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 …

Factors Associated With The Process Of Adaptation Among Pakistani Adolescent Females Living In United States., Salma Khuwaja, Chiehwen Ed Hsu

Chiehwen Ed Hsu

This study explored post-migration experiences of recently migrated Pakistani Muslim adolescent females residing in the United States. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirty Pakistani Muslim adolescent females between the ages of 15 and 18 years living with their families in Houston, Texas. Data obtained from the interviews were evaluated using discourse analysis to identify major reoccurring themes. Participants discussed factors associated with the process of adaptation to the American culture. The results revealed that the main factors associated with adaptation process included positive motivation for migration, family bonding, social support networks, inter-familial communication, aspiration of adolescents to learn other …

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 …

Assessing The Needs And Guiding The Future: Findings From The Health Needs Assessment In 13 Asian American Communities Of Maryland In The United States, Sunmin Lee, Chiehwen Ed Hsu

Chiehwen Ed Hsu

There is lack of in depth data on health needs of diverse Asian American communities. We conducted 19 focus groups in 13 Asian American communities in Maryland in 2007. We developed a moderator’s guide to collect qualitative data on health needs from 174 participants, and used MAX QDA to analyze data and code emergent themes. Cardiovascular disease related conditions, diabetes, and mental health were the top three health concerns. Weight concerns, cancer, arthritis, smoking, osteoporosis, and hepatitis B followed next. Many participants were not receiving preventive health service such as cancer screening due to a lack of access to health …

What Made A Successful Hepatitis B Prevention Program: Educational Intervention, Infection Status, And Missing Responses Of At-Risk Asian Americans, Chiehwen Ed Hsu, Guangyu Zhang, Alice F Yan

Chiehwen Ed Hsu

Asian Americans, compared with other racial/ethnic groups, are disproportionately affected by Hepatitis B disease. The literature suggests that knowledge and awareness of prevention strategies such as receiving hepatitis B screening and vaccination are potential factors associated with occurrence of hepatitis B and liver cancer, while it is unclear how baseline characteristics relate to these effective hepatitis B prevention strategies. In the study, five Asian-American groups in the state of Maryland completed self-administered pre- and post-test after receiving lectures on hepatitis B prevention, and participated in blood screening for Hepatitis B. T-test and one-way ANOVA were used to explore the differences …

Reducing Liver Cancer Disparities - A Community-Based Hepatitis B Prevention Program For The Asian American Communities In Maryland, Chiehwen Ed Hsu

Chiehwen Ed Hsu

Objectives: Several Asian-American groups are at a higher risk of dying of liver diseases attributable to Hepatitis B infection. This culturally diverse community should be well informed of and protected against liver diseases. The present study assesses the knowledge of Hepatitis B before and after a Hepatitis B educational program and determines the infection status of an Asian community. Methods: Nine Asian communities of Montgomery County, Maryland enrolled in the Hepatitis B prevention program between Year 2005 and 2006. They attended culturally-tailored lectures on prevention, completed self administered pre-and-post tests, and received blood screening for the disease. Results: More than …

A Spatial-Temporal Approach To Surveillance Of Prostate Cancer Disparities In Population Subgroups, Chiehwen Ed Hsu

Chiehwen Ed Hsu

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 the …

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

Chiehwen Ed Hsu

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 …

The Association Between Income And Mortality In Texas And Taiwan - A Comparative Study Of Spatial Statistics., Chiehwen Hsu

Chiehwen Ed Hsu

Income effect on health has been established in the literature for decades. Research suggested that both income level and income inequality affect health, in opposite directions. This study examined income and spatial effect on mortality for both Texas and Taiwan. Measures of income inequality were computed for 1997, and all-cause mortality and cancer mortality for 1995-1998. In our study, ordinary least squares regression was first used to examine income effect on health, the D, I, C statistics were employed to detect spatial autocorrelation, and then linear spatial regression was used to adjust for the spatial effect. The results suggest that …