This issue of Salud Pública de México on Health Equity in the Americas focuses on research studies and interventions related to this broad topic that reaches across the diverse populations of the Americas. These papers have the particular purpose of disseminating evidence to promote and accelerate equity within the area of cancer prevention and control; they are the result of national and international collaborations between researchers and government and community organizations of the United States and Latin America.
This article provides an overview of international translation of health behavior interventions. The ideas expressed in this article serve to provide direction when developing a health behavior program for a host country, utilizing previous programmatic knowledge from elsewhere. First, the authors discuss constituents of country-level variables about which international translation might focus. Next, they suggest two general sorts of adaptations reflecting country-level differences: surface versus deep-level changes and language. Then, they highlight the importance and means of cooperation in international translation. Two examples of international translation protocols are presented.
Abstract: Social norms are an important predictor of health behavior and have been targeted by a variety of health communication campaigns. However, these campaigns often encounter challenges related to the socially specific context in which norms exist: specifically, the extent to which the target population identifies with the specific reference group depicted and the extent to which the target population believes the campaign's message. We argue that because of its capacity to effect identification among viewers, narrative communication is particularly appropriate for impacting social norms and, consequently, behavioral intention. This manuscript presents the results of a randomized trial testing the effectiveness of two films – one narrative, one non-narrative – in changing perceived social norms and behavioral intention regarding Pap testing to detect cervical cancer. Results of the study indicate that the narrative film was in fact more effective at producing positive changes in perceived norms and intention.
Purpose: This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of managers of Hispanic-occupied multiunit housing (MUH) related to the prevalence and prevention of secondhand smoke (SHS), thirdhand tobacco smoke, and secondhand marijuana smoke (SHMS). Methods: A narrative analysis was conducted of 20 interviews with live-in apartment managers. Their opinions on policies and an educational fotonovela were also gathered. Results: The properties were located in 10 cities within the Los Angeles County, representing a wide array of local policies and practices. Only two managers were correctly informed of the existing MUH smoking policies in their cities. Participants reported ambiguity in city laws and company rules regarding smoking. Managers do not distinguish between smoking recreational marijuana and medicinal marijuana. Several respondents believed the landlords have more power to create rules. Most favored a total ban on smoking of all substances on the premises. Conclusions: Most managers report low agency in being able to pass no-smoking rules. Participants support smoking policies that include all smokable products. Managers would like new government policies, manager trainings, tenant education, and ways to enforce rules to protect apartment tenants from SHS and SHMS. Educational interventions should coincide with the timing of key manager/tenant activities. Results can be used in policy development and educational interventions.
Purpose: This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of managers of Hispanic-occupied multiunit housing (MUH) related to the prevalence and prevention of secondhand smoke (SHS), thirdhand tobacco smoke, and secondhand marijuana smoke (SHMS). Methods: A narrative analysis was conducted of 20 interviews with live-in apartment managers. Their opinions on policies and an educational fotonovela were also gathered. Results: The properties were located in 10 cities within the Los Angeles County, representing a wide array of local policies and practices. Only two managers were correctly informed of the existing MUH smoking policies in their cities. Participants reported ambiguity in city laws and company rules regarding smoking. Managers do not distinguish between smoking recreational marijuana and medicinal marijuana. Several respondents believed the landlords have more power to create rules. Most favored a total ban on smoking of all substances on the premises. Conclusions: Most managers report low agency in being able to pass no-smoking rules. Participants support smoking policies that include all smokable products. Managers would like new government policies, manager trainings, tenant education, and ways to enforce rules to protect apartment tenants from SHS and SHMS. Educational interventions should coincide with the timing of key manager/tenant activities. Results can be used in policy development and educational interventions.
Purpose: Hispanic residents of multiunit housing (MUH) are disproportionately exposed to secondhand (SHS) and thirdhand tobacco smoke (THS) from neighboring apartment units and common areas. Comprehensive legislation and voluntary policies are needed to protect residents from smoke. We developed a culturally tailored bilingual fotonovela to educate Hispanic residents about SHS and THS and encourage them to talk to their neighbors and landlords about reducing smoke exposure. This article describes a randomized controlled trial of the fotonovela. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of the fotonovela on knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions about reducing smoke exposure. Methods: Hispanic MUH residents (N=403) completed a survey and were randomly assigned to receive the fotonovela, a text pamphlet, or no materials. They completed a follow-up survey 6 months later. Results: Among the entire sample, there were no significant differences across the three groups in knowledge or attitudes at follow-up. However, when the analyses were restricted to respondents who actually read part or all of the booklets (77% in the fotonovela group and 71% in the text pamphlet group), there were significant differences in two of the six outcome measures; those who read the fotonovela had higher scores on self-efficacy to talk to others about smoke and positive attitudes toward advocacy actions, relative to those who read the text pamphlet. Conclusion: Results indicate that a fotonovela can be an effective tool to empower Hispanic MUH residents to advocate for voluntary smokefree policies, but more efforts are needed to encourage residents to read the materials.
<p class="Pa7"><strong>Objective: </strong>Acculturation appears to be an important aspect of the association between ethnicity and disease, but it has not been explored in depth among childhood cancer survivors (CCS). The purpose of our study was to identify distinct acculturative profiles among Hispanic CCS and to assess differences in quality of life and depressive symptoms.</p><p class="Pa7"><strong>Design: </strong>Latent class analysis was used to identify distinct acculturative profiles using 9 indicator items reflecting Hispanic and Anglo cultural orientation. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to explore differences in depressive symptoms and quality of life between acculturation classes.</p><p class="Pa7"><strong>Setting and Participants: </strong>Participants were diagnosed in Los Angeles County, California, USA between 2000-2007 and were recruited for the study in 2009.</p><p class="Pa7"><strong>Main Outcome Measures: </strong>Center for Epidemiologic Studies depression scale and the PedsQL 4.0 quality of life scale.</p><p class="Pa7"><strong>Results: </strong>Three distinct acculturation classes emerged. All classes displayed a high probability of endorsing all Anglo orientation items. One class additionally demonstrated a high probability of endorsing all Hispanic orientation items and was labeled bicultural (40%); another demonstrated low probability of endorsing the Hispanic items so was labeled assimilated (32%); and the last demonstrated a high probability of endorsing only the Hispanic items related to language use and was labeled linguistically Hispanic/ culturally Anglo (LH) (28%).</p><p class="Pa8"><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The assimilated group had significantly more depressive symptoms and lower quality of life than the other two groups. This may indicate that loss of the Hispanic culture may be associated with poorer psychosocial health among CCS.</p><p class="Pa8"><em>Ethn Dis. </em>2018;28(1):55-60; doi:10.18865/ ed.28.1.55.</p>
The overall aim of this study is to examine vape shop business operations during COVID-19 among a cohort of 88 vape shops in the Greater Los Angeles area in Southern California, located in ethnically diverse communities. A total of six web- and/or phone-based assessments were conducted over a 12-week period (April 1, 2020-June 10, 2020), extending from the mandated closure of nonessential businesses (Stage 1; Assessments 1-3) to the reopening of nonessential sectors (Stage 2; Assessments 4-6), to evaluate business operations (open and closure statuses). The proportion of vape shops found to be noncompliant with the Governor's executive order (i.e., open) during Stage 1 gradually increased from 54 (61.4%) at Assessment 1 (week of April 1, 2020) to 58 (65.9%) at Assessment 3 (week of April 29, 2020). Moreover, vape shops located in Hispanic/Latino and Korean/Asian communities (vs. those in non-Hispanic White and African American communities) were more likely to stay open both during and after the shutdown at Assessments 1 and 6. More specifically, vape shops located in Hispanic/Latino communities were significantly more likely to offer walk-in service during Assessment 1 (during the shutdown), and vape shops in Hispanic/Latino and Korean/Asian were significantly more likely to offer walk-in service during Assessment 6 (after the re-opening). This study demonstrates high rates of noncompliance with shutdown orders among vape shops located in ethnic communities, thus suggesting higher contextual risk factors of COVID-19 exposure among certain ethnic communities.
