Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Integrating Health Literacy And Esl : An Interdisciplinary Curriculum For Hispanic Immigrants, Francisco Soto Mas

Francisco Soto Mas

Adult Hispanic immigrants are at a greater risk of experiencing the negative outcomes related to low health literacy, as they confront cultural and language barriers to the complex and predominately monolingual Englishbased U.S. health system. One approach that has the potential for simultaneously addressing the health, literacy, and language needs of Hispanics is the combination of health literacy and English as a second language (ESL) instruction. The purpose of the project was to evaluate the feasibility of using ESL instruction as a medium for improving health literacy among Hispanic immigrants. Objectives included the development, implementation, and evaluation of an interdisciplinary …

A Spatial-Temporal Approach To Surveillance Of Prostate Cancer Disparities In Population Subgroups, Chiehwen Hsu, Francisco Soto Mas, Jerry Miller, Ella Nkhoma

Francisco Soto Mas

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer mortality disparities exist among racial/ethnic groups in the United States, yet few studies have explored the spatiotemporal trend of the disease burden. To better understand mortality disparities by geographic regions over time, the present study analyzed the geographic variations of prostate cancer mortality by three Texas racial/ethnic groups over a 22-year period.

METHODS: The Spatial Scan Statistic developed by Kulldorff et al was used. Excess mortality was detected using scan windows of 50% and 90% of the study period and a spatial cluster size of 50% of the population at risk. Time trend was analyzed to examine …

Evaluating The Disparity Of Female Breast Cancer Mortality Among Racial Groups - A Spatiotemporal Analysis, Chiehwen Hsu, Holly Jacobson, Francisco Soto Mas

Francisco Soto Mas

Background The literature suggests that the distribution of female breast cancer mortality demonstrates spatial concentration. There remains a lack of studies on how the mortality burden may impact racial groups across space and over time. The present study evaluated the geographic variations in breast cancer mortality in Texas females according to three predominant racial groups (non-Hispanic White, Black, and Hispanic females) over a twelve-year period. It sought to clarify whether the spatiotemporal trend might place an uneven burden on particular racial groups, and whether the excess trend has persisted into the current decade. Methods The Spatial Scan Statistic was employed …

Surveillance Of The Colorectal Cancer Disparities Among Demographic Subgroups: A Spatial Analysis, Chiehwen Hsu, Francisco Soto Mas

Francisco Soto Mas

Objective: The literature suggests that colorectal cancer mortality in Texas is distributed inhomogeneously among specific demographic subgroups and in certain geographic regions over an extended period. To understand the extent of the demographic and geographic disparities, the present study examined colorectal cancer mortality in 15 demographic groups in Texas counties between 1990 and 2001. Methods: The Spatial Scan Statistic was used to assess the standardized mortality ratio, duration and age-adjusted rates of excess mortality, and their respective p-values for testing the null hypothesis of homogeneity of geographic and temporal distribution. Results: The study confirmed the excess mortality in some Texas …