Discrimination and Latino Health: A Systematic Review of Risk and Resilience.

INTRODUCTION: As anti-immigrant hostility toward Latino populations grows, more fervent attention is needed to consider strength-based approaches to attenuate the effects of perceived discrimination. This systematic review synthesizes the evidence about the effects of racial/ethnic discrimination on mental, physical, and health behaviors of Latinos and examines the coping mechanisms and cultural factors that attenuate the negative association between discrimination and health among adult Latinos living in the United States. METHOD: The search criteria included articles that (a) examined ethnic/racial discrimination in relationship to a health outcome, (b) had study samples composed of least 25% Latino adults, and (c) were written in English. RESULTS: A total of 33 studies were included in the review. Our findings demonstrated the negative relationship between perceived discrimination, mental health, and health behaviors. The evidence for the relationship between perceived discrimination and physical health was less robust. For mental health, greater feeling of ethnic pride and belonging attenuated the negative relationship between perceived discrimination and mental health. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the potential for building on ethnic identity for addressing mental health and perceived discrimination. Future research directions are outlined to address identified gaps.

eHealth Literacy in People Living with HIV: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: In the era of eHealth, eHealth literacy is emerging as a key concept to promote self-management of chronic conditions such as HIV. However, there is a paucity of research focused on eHealth literacy for people living with HIV (PLWH) as a means of improving their adherence to HIV care and health outcome. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to critically appraise the types, scope, and nature of studies addressing eHealth literacy as a study variable in PLWH. METHODS: This systematic review used comprehensive database searches, such as PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Cochrane, to identify quantitative studies targeting PLWH published in English before May 2017 with eHealth literacy as a study variable. RESULTS: We identified 56 unique records, and 7 papers met the eligibility criteria. The types of study designs varied (descriptive, n=3; quasi-experimental, n=3; and experimental, n=1) and often involved community-based settings (n=5), with sample sizes ranging from 18 to 895. In regards to instruments used, 3 studies measured eHealth literacy with validated instruments such as the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS); 2 studies used full or short versions of Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults, whereas the remaining 2 studies used study-developed questions. The majority of studies included in the review reported high eHealth literacy among the samples. The associations between eHealth literacy and health outcomes in PLWH were not consistent. In the areas of HIV transmission risk, retention in care, treatment adherence, and virological suppression, the role of eHealth literacy is still not fully understood. Furthermore, the implications for future research are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the role of eHealth literacy is an essential step to encourage PLWH to be actively engaged in their health care. Avenues to pursue in the role of eHealth literacy and PLWH should consider the development and use of standardized eHealth literacy definitions and measures.