Cancer fatalism, social media informational awareness, and education.

OBJECTIVE: Understand if cancer fatalism among adult social media users in the United States is linked to social media informational awareness and if the relationship varies by education level. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (n = 3,948) were analyzed using multivariable linear probability models. The study population was defined as social media users active within the past year. The outcome variable was cancer fatalism and the predictor variables were social media informational awareness and education level. RESULTS: Participants with low social media informational awareness were 9% (95% CI = 3, 15), 6% (95% CI = 1, 11), and 21% (95% CI = 14, 27) percentage points more likely to agree that it seems like everything causes cancer, you cannot lower your chances of getting cancer, and there are too many cancer prevention recommendations to follow, respectively. Participants with a college degree or higher level of education and who reported high social media informational awareness were the least likely to agree that everything causes cancer (60%; 95% CI = 54, 66), you cannot lower your chances of getting cancer (14%; 95% CI = 10, 19), and there are too many cancer prevention recommendations to follow (52%; 95% CI = 46, 59). CONCLUSION: Social media informational awareness was associated with lower levels of cancer fatalism among adult social media users. College graduates with high social media informational awareness were the least likely to report cancer fatalism.

A confirmatory factor analysis of a revised motives for playing drinking games (MPDG-33) scale among university students in the United States.

AIM: Participating in a drinking game (DG) is common practice among university students and can increase students' risk for heavy drinking. Given the theoretical link between motivations to drink and alcohol use, careful consideration should be given to students' motivations to play DGs. In this study, we examined the factor structure, internal consistency, and concurrent validity of a revised version of the motives for playing drinking games (MPDG) scale, the MPDG-33. METHODS: University students (n = 3345, Mage = 19.77 years, SDage = 1.53; 68.8% = women; 59.6% = White) from 12 U.S. universities completed a confidential online self-report survey that included the MPDG-33 and questions regarding their frequency of DG participation and typical drink consumption while playing DGs. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the 7-factor model fit the data adequately, and all items had statistically significant factor loadings on their predicted factor. All subscales had adequate to excellent internal consistency and were positively correlated with the frequency of DG participation and the typical number of drinks consumed while playing DGs (though the correlations were small). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the MPDG-33 can be reliably used in research and clinical settings to assess U.S. university students' motives for playing DGs.

Posttraumatic stress and probable post traumatic stress disorder as it relates to smoking behavior and beliefs among trauma exposed hispanic persons who smoke.

There has been little scientific effort to evaluate the associations between cigarette smoking and cessation-related constructs and exposure to traumatic events, posttraumatic stress, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms among Hispanic persons who smoke in the United States (US). Such trauma-related factors may pose unique difficulties for Hispanic persons who smoke and possess a desire to quit. As such, the present investigation sought to fill this gap in the literature and examine posttraumatic stress and probable PTSD in terms of their relations with several clinically significant smoking constructs among trauma-exposed Hispanic persons who smoke from the United States. Participants included 228 Spanish-speaking Hispanic persons who endorsed prior traumatic event exposure and smoked combustible cigarettes daily (58.3% female, Mage= 32.1 years, SD = 9.65). Results indicated that posttraumatic stress symptoms were related to increased cigarette dependence, perceived barriers for smoking cessation, and more severe problems when trying to quit with effect sizes ranging from small to moderate in adjusted models. Additionally, Hispanic persons who smoke with probable PTSD compared to those without probable PTSD showcased a statistically effect for perceived barriers for cessation (p < .008) and a severity of problems when trying to quit (p < .001). No effect was evident for cigarette dependence after alpha correction. Overall, the present study offers novel empirical evidence related to the role of posttraumatic stress symptoms and PTSD among Hispanic persons who smoke in the US. Such findings highlight the need to expand this line of research to better understand the role of posttraumatic stress and PTSD among Hispanic persons who smoke which can inform smoking cessation treatments for Hispanic persons who smoke experiencing trauma-related symptomology.

Ethnic discrimination, acculturative stress, and sexual risk among Latinx emerging adults: Examining moderation effects of familism support and ethnic identity.

OBJECTIVES: Ethnic discrimination and acculturative stress play an important role in sexual risk behaviors for Latinx emerging adults, who are at disproportionate risk for sexually transmitted infections. Factors such as familism support and ethnic identity may be protective, yet research is limited. This study is guided by a culturally adapted stress and coping framework to examine associations of ethnic discrimination and acculturative stress with sexual risk behaviors (i.e., multiple sex partners, alcohol or drug use before sex, and condomless sex with a primary or casual partner), and examine the moderating roles of familism support and ethnic identity among Latinx emerging adults. METHOD: Participants were recruited from Arizona and Florida and were primarily female (51.3%) with a mean age of 21.48 years (SD = 2.06). Using cross-sectional data from 158 sexually active Latinx emerging adults, this study employed multiple logistic regression and moderation analyses. RESULTS: Higher levels of ethnic discrimination and pressure to acculturate were associated with fewer sex partners, and higher levels of pressure against acculturation were associated with increased condomless sex with a casual partner. The moderation effect of higher levels of familism support on pressure to acculturate was associated with fewer sex partners, and the moderation effect of higher levels of ethnic identity on pressure against acculturation was associated with decreased condomless sex with casual partners. CONCLUSIONS: Examining the results within a culturally informed theoretical framework supports that protective factors may help mitigate sexual risk factors among Latinx emerging adults experiencing acculturative stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Evaluating Alcohol Use Severity in Terms of Cigarette Smoking-Related Processes and Anxiety/Depression Among Adult Latinx Smokers.

OBJECTIVE: Although empirical work focused on smoking-drinking comorbidity among Latinx persons is growing, no work has explored the relation between alcohol use severity in terms of co-occurring smoking processes and mental health. Therefore, the present investigation aimed to explore the prevalence and role of alcohol use severity in relation to clinically significant tobacco and mental health problems among English-speaking Latinx adults who smoke cigarettes. METHODS: Participants included 338 English-speaking Latinx adults who smoked cigarettes daily (Mage = 35.5 years; SD = 8.65; age range 18-61; 37.3% female). RESULTS: Results indicated that approximately 68% of male and 61% of female smokers scored above established clinical cutoffs for hazardous and harmful alcohol use and possible alcohol dependence. Moreover, alcohol use severity was associated with increased risk for cigarette dependence, perceived barriers for quitting, and more problematic symptoms when trying to quit. Alcohol use severity was also related to more severe anxiety and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the current findings suggest that intervening to reduce alcohol use severity may be important to improving smoking cessation and mental health among Latinx persons who smoke.

Effects of Pictorial Health Warning Labels on Intention to Quit Waterpipe in Lebanon: A Mediation Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Pictorial health warning labels on waterpipe tobacco packages represent a better strategy for communicating the health risks associated with waterpipe use and promoting quit intention than text-only. However, the mechanism by which these warnings lead to higher intentions to quit remains unknown. This study explores how pictorial warnings vs. text-only induce higher quit intention among a sample of young adult waterpipe smokers in Lebanon. METHODS: An online randomized cross-over experimental study was conducted in August 2021 among 276 young adult waterpipe smokers who were exposed to two conditions: pictorial health warning label and text-only warning on waterpipe tobacco packages in random order. After each image, participants completed post-exposure assessments of health communication outcomes (e.g., attention and negative affect). Using serial and parallel mediation analysis, we examined the role of attention, negative affect, cognitive elaboration, and perceived harm in mediating the relationship between exposure to HWLs and intention to quit. RESULTS: Using serial mediation, exposure to pictorial warnings vs. text-only was found to affect intention to quit through the following pathways: attention and negative affect, which accounted for 17.28% of the total effect, and through negative affect and cognitive elaboration, which accounted for 21.53% of the total effect. Results of parallel mediation showed that the indirect effect pathways via negative affect [ß= 0.063; (95% bootstrap CI=0.004, 0.149)] and cognitive elaboration [0.047; (0.001, 0.114)] were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The findings call on designing and implementing attention-grabbing, emotionally evocative, and cognitively persuasive pictorial warnings in Lebanon and other countries to curb waterpipe tobacco smoking. IMPLICATIONS: This is among the first experimental studies looking at multiple mediators underlying the effect of exposure to pictorial health warning labels on intention to quit in a sample of current waterpipe smokers in Lebanon. The findings showed that using attention-grabbing, emotionally evocative, and persuasive pictures with a clear textual warning is crucial to maximizing the impact of implementing waterpipe health warning labels regulations in Lebanon and other countries to curb waterpipe tobacco smoking.

A qualitative community health assessment of HIV prevention awareness in a semi-rural Latinx seasonal farm working community in South Florida.

This article explores HIV awareness and prevention in a Latinx seasonal farmworker community of south Miami-Dade County in the USA. The study took place as part of a larger community assessment that aimed to determine community needs and resources related to substance abuse, violence and HIV in the Latinx seasonal farmworker communities of south Miami-Dade County, with a particular focus on fathers' and their male sons' relationships. The study collected data on HIV knowledge and prevention, healthcare-seeking behaviours, cultural norms, and communication barriers about HIV prevention between fathers and sons. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with community leaders, two focus groups with social and health services providers, and four focus groups involving fathers and their adolescent sons. A deductive approach to data analysis was undertaken. Five major themes were identified: (1) HIVrelated knowledge and perception; (2) HIV prevention strategies; (3) barriers and needs for tailored preventive health and care services in the community; (4) stress over sex-related communication; and (5) the dominance of traditional masculine gender norms in the household and the community.

Alcohol Use Severity among Hispanic Emerging Adults: Examining Intragroup Marginalization, Bicultural Self-Efficacy, and the Role of Gender within a Stress and Coping Framework.

Most research on cultural stressors and alcohol has focused on intercultural stressors. Continuing to exclude intracultural stressors (e.g., intragroup marginalization) from alcohol research will yield a biased understanding of the experiences of Hispanics living in a bicultural society. As we amass more studies on intracultural stressors, research will be needed to identify mutable sociocultural factors that may mitigate the association between intracultural stressors and alcohol. To address these limitations, we examined the association between intragroup marginalization and alcohol use severity and the extent to which gender and bicultural self-efficacy may moderate this association. A convenience sample of 200 Hispanic emerging adults ages 18-25 (men = 101, women = 99) from Arizona (n = 99) and Florida (n = 101) completed a cross-sectional survey. Data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analyses. Higher intragroup marginalization was associated with higher alcohol use severity. Gender functioned as a moderator whereby intragroup marginalization was associated with higher alcohol use severity among men, but not women. Also, higher social groundedness functioned as a moderator that weakened the association between intragroup marginalization and alcohol use severity. Role repertoire did not function as a moderator. Our findings are significant because they enhance the reliability of the association between intragroup marginalization and alcohol use severity, and the moderating effect of gender in this respective association. This emerging line of research suggests that alcohol interventions targeting Hispanics may have a significant limitation by not accounting for intracultural stressors.

Alcohol use severity among recent Latino immigrants: Associations of acculturation, family history of alcohol use and alcohol outcome expectancies.

Having a family history of alcohol (FH+) use is a well-documented risk factor for alcohol use and alcohol related problems. However, there are limited studies examining the impact of FH + on current alcohol use among Latino immigrants. This study aimed to determine the influence of having a FH + on current alcohol use among Latino immigrants and the influence of alcohol outcome expectancies (AOEs) and acculturation on this relationship. This is a longitudinal secondary data analysis of data from the Recent Latino Immigrant Study (RLIS), the first community-based cohort study to examine pre- to post-immigration alcohol use trajectories of young adult Latino immigrants. Linear mixed models were performed to assess the association between various pre- and post-immigration factors and alcohol use among Latino immigrants. There were 518 young adult Latino immigrants with 18.7% reporting a FH + with those with a FH + having higher mean AUDIT score compared to those without (4.74 vs. 3.81; p = 0.028). Positive AOEs were associated with increase AUDIT scores. FH + individuals with greater positive AOEs experienced higher AUDIT scores compared to FH- individuals. Family cohesion was protective against alcohol use while endorsement of Americansism was associated with increased alcohol use. Theses results provide the framework for more in-depth exploration regarding the influences of FH+, AOEs, and acculturation have on the alcohol use among Latino immigrants. Future longitudinal research studies should account for whether traditional cultural values mediate or moderate the relationship between a FH+, AOE, and alcohol use of Latino immigrants.

Differences in smoking behavior and beliefs about abstinence among Latinx individuals with and without depression who smoke cigarettes.

There is a well-established relation between depression and smoking in the general population. However, past work focused on Latinx persons who smoke in relation to depressed affect has yielded inconsistent findings. The present investigation aimed to build on past research and evaluate differences among English-speaking Latinx adults who smoke combustible cigarettes with and without probable depression in terms of cigarette dependence, perceived barriers for quitting, severity of problems when quitting, and smoking abstinence expectancies. The current sample included 338 adult Latinx daily cigarette smokers (Mage = 35.53 years; SD = 8.65; age range 18-61; 37.3% female) that were recruited nationally throughout the US. Results indicated that among Latinx persons who smoke, those with probable depression (compared to those without) demonstrated higher levels of cigarette dependence, more severe problems when trying to quit, greater perceived barriers for quitting, and increased negative abstinence expectancies after adjusting for sociodemographic and concurrent substance use variables. Future work could build from this research to elucidate the role of depression in the maintenance and relapse of smoking among the Latinx population.

Ethnic Discrimination and Self-rated Health among Hispanic Emerging Adults: Examining the Moderating Effects of Self-esteem and Resilience.

Exposure to ethnic discrimination has been conceptualized as a sociocultural stressor that is associated with lower self-rated health. However, this association remains understudied among Hispanics and less is known about constructs that may mitigate the effects of ethnic discrimination on self-rated health. Accordingly, this study aimed to (a) examine the association between ethnic discrimination and self-rated health among Hispanic emerging adults (ages 18-25), and (b) examine the extent to which self-esteem and resilience may moderate this association. A convenience sample of 200 Hispanic emerging adults from Arizona (n=99) and Florida (n=101) was recruited to complete a cross-sectional survey. Data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analyses. Results indicate that higher ethnic discrimination was associated with lower self-rated health. Moderation analyses indicated that self-esteem functioned as a moderator that weakened the association between ethnic discrimination and self-rated health; however, resilience did not function similarly as a moderator. This study adds to the limited literature on ethnic discrimination and self-rated health among Hispanics and highlights that psychological factors, such as enhancing self-esteem, may help buffer the adverse effects of ethnic discrimination on health outcomes.

Prevalence and Predictors of Waterpipe Smoking Initiation and Progression Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Waves 1-4 (2013-2018) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

INTRODUCTION: Waterpipe tobacco (WPT) smoking has increased among the young population in the United States. This study assessed the extent and predictors of WPT smoking initiation and progression among US adolescents (12-17 years) and young adults (18-24 years) longitudinally. AIMS AND METHODS: We analyzed data from 4 waves (2013-2018) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study comprising 10 692 respondents (adolescents = 5428 and young adults = 5264). Kaplan-Meier survival method estimated probabilities of WPT initiation and progression. Cox proportional hazards regression models delineated predictors of the outcomes. RESULTS: Between 2013 and 2018, 4.8% of adolescents initiated and 10.6% progressed WPT smoking. Among young adults, 18.5% initiated and 14.1% progressed WPT smoking during the same time interval. Predictors among adolescents included, WPT initiation: Hispanic ethnicity (adjusted odds ratio (aHR) = 1.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.23-2.49), lower harm perception (aHR = 2.89, 95% CI = 2.10-3.98), and other tobacco products use (aHR = 3.97, 95% CI = 2.73-5.78); WPT progression: illicit drug use (aHR = 4.60, 95% CI = 1.99-10.67). Predictors among young adults included, WPT initiation: non-Hispanic Black (aHR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.78-3.00), Hispanic (aHR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.34-2.33), lower harm perception (aHR = 2.77, 95% CI = 2.19-3.50), and other tobacco products use (aHR = 3.14, 95% CI = 2.25-4.38); WPT progression: non-Hispanic Black (aHR = 1.51 95% CI = 1.09-2.10), lower harm perception (aHR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.41-2.30), and alcohol use (aHR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.13-2.30). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate a high prevalence of WPT initiation and progression among adolescents and young adults over time, with minority racial/ethnic groups being at greater risk for both. WPT-specific risk communication interventions (eg, educational campaigns and health warning labels) are warranted to limit WPT smoking among young people.

Longitudinal change in adolescent hope among recent immigrant Latinx adolescents: Links with adolescent and parent cultural stress, family functioning, emotional well-being, and behavioral health.

Adolescent hope can promote the emotional and behavioral well-being of Latinx families. Positive family functioning may foster adolescent hope, whereas cultural stress may compromise adolescent hope and well-being. We examined how adolescent hope changed over time, and whether cultural stress and family functioning predicted emotional and behavioral health via adolescent hope intercept and slope. Recent Latinx immigrant adolescents (Mage  = 14.51) and parents (Mage  = 41.09; N = 302; n = 150 from Los Angeles; n = 152 from Miami) completed measures of above constructs over 3 years (Summer 2010 to Spring 2013). Latent growth curve modeling indicated that adolescent hope increased over time. Higher cultural stress predicted lower initial hope. Higher family functioning predicted higher initial levels of and less steep increase in hope. Increase in hope predicted better emotional and behavioral health. Family functioning predicted better health outcomes by way of hope.

Depressive symptoms among recent Latinx immigrants in South Florida: The role of premigration trauma and stress, postimmigration stress, and gender.

In the past decade, recent Latinx immigrants (RLIs) from South and Central America have arrived in the United States seeking asylum from countries affected by war, political upheaval, and high crime and poverty rates. The premigration stress and trauma they experience are further compounded by postimmigration stress due to discrimination, lack of access to health care, and financial instability. Evidence suggests RLIs who experience such stress and trauma have an increased risk of developing depressive symptoms. We examined the combined effect of premigration stress and trauma and postimmigration stress on postimmigration depressive symptoms; we also explored the moderating effect of gender. Hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analyses were conducted on a cross-sectional sample of 540 young adult RLIs (age range: 18-34 years, 50.2% men) in South Florida. Higher levels of postimmigration stress, ß = .37, p < .001, were associated with increased postimmigration depressive symptoms. No significant associations emerged between premigration stress and trauma and postimmigration depressive symptoms. Moderation analyses revealed no significant interaction effect of gender. Post hoc analyses indicated that country/region of origin moderated the relation between postimmigration stress and depressive symptoms such that the association was stronger among Venezuelan, ß = 1.51, p < .001; other South American, ß = 1.06, p < .001; and Central American/Mexican RLIs, ß = 1.38, p < .001, compared with Caribbean RLIs, ß = .45, p  = .122. These findings suggest that interventions focused on addressing postimmigration stress early in the immigration process can potentially lower subsequent depressive symptoms among RLIs.

Alcohol abstinence and binge drinking: the intersections of language and gender among Hispanic adults in a national sample, 2002-2018.

PURPOSE: Prior research examining alcohol use using national data has often overlooked vital heterogeneity among Hispanics, especially that related to language dominance and gender. We examine the prevalence of alcohol abstinence and-given prior research suggesting that many Spanish dominant Hispanics do not drink-examine rates of binge drinking among past-year alcohol users with a focus on the intersections of language and gender among Hispanics, while drawing comparisons with non-Hispanic (NH) White and NH Black adults. METHODS: Drawing from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health-a nationally representative survey between 2002 and 2018-we examine the year-by-year prevalence of alcohol abstinence and binge drinking among adults ages 18 and older in the United States. RESULTS: A disproportionate number of Spanish-dominant Hispanics abstain from alcohol use (54%), with particularly high levels of alcohol abstinence observed among Spanish dominant women (men: 39%, women: 67%). The prevalence of alcohol abstinence among English-dominant Hispanic men (24%) and women (32%) is far lower, approximating that of NH Whites (men: 23%, women: 32%). Importantly, however, among Spanish-dominant drinkers, the prevalence of binge drinking (men: 52%, women: 33%) is comparable to or greater than NH Whites (men: 42%, women: 32%). Binge drinking levels among English-dominant Hispanic men (50%) and women (37%) are greater than among their NH White counterparts. CONCLUSION: Findings paint a complex picture; consistent with prior research, we see that many Hispanics abstain from alcohol, but we also see new evidence underscoring that-among Hispanic drinkers-the prevalence of binge drinking is disconcertingly elevated.

Cultural stress, daily well-being, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms among Hispanic college students.

The present study was designed to examine the extent to which, in a sample of 873 Hispanic college students, daily levels of, and variability in, well-being would mediate the predictive effects of culturally related stressors (discrimination, negative context of reception, and bicultural stress) on internalizing and externalizing symptoms 11 days later. A 12-day daily diary design was utilized, where reports of cultural stressors were gathered on Day 1, daily well-being reports were gathered on Days 2-11, and outcomes were measured on Day 12 (with controls for Day 1 levels of these same outcomes). Structural equation modeling results indicated that daily means of, and variability in, well-being significantly mediated the predictive effect of Day 1 ethnic/racial discrimination, negative context of reception, and bicultural stress on Day 12 symptoms of anxiety and depression. No effects emerged for externalizing symptoms. When we decomposed the latent well-being variability construct into its component indicators (self-esteem, life satisfaction, psychological well-being/self-acceptance, and eudaimonic well-being), daily variability in life satisfaction and self-acceptance appeared to be primarily responsible for the mediated predictive effects we observed. These results are discussed in terms of implications for further research, for counseling practice, and for the development of more inclusive university practices and policies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

COVID-19 and Adverse Social Determinants of Health.

This introduction to the Special Issue (SI) on COVID-19 and adverse social determinants of health (SDoH) provides theoretical and empirical context for featured articles. Existing disparities and inequities are highlighted and emerging research on disparities resulting from these and the COVID-19 pandemic are briefly reviewed. General disparities and inequities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic are briefly conceptualized through the SDoH. Critical factors outlined by the SDoH framework parallel those discussed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as those in a conceptual framework article also feature in this SI. Some of these consist of racism, exclusion, blocked opportunity, and socioeconomic status (SES), among others. Furthermore, we discuss broader social inequities, namely growing income and wealth inequality that undermine the health and wellbeing of the general population and ethnic minority groups in particular. Big Event theory is offered as an additional conceptual framework that can illuminate potential downstream negative impacts of the pandemic. Having provided summaries of featured articles in this SI, we make a call for researchers to engage in further theoretical and empirical work to identify the most critical SDOH to further the field of public health as well as related fields and inform policy.

Mental health among Latinx emerging adults: Examining the role of familial accusations of assimilation and ethnic identity.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study are to investigate (1) how family response to acculturation (e.g., accusations of assimilation) is related to anxiety and depressive symptomatology for Latinx emerging adults. This study's goal is also to analyze (2) the extent to which ethnic identity components and gender moderate the respective associations. METHOD: Cross-sectional survey was completed by 200 Latinx emerging adults. Inclusion criteria involved reading English, ages 18-25, currently reside in Maricopa or Miami-Dade Counties and self-identify as Latinx. Analysis used hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analyses. RESULTS: Findings indicate that higher familial accusations of assimilation were associated with higher symptoms of depression and anxiety. Moderation analyses indicate that gender had a statistically significant interaction with accusations of assimilation in relation to symptoms of both depression and anxiety. A significant three-way interaction between ethnic identity exploration, gender, and intracultural accusations of assimilation in relation to symptoms of depression interaction among men was found. CONCLUSION: Findings from the study add to literature on the effect of intragroup marginalization on Latinx mental health and highlight gender differences. The ethnic identity component of exploration is found to be a protective factor for men which wanes over increasing levels of accusation of assimilation.

Ethnic discrimination and psychological stress among Hispanic emerging adults: Examining the moderating effects of distress tolerance and optimism.

Hispanic emerging adults are often exposed to ethnic discrimination, yet little is known about coping resources that may mitigate the effects of ethnic discrimination on psychological stress in this rapidly growing population. As such, this study aims to examine (1) the associations of ethnic discrimination, distress tolerance, and optimism with psychological stress and (2) the moderating effects of distress tolerance and optimism on the association between ethnic discrimination and psychological stress. Data were drawn from a cross-sectional study of 200 Hispanic adults ages 18-25, recruited from two urban counties in Arizona and Florida. Hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analyses were utilized to examine these associations and moderated effects. Findings indicated that higher optimism was associated with lower psychological stress. Conversely, higher ethnic discrimination was associated with higher psychological stress. Moderation analyses indicated that both distress tolerance and optimism moderated the association between ethnic discrimination and psychological stress. These study findings add to the limited literature on ethnic discrimination among Hispanic emerging adults and suggest that distress tolerance may be a key intrapersonal factor that can protect Hispanic emerging adults against the psychological stress often resulting from ethnic discrimination.

Pre- and Post-immigration HIV Testing Behaviors among Young Adult Recent Latino Immigrants in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

HIV testing early in the immigration process can facilitate timely linkage to HIV prevention and treatment services for immigrants. This study aims to determine the prevalence of self-report HIV testing pre- and post-immigration and the associations between pre-immigration HIV sexual risk behaviors, access to healthcare post-immigration, and HIV testing post-immigration among young adult recent Latino immigrants. Cross-sectional data from 504 recent Latino immigrants aged 18 to 34 who immigrated to Miami-Dade County, Florida during the 12 months before assessment were analyzed using robust Poisson regression models. We found that 23.8% of participants reported HIV testing post-immigration and 56.7% reported HIV testing pre-immigration. The prevalence ratio for post-immigration HIV testing was higher for participants that had health insurance (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 1.70, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-2.38) and a regular doctor or healthcare provider after immigration (aPR: 1.43, 95% CI 1.03-2.00), and post-immigration HIV testing was higher for participants that had ever been tested for HIV before immigration (aPR: 2.41, 95% CI 1.68-3.45). Also, the prevalence ratio was lower for those who engaged in condomless sex in the three months prior to immigration (aPR: 0.65, 95% 0.47-0.90). These findings suggest that addressing barriers to healthcare and prevention services for young adult recent Latino immigrants is needed to scale-up HIV testing in this population early in the immigration process.

RESUMEN: Obtener una prueba del VIH al inicio del proceso de inmigración puede facilitar una conexión inmediata con los servicios de prevención y tratamiento del VIH. Este estudio tiene como propósito determinar la prevalencia auto informada de las pruebas de VIH antes y después de la inmigración, y las asociaciones entre las conductas sexuales de riesgo antes de la inmigración, el acceso a los servicios médicos después de la inmigración y las pruebas de VIH realizadas después de la inmigración en Latinos jóvenes adultos recién llegados a los Estados Unidos. Los datos transversales de 504 inmigrantes Latinos recién llegados entre los 18 y 34 años, que inmigraron al condado de Miami-Dade, Florida, durante los 12 meses anteriores a la evaluación, se analizaron utilizando modelos de regresión de Poisson robustos. Encontramos que 23.8% de los participantes informaron haberse realizado la prueba del VIH después de la inmigración y 56.7% informaron haberse realizado la prueba del VIH antes de la inmigración. El índice de prevalencia para las pruebas del VIH después de la inmigración fue mayor para los participantes que tenían seguro médico [índice de prevalencia ajustado (IPa): 1.70, intervalo de confianza (IC) del 95%: 1.21-2.38] y un médico o proveedor regular de atención médica después de la inmigración [IPa: 1.43, IC del 95%: 1.03-2.00], y para los participantes que se habían hecho la prueba del VIH antes de la inmigración [IPa: 2.41, IC de 95%: 1.68-3.45]. Además, el índice de prevalencia fue menor para aquellos participantes que tuvieron relaciones sexuales sin condón en los tres meses previos a la inmigración [IPa: 0.65, IC del 95%: 0.47-0.90]. Estos resultados sugieren que es necesario abordar las barreras a los servicios médicos y de prevención en los inmigrantes Latinos jóvenes adultos recién llegados a los Estados Unidos para ampliar las pruebas del VIH en esta población al inicio del proceso de inmigración.