovascular disease outcomes.

This paper shares lessons learned to deepen appreciation for the unique challenges community-engagement in health disparities research entails, including variations in practice, time commitment, and complexity. This paper presents three case studies …

Sex Disparities In Access To Acute Stroke Care: Can Telemedicine Mitigate This Effect?, Catherine Wolff, Amelia K. Boehme, Karen Albright, Tzu-Ching Wu, Michael Mullen, Sean Savitz, Charles Branas, James Grotta, Brendan Carr

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Women have more frequent and severe ischemic strokes than men, and are less likely to receive treatment for acute stroke. Primary stroke centers (PSCs) have been shown to utilize treatment more frequently. Further, as telemedicine (TM) has expanded access to acute stroke care we sought to investigate the association between PSC, TM and access to acute stroke care in the state of Texas.

Methods: Texas hospitals and resources were identified from the 2009 American Hospital Association Annual Survey. Hospitals were categorized as: (1) stand-alone PSCs not using telemedicine for acute stroke care, (2) PSCs using telemedicine for acute stroke …

The Construct And Predictive Validity Of Psychosocial Correlates Of Television Viewing, Raheem Paxton, Pascal Jean-Pierre, Saehwan Park, Yong Gao Dr., Stephen Herrmann, G J. Norman

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Many studies have examined the consequences of prolonged television viewing, but few studies have examined the psychological states that contribute to this behavior. In this study, we evaluated the construct and predictive validity of psychosocial correlates of television viewing in a population of African American (AA) breast cancer survivors (BCS).

Methods: AA BCS (N = 342, Mean age = 54 years) completed measures of decisional balance, self-efficacy, family support, and time spent watching television online. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) was used to examine the construct and predictive validity as well as the differential item functioning of the instruments …