Addressing Susceptibility to Non-Prescription Substances for Weight Loss Among Immigrant Hispanic College Students: A Pilot Study.

Non-prescription weight loss substances, such as supplements and herbal remedies, can be harmful. Hispanic immigrant students may be highly susceptible to these substances, especially those advertised on social media. This study was a feasibility/acceptability pilot trial of an intervention to reduce this susceptibility. Latino or Hispanic immigrant students aged 18-35 were randomized to receive either a single-session, culturally tailored online intervention (Redes Sociales Para la Salud), or a dose-matched intervention focused on general support for immigrant students (Immigrant Support). Following the intervention, participants answered quantitative and open-ended questions about intervention satisfaction, and completed measures of susceptibility to non-prescription weight loss substances. Participants additionally completed measures of social media use and social norm perceptions. Fifty-five participants enrolled in the study, and 32 had primary outcome data. Participants were majority female (62.5%) and graduate students (81.3%) with a mean BMI of 24.6 ± 3.5 kg/m2. Ratings of intervention satisfaction were moderate (3.5-3.7 out of 5). In open-ended questions, participants identified areas of high satisfaction (cultural appropriateness, learning new information) and suggested improvements (increase interactivity, improve presentation appearance). Considering signal of an effect, participant ratings indicated that susceptibility to non-prescription weight loss substances was lower after Redes Sociales Para la Salud compared to the control intervention. In exploratory analyses, susceptibility to non-prescription weight loss substances was positively associated with extent of social media use (r = 0.41-0.46) and social norms about use of these substances (r = 0.38). With additional refinement, the Redes Sociales Para la Salud has promise for addressing susceptibility to non-prescription weight loss substances.

Reassessing Established Assumptions of Dietary Habits in the USA in the Context of Migration and Acculturation: a Qualitative Study of Latino Immigrants.

INTRODUCTION: The growing prevalence of obesity in the USA disproportionately affects Latinos compared to non-Latino Whites. Immigration and acculturation have been associated with unhealthy dietary shifts among Latino immigrants, a phenomenon known as dietary acculturation. Emerging evidence points to a more nuanced relationship between dietary habits, immigration, and acculturation, highlighting the need for a more current comprehension of dietary acculturation. OBJECTIVE: We explored how Latino immigrants' experiences in migrating to the USA have affected their perceived dietary habits and their experiences of how supportive the USA is in establishing healthy practices compared to their native country. METHODS: Employing a descriptive qualitative study design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 Latinos who had participated in a lifestyle change program between 2016 and 2019. We used thematic analysis to analyze the data and report emerging themes. RESULTS: Participants expressed divergent perceptions of their dietary habits post-immigration. Some affirmed prevailing assumptions of dietary acculturation, citing deteriorating diet quality in the USA in the context of a faster pace of life, healthier options in the native country, and shifts in the food environment that prevented access to healthy foods. Conversely, others held opposing views, attributing their perceived improved diet to unhealthy dietary habits in Latin America, coupled with increased access to and affordability of healthy foods in the USA. CONCLUSION: Our study contributes to the evolving understanding of dietary acculturation among Latino immigrants and provides a more nuanced and updated understanding of this process that reflects their current experiences in acculturating to the USA.

The Relative Influence of Perceived Immigration Laws and Consequences on HIV Testing Among US Latino Immigrants.

The CDC recommends that persons aged 13-64 receive an HIV test at least once in their lifetime and that some groups test annually or more frequently. Nearly one-half of US Latino immigrants have never been tested for HIV. To the extent that immigration-related laws deter documented and undocumented immigrants from engaging in communicable disease control measures, these laws undermine public health efforts. 1750 noncitizen adult, sexually active, Spanish-speaking Latino immigrants across four cities in the US completed a cross-sectional survey assessing perceptions of immigration-related laws and immigration consequences related to HIV testing and diagnosis. Participants were recruited in-person by staff in community settings, through flyers posted in places frequented by Latino immigrants, and by word-of-mouth through snowball sampling. Outcomes were whether participants had ever received an HIV test and whether they tested in the previous 12 months. Multivariable analyses examined the relative contribution of perceived immigration laws and consequences on HIV testing behaviors when considering established predictors of HIV testing. Perceptions of HIV-related immigration laws and immigration consequences was a significant predictor of never having had an HIV test even when considered relative to common predictors of HIV testing. The influence of perceived immigration laws and consequences on testing in the previous 12 months was not significant in multivariable analysis. Perceived HIV-related immigration laws and consequences appear to be a substantial contributor to reluctance to be tested for HIV among Latino immigrants who have never been tested. Effective interventions should be developed to address these.

RESUMEN: El CDC recomienda que las personas de 13 a 64 años se hagan una prueba del VIH al menos una vez en la vida y que algunos grupos se hagan la prueba anualmente o con mayor frecuencia. Casi la mitad de los inmigrantes latinos de los Estados Unidos nunca se han hecho la prueba del VIH. En la medida en que las leyes relacionadas con la inmigración disuadan a los inmigrantes documentados e indocumentados de participar en medidas de control de enfermedades transmisibles, estas leyes socavan los esfuerzos de salud pública. 1750 inmigrantes latinos adultos no ciudadanos, sexualmente activos y de habla hispana en cuatro ciudades de EE. UU. completaron una encuesta transversal que evaluó las percepciones de las leyes relacionadas con la inmigración y de las consecuencias de la inmigración relacionadas con las pruebas y el diagnóstico del VIH. Los participantes fueron reclutados en persona en contextos comunitarios, a través de volantes publicados en lugares frecuentados por inmigrantes latinos y de boca en boca a través de muestras de bola de nieve. Las variables dependientes fueron si los participantes se habían hecho una prueba del VIH alguna vez y si se habían hecho la prueba en los últimos 12 meses. Los análisis multivariados examinaron la contribución relativa de la percepción de las leyes de inmigración y de las consecuencias de inmigración sobre los comportamientos relativo a las pruebas del VIH, controlando por predictores conocidos de las pruebas del VIH. Las percepciones de las leyes de inmigración relacionadas con el VIH y las consecuencias de la inmigración fueron un predictor significativo de nunca haberse realizado una prueba del VIH, aun considerando los predictores comunes de la prueba del VIH. La influencia de la percepción de las leyes de inmigración y de las consecuencias de la inmigración sobre la prueba en los últimos 12 meses no fue significativa en el análisis multivariado. Las leyes de inmigración y las consecuencias percibidas relacionadas con el VIH parecen contribuir sustancialmente a la renuencia a hacerse la prueba del VIH entre los inmigrantes latinos que nunca se han hecho la prueba. Deben desarrollarse intervenciones efectivas para abordar esta renuencia.

Heterogeneity in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Latino Immigrant Subgroups: Evidence From the 2010 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey.

Background The Latino population is a growing and diverse share of the US population. Previous studies have examined Latino immigrants as a homogenous group. The authors hypothesized that there would be heterogeneity in cardiovascular disease risk factors among Latino immigrant subgroups (from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Central America, or South America) compared with non-Latino White adults. Methods and Results A cross-sectional analysis of the 2010 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) among 548 739 individuals was performed. Generalized linear models with Poisson distribution were fitted to compare the prevalence of self-reported hypertension, overweight/obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, physical inactivity, and current smoking, adjusting for known confounders. The authors included 474 968 non-Latino White adults and 73 771 Latino immigrants from Mexico (59%), Puerto Rico (7%), Cuba (6%), Dominican Republic (5%), Central America (15%), and South America (9%). Compared with White adults, Mexican immigrants had the highest prevalence of overweight/obesity (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.17 [95% CI, 1.15-1.19]); Puerto Rican individuals had the highest prevalence of diabetes (PR, 1.63 [95% CI, 1.45-1.83]); individuals from Central America had the highest prevalence of high cholesterol (PR, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.04-1.28]); and individuals from the Dominican Republic had the highest prevalence of physical inactivity (PR, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.18-1.32]). All Latino immigrant subgroups were less likely to be smokers than White adults. Conclusions The authors observed advantages and disparities in cardiovascular disease risk factors among Latino immigrants. Aggregating data on Latino individuals may mask differences in cardiovascular disease risk and hinder efforts to reduce health disparities in this population. Study findings provide Latino group-specific actionable information and targets for improving cardiovascular health.

A characterization of pre- to post-immigration alcohol use among recent Latino immigrants to the United States before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Although Latino immigrants to the United States tend to display a gradual increase in alcohol use after immigration, such escalation may not generalize to all Latino/a groups. This study examines patterns of alcohol use shown by recent Latino immigrants (RLIs) to Miami/Dade County (MDC), Florida covering a period from pre-immigration to the first two years after immigration. Differences in alcohol use prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic were also assessed. METHODS: Data came from an on-going longitudinal study of 540 young adult (50% female) RLIs. Inclusion criteria were age 18 to 34, residing in MDC and having immigrated from a Latin American country within the past year. Respondent-driven sampling was the primary recruitment strategy. RESULTS: Recent Latino immigrants reported a decline in alcohol use from before immigration (18.3 drinks per month, d/m) to the first (13.9 d/m), and second years (10.4 d/m before and 12.9 d/m during the pandemic lockdown) in MDC. The decline, which was moderated by RLIs' sex and legal residency status, was halted by the pandemic lockdown. While "to celebrate" was the most often cited reason for drinking, "to forget" was often cited during the lockdown. CONCLUSIONS: The noted decrease in alcohol use since immigration may reflect the unique array of support and resources available to RLIs in MDC. Nevertheless, some RLIs increased their alcohol use over time, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This disparate impact of the pandemic on alcohol use calls attention to the need to identify the most vulnerable RLIs to MDC and develop targeted interventions for them.

Early trajectories of cigarette and ENDS use among young adult recent Latino immigrants to U.S.

Background: Recent Latino immigrants (RLIs) to the U.S. have shown high smoking rates during their first year since arrival, raising concern about future escalation of tobacco use.Objective: To examine trajectories of cigarette and Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use among RLIs from pre-immigration (T0) through their first (T1) and second (T2) year in the U.S.Methods: Data originated from a longitudinal study of 540 (50% females) RLIs aged 18-34. Inclusion criteria was residing in Miami/Dade County (MDC), and having immigrated from a Latin American country within the past year. Trajectories were identified by using the Proc Traj procedure (SAS©, v 9.4).Results: Rates of cigarette use per month declined from 11.8 days/month in T0 to 4.9 d/m in T2. Rates for ENDS use however, increased from T0 (1.1 d/m) to T1 (1.8 d/m) and then lowered back to 0.9 d/m in T2. Four separate cigarette and e-cigarette use trajectories were identified. Only one of them showed increase in cigarette (10.6% of RLIs), and ENDS use (4.5% of RLIs). Being male, and not completing high school were significant factors in explaining smoking trajectories. Being younger than 30 years old was largely associated with ENDS use. No evidence of a substitution effect between cigarette and ENDS use was found.Discussion/Conclusions: Interventions to discourage tobacco use among Latino immigrants should begin early in the immigration process, aimed to preserve initial reductions and dissuade those at risk of increased tobacco use overtime.

Vales+Tú: a cluster-randomized pilot study to reduce workplace injuries among US Latino day laborers.

Latino day laborers (LDL) are a vulnerable population of workers facing considerable risk for occupational injury. Under the guidance of our Community Advisory Board, we developed and tested the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effects of Vales+Tú (You Are Worth More), a workplace injury risk-reduction program implemented by promotores on street-corners where LDL seek employment. The program was informed by theoretical perspectives emphasizing individual and group agency and self-determination. A pilot three-arm cluster-randomized community trial was conducted among 75 LDL. The intervention arms consisted of an individualized Brief Motivational Interview, a Group Problem Solving activity and a standard of care control (OSHA safety cards). We met our study goal of 25 LDL per intervention arm, and contacted 88% of participants post intervention. Participants evaluated the interventions favorably. At post-test, the Brief Motivational Interview group reported significant reductions in exposure to workplace hazards and increases in risk-reduction practices. The Group Problem Solving participants showed significant reductions in exposure to hazards (t-test -4.16, p < 0.001). Both intervention groups increased their reliance on corner peers, a measure of social support. Standard of care participants increased in self-efficacy to work safely. Overall, the only significant different between the three study conditions was in self-efficacy. These findings provide evidence of the feasibility and acceptability of Vales+Tú and show preliminary program efficacy. A large-scale replication trial will permit a more formal modeling of the study findings. Clinical Trial Registration (ClinicalTrials.gov): NCT04378348.

This pilot-randomized trial tested the feasibility and initial efficacy of an injury risk-reduction program among Latino day laborers (LDL). The study tested two alternative interventions consisting of a Brief Motivational Interview (Individual) and a Group Problem Solving (Group) conditions that were compared with a Standard-of-Care control group receiving safety cards. We then tested the extent to which the study conditions reduced exposure to workplace hazards and increased safety practices at work. Results indicate that intervening at day labor corners is a feasible intervention strategy acceptable to these immigrant workers. Initial results also indicate that there were multiple within-group significant differences in risk reduction, mostly in the individual condition, and that there was one significant between-group difference in safety self-efficacy at post-test. A larger more rigorous trial can further test the stability of these results and determine the extent to which these intervention approaches can reduce the risk for injury that LDL confront at work.

Provider perceptions of availability, accessibility, and adequacy of health and behavioral services for Latino immigrants in Philadelphia: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: Latino populations in the United States are disproportionately affected by substance use, HIV/AIDS, violence, and mental health issues (SAVAME). A growing body of evidence demonstrates the syndemic nature of SAVAME and the need for integrated strategies to reduce their impact. This study sought to understand the network of SAVAME services for Latino immigrants in Philadelphia to inform future interventions for SAVAME prevention and mitigation. METHODOLOGY: Key informant interviews (N = 30) were conducted with providers working in Latino-serving organizations providing SAVAME services. Interviews were analyzed using thematic coding and grounded theory. RESULTS: Latino-serving providers perceived a large need for, and important limitations in the availability, accessibility, and adequacy of SAVAME services for Latino immigrants. Gaps were seen as especially acute for mental health and substance use services, partly because of insufficient funding for these services. Latino immigrants' lack of health insurance, immigration status, limited English proficiency (LEP), stigma surrounding SAVAME issues, and limited knowledge of available services were identified as significant barriers preventing access to services. Providers noted that scarcity of well-trained, culturally competent, and ethnically concordant providers reduced the adequacy of SAVAME services for Latino immigrant clients. The small size, low levels of infrastructure, and limited capacity were reported as additional factors limiting the ability of many Latino-serving organizations to adopt a syndemic approach in the prevention and treatment of SAVAME services. CONCLUSIONS: The results call for changes in the structure of funding streams and communitywide strategies to foster collaboration across SAVAME providers working with Latino immigrant clients.

Rural Household Food Insecurity among Latino Immigrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

U.S. food insecurity rates rapidly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, with disproportionate impacts on Latino immigrant households. We conducted a qualitative study to investigate how household food environments of rural Latino immigrants were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thirty-one respondents (42% from low food security households) completed interviews (July 2020-April 2021) across four rural counties in California. A rural household food security conceptual framework was used to analyze the data. Early in the pandemic, food availability was impacted by school closures and the increased consumption of meals/snacks at home; food access was impacted by reduced incomes. Barriers to access included limited transportation, excess distance, and lack of convenience. Key resources for mitigating food insecurity were the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT), school meals, charitable food programs, and social capital, although the adequacy and acceptability of charitable food distributions were noted issues. Respondents expressed concern about legal status, stigma, and the public charge rule when discussing barriers to government nutrition assistance programs. They reported that food pantries and P-EBT had fewer access barriers. Positive coping strategies included health-promoting food substitutions and the reduced consumption of meals outside the home. Results can inform the development of policy and systems interventions to decrease food insecurity and nutrition-related health disparities among rural Latino immigrants.

Latino Immigrant Service Provision in Tennessee and Georgia: Provider Perceptions.

Latinos and Latino immigrants are increasingly settling in new immigrant destinations, such as Tennessee and Georgia, that have historically lacked sufficient infrastructure for delivery of culturally and linguistically competent health and social services. This cross-sectional survey study was designed to assess providers' (n = 109) perspectives of the service provision landscape in each state. Descriptive analyses and t-tests (by state) were conducted to explore service concerns, access barriers, and organizational capacity to address concerns and barriers. Among most prevalently reported concerns were income/wages and fear of deportation. Key access barriers included language, lack of driver's license and insurance, and fear of deportation. Most (63%) organizations had sufficient Spanish language proficiency, though building trust was a notable barrier within 58% of organizations. Results provide meaningful data to inform existing strengths and service gaps in two exclusionary policy states. Future research should include perspectives of Latino community members.

Undocumented Older Latino Immigrants in the United States: Population Projections and Share of Older Undocumented Latinos by Health Insurance Coverage and Chronic Health Conditions, 2018-2038.

OBJECTIVES: This article focuses on the older Latino undocumented population and anticipates how their current demographic characteristics and health insurance coverage might affect future population size and health insurance trends. METHODS: We use the 2013-2018 American Community Survey as a baseline to project growth in the Latino 55 and older undocumented population over the next 20 years. We use the cohort component method to estimate population size across different migration scenarios and distinguish between aging in place and new immigration. We also examine contemporary health insurance coverage and chronic health conditions among 55 and older undocumented Latinos from the 2003-2014 California Health Interview Survey. We then project health insurance rates in 2038 among Latino immigrants under different migration and policy scenarios. RESULTS: If current mortality, migration, and policy trends continue, projections estimate that 40% of undocumented Latino immigrants will be 55 years or older by 2038-nearly all of whom will have aged in place. Currently, 40% of older Latino undocumented immigrants do not have insurance. Without policies that increase access to insurance, projections estimate that the share who are uninsured among all older Latinos immigrants will rise from 15% to 21%, and the share who is both uninsured and living with a chronic health condition will rise from 5% to 9%. DISCUSSION: Without access to health care, older undocumented immigrants may experience delayed care and more severe morbidity. Our projections highlight the need to develop and enact policies that can address impending health access concerns for an increasingly older undocumented Latino population.

Racial/Ethnic Group Differences and Sociocultural Factors Associated With Implicit and Explicit Attitudes Toward Undocumented Latino Immigrants.

In the context of recent policies aimed at deterring immigration and criminalizing undocumented Latino immigrants, we examined factors predicting implicit and explicit attitudes toward this population. We hypothesized that more positive implicit and explicit attitudes toward undocumented Latino immigrants would be displayed by Latinxs (compared to non-Hispanic Whites) and by individuals having personal connections to undocumented immigrants or a high level of intercultural sensitivity. Latinx (n = 376) and non-Hispanic White (n = 214) college students (70% female, M age = 21) participated in this cross-sectional study and completed two Implicit Association Tests and measures of explicit attitudes, personal connections, and intercultural sensitivity. As predicted, Latinx participants held more positive implicit and explicit attitudes than non-Hispanic White participants. Intercultural sensitivity and personal connections to undocumented immigrants were associated with more positive explicit attitudes. Identifying factors that increase a sense of commonality and cultural sensitivity with undocumented Latino immigrants may be helpful in diminishing the profiling and criminalization of this community.

The Influence of Social Class on Family Participation in Children's Education: A Case Study / La Influencia de la Clase Social Sobre la Participación Familiar en la Educación de los Niños: Un Estudio de Caso

Abstract Parental involvement in children's education is commonly accepted as beneficial. However, family social class plays a crucial role in the efficacy of homework help. In a comparative case study, a low-income immigrant family from Mexico and a middle-income family in Los Angeles were observed helping their children with math homework and were asked questions about goals, tutoring strategies, and beliefs about learning. Qualitative analysis focused on two effective teaching methods: scaffolding and productive struggle. The low-income mother with little formal education provided direct help rather than a scaffold, and disapproved of hard problems. However, an older sibling with more education than her mother used scaffolding and believed that difficult problems aid learning. In these respects, she resembled the college-educated middle-income mother. The sister exemplifies how older siblings in immigrant families provide bridges to educational achievement for younger siblings. We suggest effective ways for schools to involve parents who lacked educational opportunity themselves to participate in the education of their children.

Resumen La participación de los padres en la educación de sus niños es establecida como beneficiosa. Sin embargo, la clase social de la familia tiene una fuerte influencia sobre la eficacia de su ayuda con las tareas. En un estudio de caso comparativo, una familia inmigrante de México, de bajos ingresos, y una familia de Los Ángeles, de medianos ingresos, fueron observadas ayudando a sus niñas con deberes en matemáticas. Además, el investigador hizo preguntas sobre metas, estrategias de enseñanza y creencias sobre el aprendizaje. El análisis cualitativo se centró en dos métodos efectivos de enseñanza: proporcionar el aprendizaje de manera de andamio y estimular la lucha productiva. La madre de ingresos bajos proporcionó apoyo directo a su hija en lugar de proporcionar un andamio, y ella desaprobó los problemas difíciles; sin embargo, una hermana mayor con más educación que la madre proporcionó un andamio y creyó que los problemas difíciles ayudan al aprendizaje. En estos aspectos, la hermana mayor era similar a la madre de ingresos medios con educación universitaria. La hermana demuestra cómo hermanos mayores en las familias inmigrantes proporcionan puentes al éxito educativo para los hermanos menores. Sugerimos modos efectivos para que las escuelas puedan alentar a los padres con falta de oportunidades educativas a participar en la educación de sus hijos.

Structural Racism and Immigrant Health: Exploring the Association Between Wage Theft, Mental Health, and Injury among Latino Day Laborers.

Background: Although wage theft has been discussed primarily as a labor and human rights issue, it can be conceptualized as an issue of structural racism with important consequences for immigrant health. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to: 1) identify sociodemographic, employment, and stress-related characteristics that increase Latino day laborers' odds of experiencing wage theft; 2) assess the association between wage theft and serious work-related injury; 3) assess the association between wage theft and three indicators of mental health-depression, social isolation, and alcohol use-as a function of wage theft; and 4) assess serious work-related injury as a function of wage theft controlling for mental health. Methods: Secondary data analyses were based on survey data collected from 331 Latino day laborers between November 2013 and July 2014. Regression analyses were conducted to test the relationships described above. Results: Approximately 25% of participants reported experiencing wage theft and 20% reported serious work-related injury. Wage theft was associated with working in construction and was initially associated with work-related injury. Wage theft was not significantly associated with mental health indicators. The association between wage theft and injury became non-significant when controlling for the mental health variables. Conclusions: The hardship and stress associated with wage theft incidents may ultimately lead to more frequent injury. Although we expected an association of wage theft with mental health, we found vulnerability to physical health as indicated by injury incidents. Thus, our basic premise was partially supported: wage theft may act as a stressor that stems from conditions, in part, reflecting structural racism, making workers vulnerable to poorer health.

Re-evaluating intergroup dynamics in the South: Racial attitudes among Latino immigrants in Durham, NC.

Racial attitudes have long been studied for their salience to inter-group relations and the insight they provide into the nature of ethno-racial hierarchies. While research on racial attitudes among Latinos, now the largest minority group in the United States, has grown in recent decades, critical gaps remain. As such, this paper explores Latino immigrants' attitudes toward Whites, Blacks, and other Latinos across multiple dimensions, including perceived affluence, intelligence, cultural behaviors, and receptivity to contact. We examine cross-group and cross-dimension variation in attitudes in order to evaluate key theories in the literature on racial attitudes, including the effects of socio-demographic factors, social contact, perceived threat, and forms of insecurity. Overall, Latino attitudes do not neatly subscribe to White superiority across dimensions, as they perceive differences in intelligence to be more modest than those in affluence, and rate their own cultural behaviors above those of Whites. Increased contact is associated with more positive views toward Blacks, but more negative views toward Whites and to a lesser extent, other Latinos. Perceived threat results in lower evaluations of all groups, whereas greater insecurity results in negative attitudes toward Whites and Blacks, but appears to push Latinos closer to their own group. Overall, results suggest that among immigrant Latinos, greater integration and social contact reduce White supremacy, rather than simply improving attitudes towards all out-groups, but that the softening of anti-Black prejudice is undermined by perceived vulnerability to crime and anti-immigrant forces.

English use/proficiency, ethnic discrimination, and alcohol use disorder in Hispanic immigrants.

PURPOSE: Acculturation-related measures, often based on language, have traditionally been identified as predictors of drinking outcomes for US Hispanics. However, a sole focus on acculturation may obscure the role of societal factors such as discrimination. The present study evaluated ethnic discrimination as a mediator in the relationship between English use/proficiency and alcohol use disorder in US Hispanic immigrants. METHODS: The study examined data from the 2222 self-identified Hispanic immigrant adults in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III who reported alcohol use within the past year. The study utilized multivariable binomial logistic regression analyses to test relationships between English use/proficiency and perceived ethnic discrimination; English use/proficiency and DSM-5 alcohol use disorder; ethnic discrimination and DSM-5 alcohol use disorder. Statistical mediation examined ethnic discrimination as a mediator in the relationship between English use/proficiency and alcohol use disorder. RESULTS: Perceived ethnic discrimination was significantly associated with alcohol use disorder in men (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.99; 95% CI [confidence interval], 1.40-2.83), yet not women (AOR 1.32; 95% CI, 0.71-2.44), in a regression model that also included English use/proficiency. Perceived ethnic discrimination also acted as a partial mediator between English use/proficiency and DSM-5 alcohol use disorder for male, yet not female, Hispanic immigrants. CONCLUSION: Findings show some support for the notion that experiences of ethnic discrimination, which may accompany the process of acculturation, partially explain deteriorating drinking outcomes in Hispanic immigrant men adapting to life in the US.

"They Dumped Me Like Trash": The Social and Psychological Toll of Victimization on Latino Day Laborers' Lives.

Although recent rhetoric links undocumented immigrants to criminality, reports indicate undocumented immigrants commit less crime than their native-born counterparts and that this vulnerable group may be at increased risk for criminal victimization. Immigrants living in new immigrant settlement cities may be particularly at risk for exposure to criminal victimization due to the vulnerabilities associated with a lack of an established Latino community and limited availability of culturally appropriate social services to provide support. This ethnographic study examines the experiences of victimization and its social and psychological toll of a street-recruited sample of Latino day laborers (LDLs) (N = 25) living and working in Baltimore, a new immigrant settlement city. Findings elucidate and describe the specific types of victimization experienced by LDLs, including workplace victimization (wage theft, abandonment at the jobsite, poor working conditions, verbal abuse) and street-level victimization (assault and robbery), as well as reveal the social and psychological toll of victimization (sociocultural alienation, despair or desesperación, and problem drinking) on their lives. Findings have implications for community psychology, through research and practice, as they provide insights for prevention and intervention within the intersection of structural vulnerability (i.e., undocumented immigration status), violence, and mental health.

Outcomes from a Male-to-Male Promotores Intervention in an Emerging Latino Community.

Emerging Latino communities experience social isolation and lack services tailored to their culture. Few male-to-male promotores (community health workers in Spanish) interventions exist. This 6-month participatory study aimed to improve social support, healthcare access, depressive symptoms, and decrease alcohol consumption among Latino immigrant men. Promotores delivered non-directive social support to participants recruited from community venues. We analyzed baseline and 6-month questionnaires data (n = 89) using paired chi square tests. All participants were immigrants; 47% had not finished high school, 29% had depression symptoms, 35% reported past month binge drinking and 93% were uninsured. The intervention significantly improved having a usual source of care (24 to 43%), doctor's visits (41 to 62%) and dentist's visits (27 to 42%) in the past year. Other outcomes did not improve. Male promotores increased healthcare access among vulnerable Latino men. Addressing drinking behavior and depression may require longer interventions or specialized providers.

"We All Have Strengths": A Retrospective Qualitative Evaluation of a Resilience Training for Latino Immigrants in Philadelphia, PA.

Background: Limited research has explored sources of resilience for Latino immigrants or the potential of resilience-based interventions to promote Latino immigrant health and well-being. Purpose: To evaluate Latino immigrants' experiences with a resilience training and application of the training to participants' personal lives and their communities among Latino immigrants. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, qualitative study in Philadelphia, PA from 2017 to 2018. We completed semi-structured, key informant interviews with nine participants who had taken the resilience training, and one facilitator (N=10). Transcripts were analyzed via interpretive content analysis. Results: The training resonated deeply with participants because of their personal traumas and immigration-related adversity. Participants were primed by past experiences of violence, as well as by daily struggles they encounter as Latino immigrants in the United States amid worsening anti-immigrant rhetoric and policy. The training was found to be transformative by allowing participants to discover and tap into their own inherent resilience. Participants utilized the knowledge and skills acquired from the training to better manage daily situations, as well as worked to strengthen others within their networks. Conclusions: Resilience-based interventions can help to strengthen communities against adversity. Cultivating resilience in Latino immigrants can have positive effects on psychosocial health. Resilience-building approaches could be implemented as stand-alone or enhancing components of more complex health promotion interventions. More research is needed on resilience, as well as its utility in community-based interventions to promote the health and well-being of Latino immigrants.

Factor Structures of Reasons for Immigration Among Older Asian and Latino Immigrants in the United States.

BACKGROUNDS AND OBJECTIVES: Although reasons for immigration are significant predictors of immigrants' health, factor structures of reasons for immigration are still unclear among older immigrants. The present study examined the factor structure of reasons for immigration among older Asian and Latino immigrants in the United States. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Drawn from the National Latino and Asian American Study, 396 Latino and 298 Asian immigrants over 55 years of age were selected for analysis. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted for nine items concerning reasons for immigration in each immigrant group. RESULTS: Three factors were extracted from both Asian and Latino immigrant elders: (a) "voluntary reasons" to pursue development, (b) "involuntary reasons" due to uncontrollable situations, and (c) "semivoluntary reasons" regarding family/medical duties. While immigration to join family members was located in the "semivoluntary reasons" factor among older Asian immigrants, it was located in the "voluntary reasons" factor among older Latino immigrants. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings suggest that three underlying factors of reasons for immigration should be understood considering the different characteristics of two racial/ethnic groups of immigrants. In addition, a migratory reason to join the family should be considered differently for elderly Asian and Latino immigrants. This three-factor framework of reasons for immigration can help clinicians provide more culturally sensitive interventions for older minority immigrants.