Physical Activity with Sports Scientist (PASS) programme to promote physical activity among patients with non-communicable diseases: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial protocol.

Physical activity (PA) effectively prevents and treats non-communicable diseases in clinical settings. PA promotion needs to be more consistent, especially in busy primary care. Sports scientists have the potential to support PA promotion in primary care. The Physical Activity with Sports Scientist (PASS) programme is created to personalise PA promotion led by a sports scientist in a primary care clinic. A pragmatic randomised controlled trial with two parallel groups will be conducted at a family medicine clinic. Physically inactive participants aged 35-70 years who have type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension or dyslipidaemia will be invited. The control group (n=60) will receive usual care. The intervention group (n=60) will receive the PASS programme and usual care. The PASS programme will consist of a tailored PA prescription after the physician's consultation at the first visit and monthly phone follow-ups. The primary outcome is the proportion of participants who have achieved the PA goal defined as aerobic activity (≥150 min/week of moderate to vigorous-intensity PA), muscle-strengthening activity (≥2 days/week of moderate or greater intensity) and multicomponent PA (≥2 days/week of moderate or greater intensity). Secondary outcomes are body composition and physical fitness. The primary and secondary outcomes will be measured and compared between the control and intervention groups at visit 1 (month 0: baseline measurements), visit 2 (months 3-4: follow-up measurements), visit 3 (months 6-8: end-point measurements) and visit 4 (months 9-12: continuing measurements). The study protocol was registered with the Thai Clinical Trials Registry. Trial registration number: TCTR20240314001.

Exercise as Medicine for People with a Substance Use Disorder: An ACSM Call to Action Statement.

ABSTRACT: Over 20 million Americans are living with a substance use disorder (SUD) and nearly 100,000 die annually from drug overdoses, with a majority involving an opioid. Many people with SUD have co-occurring chronic pain and/or a mental health disorder. Exercise is a frontline treatment for chronic pain and is an effective strategy for reducing depression and anxiety and improving overall mental health. Several studies have shown that exercise improves SUD-related outcomes including abstinence; however, there is limited large-scale randomized clinical trial evidence to inform integration of exercise into practice. In this Call to Action, we aim to raise awareness of the specific issues that should be addressed to advance exercise as medicine in people with SUD including the challenges of co-occurring chronic pain, mental illness, and cardiopulmonary health conditions. In addition, specialized training for exercise professionals and other support staff should be provided on these issues, as well as on the multiple dimensions of stigma that can impair engagement in treatment and overall recovery in people with SUD.

Examining the referral of patients with elevated blood pressure to health resources in an under-resourced community in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Low-and-middle income countries face a disproportionate burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that threaten to overwhelm under-resourced health systems. Community health workers (CHWs) can promote NCD prevention, reach patients, and connect them to local community health resources; however, little has been done to examine how referrals to these resources are utilized by community members. The purpose of this study is to examine the use of referrals to community-based health resources and investigate the factors influencing patient utilization of referrals connecting them to appropriate health resources for elevated blood pressure (BP). METHODS: CHWs conducted home visits, which included BP screening and brief counseling, with community members in Soweto, South Africa. Participants with elevated (systolic BP: 121-139/ diastolic BP: 81-89 mmHg) or high (≥ 140/90 mmHg) BP were referred to either a local, community-based physical activity (PA) program managed by a non-governmental organization or local health clinics. The number of participants that received and utilized their referrals was tracked. Follow-up interviews were conducted with individuals given a referral who: (1) went to the PA program, (2) did not go to the PA program, (3) went to a clinic, and (4) did not go to a clinic. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed to identify common themes and differences between groups regarding their decisions to utilize the referrals. RESULTS: CHWs visited 1056 homes, with 1001 community members consenting to the screening; 29.2% (n = 292) of adults were classified as having optimal BP (≤120/80 mmHg), 35.8% (n = 359) had elevated BP, and 35.0% (n = 350) had high BP. One hundred and seventy-three participants accepted a referral to the PA program with 46 (26.6%) enrolling. Five themes emerged from the interviews: (1) prior knowledge and thoughts on BP, (2) psychosocial factors associated with BP control, (3) perception about receiving the referral, (4) contextual factors influencing referral utilization, and (5) perceived benefits of utilizing the referral. CONCLUSION: CHWs can successfully increase community members' access to health resources by providing appropriate referrals. However, greater attention needs to address community members' barriers and hesitancy to utilize health resources.

The role of physical activity in the relationship between exposure to community violence and mental health: A systematic review.

Community violence is a global public health problem that is associated with mental health disorders. Physical activity can enhance mental health and may play an important role in the relationship between exposure to community violence and mental health. We systematically reviewed the literature to better understand the potential role of physical activity in this relationship. In this review, we searched the databases PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, PsycInfo, and SPORTdiscus, and conducted a grey literature search of one clinical trials registry and four organizations' websites. The review included quantitative observational studies, intervention studies, and qualitative studies published by November 30, 2022 and that involved generally healthy individuals across the lifespan. Eligible studies included measures of community violence, mental health, and physical activity. Five studies met the inclusion criteria for the review. Four studies were conducted in high-income countries, only two minority populations were represented in the studies, and none of the studies included older adults or children. Studies defined and measured community violence, mental health, and physical activity in different ways. In most studies, physical activity was not a primary focus but assessed as one item within a larger construct. The role of physical activity was examined differently across the studies and only one study found a significant role (mediator) of physical activity. This review revealed that few studies have specifically examined physical activity's role in the relationship between exposure to community violence and mental health. Further research is needed involving low-income countries, diverse minority populations, and children.

Task-Shifting: Can Community Health Workers Be Part of the Solution to an Inactive Nation?

Background: In low-to-middle income countries (LMICs), there is a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) placing strain on the facilities and human resources of healthcare systems. Prevention strategies that include lifestyle behavior counseling have become increasingly important. We propose a potential solution to the growing burden of NCDs through an expansion of the role for community health workers (CHWs) in prescribing and promoting physical activity in public health settings. This discussion paper provides a theoretical model for task-shifting of assessment, screening, counseling, and prescription of physical activity to CHWs. Five proposed tasks are presented within a larger model of service delivery and provide a platform for a structured, standardized, physical activity prevention strategy aimed at NCDs using CHWs as an integral part of reducing the burden of NCDs in LMICs. However, for effective implementation as part of national NCD plans, it is essential that CHWs received standardized, ongoing training and supervision on physical activity and other lifestyle behaviors to optimally impact community health in low resource settings.

Acceptability and feasibility of home-based hypertension and physical activity screening by community health workers in an under-resourced community in South Africa.

Background: Low-middle-income countries (LMICs) face increasing burdens from non-communicable disease (NCDs) requiring primary care task shifting to community health workers (CHWs). This study explored community members' perceptions of NCD-focused, CHW-led home visits in a historically disadvantaged township of South Africa. Methods: Trained CHWs visited community member homes, performing blood pressure and physical activity (PA) screenings, followed by brief counselling and a satisfaction survey. Semi-structured interviews were conducted within 3 days of the visit to learn about their experiences. Results: CHWs visited 173 households, with 153 adult community members consenting to participate (88.4%). Participants reported that it was easy to understand CHW-delivered information (97%), their questions were answered well (100%), and they would request home service again (93%). Twenty-eight follow-up interviews revealed four main themes: 1) acceptance of CHW visits, 2) openness to counselling, 3) satisfaction with screening and a basic understanding of the results, and 4) receptiveness to the PA advice. Conclusion: Community members viewed CHW-led home visits as an acceptable and feasible method for providing NCD-focused healthcare services in an under-resourced community. Expanding primary care reach through CHWs offers more accessible and individualized care, reducing barriers for individuals in under-resourced communities to access support for NCD risk reduction.

Factors associated with physical activity promotion efforts in individuals with chronic diseases: A systematic review from the perspective of patients.

OBJECTIVES: To determine factors associated with healthcare provider physical activity (PA) promotion in individuals with chronic diseases from the perspective of patients. METHODS: A systematic review of literature was conducted between March and April 2022 by searching five databases. Studies were included if they used survey data, published in English or Chinese, and investigated factors influencing healthcare provider PA promotion in chronic diseases from the perspective of adult patients. Retrieved factors were extracted and mapped to Anderson's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use. Quality of each study was assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool. RESULTS: Thirteen articles were included for final analysis. The quality of the included studies ranged from fair to good. A series of factors were positively related to healthcare provider PA promotion (e.g., having emotional support or public programs for PA). Conflicting results were found for other factors (e.g., age and gender). CONCLUSIONS: A series of factors may impact the incorporation of PA promotion into clinical care. More studies with well-designed surveys using primary data collection are suggested to confirm these findings. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Factors identified from this review provide insights for developing of strategies related to healthcare provider PA promotion for individuals with chronic diseases.

Assessing the current and desired levels of training and applied experiences in chronic disease prevention of students during medical school.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic diseases account for approximately 70% of deaths in the U.S. annually. Though physicians are uniquely positioned to provide behavior change counseling for chronic disease prevention, they often lack the necessary training and self-efficacy. This study examined medical student interest in receiving chronic disease prevention training as a formal part of their education as part of an effort to enhance their ability to provide guidance to patients in the future. METHODS: A 23-question, online survey was sent to all undergraduate medical students enrolled in a large medical education program. The survey assessed medical student interest in receiving training related to chronic disease prevention. Survey topics included student awareness of primary prevention programs, perceived importance of receiving training and applied experience in chronic disease prevention, and preferences for how and when to receive this training. RESULTS: Of 793 eligible medical students, 432 completed the survey (54.5%). Overall, 92.4% of students reported receiving formal training in physical activity, public health, nutrition, obesity, smoking cessation, and chronic diseases was of "very high" or "high" importance. Despite this level of importance, students most frequently reported receiving no or 1-5 h of formal training in a number of topics, including physical activity (35.4% and 47.0%, respectively) and nutrition (16.9% and 56.3%, respectively). The level of importance given to public health training was significantly greater across degree type (p = 0.0001) and future specialty (p = 0.03) for MD/MPH students and those interested in primary care, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: While medical students perceive chronic disease prevention as an important topic, most reported receiving little to no formal training. To address the growing prevalence of chronic disease across our society, programs schools should place greater emphasis on integrating training in physical activity, nutrition, and obesity-related content into the medical education curriculum.

Summary and application of the WHO 2020 physical activity guidelines for patients with essential hypertension in primary care.

The new World Health Organization (WHO) 2020 guidelines on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior include recommendations for adults with chronic conditions. The guidelines provide adaptable and general recommendations for people living with chronic medical conditions. This article summarizes the content and provides suggestions for the application of the guidelines for patients with essential hypertension in primary care. The WHO 2020 PA guidelines recommend broad advice for adults and older adults with chronic conditions. The key recommendations are consistent with other hypertension guidelines. A systemic approach to promote PA in primary care (i.e., PA assessment, safety considerations, PA prescription, behavioral counseling, and referral) along with applying the WHO guidelines is required. Health risk assessment and safety issues related to hypertension (e.g., current PA levels, level of blood pressure, treatment plans, comorbidities) should be concerned. The FITT Pro (frequency, intensity, time, type, and progression) can be adopted as a framework to break down the guidelines into specific PA prescription. The WHO 2020 PA guidelines address the importance of PA in clinical populations. The guidelines can be adapted for patients with hypertension in primary care settings.

Inclusion of physical activity in nurse practitioner programs: A national perspective.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) provides a multitude of health benefits, creating an avenue for disease prevention and management. Health care providers play a crucial role in helping patients become more active, yet little is known about the preparation of primary care nurse practitioners (NPs) to aid in this effort. PURPOSE: To examine the amount and type of PA training offered in primary care NP programs in the United States. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study design was used. Eligible programs' websites were reviewed, and an online survey of program leaders assessed details regarding the inclusion of PA training, barriers, and future plans. RESULTS: Data extracted from 1,067 NP program websites revealed that 81.7% of websites (n = 264) with course descriptions contained one or more general health promotion keywords, whereas only 0.6% (n = 2) included a PA-specific keyword. Two-hundred institutions (53.2%) completed the program leader survey, of which 45.0% reported no inclusion of PA training. Among institutions providing PA training, 82.2% (n = 88) and 55.1% (n = 59) reported the inclusion of aerobic activity and strength training recommendations, respectively. Forty-one institutions (46.1%) felt that their institution prepared students to effectively counsel patients on starting a PA program. CONCLUSIONS: Although some NP programs include PA content, most provide no or less-than-adequate PA training. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The current state of PA training in NP programs may hinder health promotion and disease prevention efforts. Programs should dedicate sufficient time and attention to preparing future NPs to promote PA behaviors. A multifaceted, multistakeholder approach is needed to facilitate widespread adoption of PA inclusion.

Provision of physical activity advice for patients with chronic diseases in Shenzhen, China.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) may best be promoted to patients during clinical consultations. Few studies investigated the practice of PA advice given by physicians, especially in China. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and contents of PA advice given by physicians in China and its association with patients' characteristics. METHODS: Face-to-face questionnaire asking the prevalence and contents of PA advice given by physicians was administered to adult patients in three major hospitals in Shenzhen, China. Attitude of compliance, stature, PA level, and socio-demographic information were also collected. Data was analyzed via descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 454 eligible patients (Age: 47.0 ± 14.4 years), only 19.2% (n = 87) reported receiving PA advice, whereas 21.8%, 23.0%, 32.2%, and 55.2% of patients received advices on PA frequency, duration, intensity, and type, respectively. Male patients were more likely to receive PA advice from physicians [odds ratio (OR): 1.81; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-3.05], whereas patients who were unemployed (OR: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.04-0.67), and who already achieved adequate amount of PA (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.12-0.71) were less likely to receive PA advice. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of physicians providing physical activity advice to patients is low, there is a pressing need to take intervention measures to educate healthcare providers.

A qualitative study of cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences on Hispanic mothers' early childhood feeding practices.

Young children's lifestyle behaviors are largely shaped by their parents. There are socioeconomic risk factors particular to Hispanic populations that influence the way parents feed their children. As obesity continues to be a public health issue with substantial inequities across race and ethnicity, it is critical to understand Hispanic parents' food choices and feeding practices. The objective of this qualitative study is to identify the behavioral, environmental, and cognitive factors that influence the parental food choices and feeding behaviors of Hispanic mothers of children ages 0-5 years. Snowball sampling was used to recruit participants from the community (n = 30) who were 1) female; 2) Hispanic; 3) over the age of 18; and 4) a mother to child(ren) between the ages zero and five. Each interview consisted of a brief demographic survey and a set of open-ended questions based on Social Cognitive Theory constructs. A thematic analysis using a combined deductive and inductive approach was used to analyze transcriptions. Results indicated that mothers' attitudes around breastfeeding were connected with their challenges, while their attitudes around solid foods were expressed in their feeding strategies. Mothers used strategies of modeling, repeated exposure, and practices of "sneaking" in healthy foods and bribing to promote healthy eating. Mothers were most likely to seek out information from (1) pediatricians, (2) female family members, and (3) the internet. Hispanic mothers actively seek out information from many different sources that impact how they feed their young children. Understanding their trusted sources and how it influences the SCT constructs is an important step in preventing early childhood obesity.

Exploring Strategies to Engage Hispanic Patients in Screening for a Diabetes Prevention Program at a Local Community Health Center.

There is a need for increasing diabetes screenings in high-risk adult populations, including those who are overweight/obese, have a family history of diabetes, and are members of certain ethnic groups (e.g., Hispanics). This qualitative study explored patients' willingness to attend screening for a diabetes prevention program being offered to Hispanic patients at a federally qualified health center. Telephone interviews were conducted with 36 Hispanic adults who had been invited to attend a free screening. The interview guide was based on the Health Belief Model and data were analyzed using a mixture of inductive and deductive approaches. Patients who attended health screenings, versus those who did not, exhibited different beliefs and attitudes regarding their health status and risk for chronic diseases. Future screening efforts should consider offering flexible appointment times and emphasize the benefits of diabetes prevention and early detection to enhance participation in diabetes screenings.

Physical activity assessment, prescription and referral in US healthcare: How do we make this a standard of clinical practice?

Numerous guidelines and recommendations reinforce the important role of healthcare providers promoting physical activity (PA) through assessment, prescription, and referral. This paper summarizes what is required to accomplish these actions as a standard of care. The sections describe the importance of measurement development and standardization, the integration of PA into the care continuum, suggested roles and responsibilities for the healthcare team, the role of technology and telehealth in promoting PA, connecting patients to different PA modalities and settings, a summary of the overall regulatory and policy plan to accomplish integration of PA into delivery of care, and areas for future research. Integrating PA assessment, prescription, and referral into delivery of care requires a multi-stakeholder, coordinated effort with government agencies, payers, non-governmental organizations, professional societies, the United States Congress, state legislatures, healthcare systems, and the healthcare industry.

Are sedentary behavior and physical activity independently associated with cardiometabolic benefits? The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

BACKGROUND: Whether physical activity can reduce cardiometabolic risk particularly in understudied populations such as US Hispanics/Latinos is of public health interest. We prospectively examined the association of physical activity and cardiometabolic biomarkers in n = 8049 participants of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, a community-based cohort study of 16,415 adults aged 18-74 yr who self-identified as Hispanic/Latino from four US urban centers. METHODS: We assessed physical activity using accelerometry in 2008-2011 at visit 1. We assessed cardiometabolic biomarkers twice: once at visit 1 and collected a second measure in 2014-2017 at visit 2. We used survey linear regression models with changes in cardiometabolic markers as the dependent variables and quartiles of sedentary behavior or whether adults met guidelines for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity as the independent variables. RESULTS: In normoglycemic adults without cardiovascular disease, but not in adults with evidence of cardiometabolic disease, those who were in the lowest quartile for sedentary behavior (< 10.08 h/day) had a significant decline in mean LDL-cholesterol of - 3.94 mg/dL (95% CI: - 6.37, - 1.52) compared to adults in the highest quartile (≥13.0 h/day) who exhibited a significant increase in LDL-cholesterol of 0.14 mg/dL (95% CI, - 2.15,2.42) over the six year period (P < 0.02 in fully adjusted models.) There was also a trend toward lower mean increase in HbA1c comparing the lowest with the highest quartile of sedentary behavior. Overall regardless of glycemic level or evidence of cardiometabolic disease, adults who met guidelines for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at visit 1, had significantly lower mean increases in level of fasting glucose compared to adults not meeting guidelines in fully adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of Hispanics/Latinos, being free of cardiometabolic disease and having low levels of sedentary behavior were associated with health benefits. Among all adults regardless of cardiometabolic disease, meeting guidelines for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was associated with health benefits. Overall these data suggest that an active lifestyle may blunt the association of advancing age with worsening cardiometabolic risk factors.

Identifying Key Physical Activity Categories and Topics to Include in Health Professional Training Programs.

Phenomenon: Healthcare is an important sector in promoting physical activity (PA). However, few health professional training programs include PA, nor does standardized guidance exist on implementing it in the curriculum. This study aimed to consolidate health professional expert opinion on key PA categories and topics that should be included in the curriculum of health professional training programs. Approach: A three-round, modified e-Delphi process examined the opinions of 73 experts from seven health professions (clinical nutrition, exercise physiology, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistants). In Round 1, panelists reported importance, ranked, and scored five broad PA categories, and responded to open-ended prompts for additional categories. In Round 2, panelists received summary feedback, re-ranked and re-scored PA categories, and suggested key PA topics within the five categories. In the final round, panelists viewed, ranked, and scored the PA topics. Findings: Expert panelists felt that all PA categories were important, with Health Behavior Change ranking the highest (98.7%) followed by Cellular and Systemic Implications of Exercise, Clinical Exercise Physiology, and PA and Public Health. The Administrative Aspects of Integrating PA into Health Systems ranked least important (48.0%). A consensus on the key PA categories was considered reached after two rounds. Five to eight specific PA topics were generated within each PA category and ranked in order of importance. Insights: These findings highlight several key PA categories and topics that can serve as a foundation for a diverse number of health professional training programs.

Acute and long-term cannabis use among stimulant users: Results from CTN-0037 Stimulant Reduction Intervention using Dosed Exercise (STRIDE) Randomized Control Trial.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of vigorous intensity, high dose exercise (DEI) on cannabis use among stimulant users compared to a health education intervention (HEI) using data from the Stimulant Reduction Intervention using Dosed Exercise, National Institute of Drug Abuse National Drug Treatment Clinical Trials Network Protocol Number 0037 (STRIDE). METHODS: Adults (N = 302) enrolled in the STRIDE randomized clinical trial were randomized to either the DEI or the HEI. Interventions included supervised sessions three times a week during the Acute phase (12 weeks) and once a week during the Follow-up phase (6 months). Cannabis use was measured at each assessment via Timeline Follow Back and urine drug screens. Cannabis use was compared between the groups during the Acute and Follow-up phases using both the intent-to-treat sample and a complier average causal effects (CACE) analysis. FINDINGS: Approximately 43% of the sample reported cannabis use at baseline. The difference in cannabis use between the DEI and HEI groups during the Acute phase was not significant. During the Follow-up phase, the days of cannabis use was significantly lower among those in the DEI group (1.20 days) compared to the HEI group (2.15 days; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: For those who adhered to the exercise intervention, vigorous intensity, high dose exercise resulted in less cannabis use. Results suggest that there were no significant short-term differences in cannabis use between the groups. Further study on the long-term impact of exercise as a treatment to reduce cannabis use should be considered.

The Implementation of a National Physical Activity Intervention in Colombia.

Background: In 2011, the Colombian government started a nationwide program, Hábitos y Estilos de Vida Saludable (HEVS; Healthy Life Habits), providing free, community-based physical activity classes for individuals across Colombia. This study describes the HEVS program, participant characteristics, and changes in anthropomorphic and health measures following the program. Methods: In this observational study, demographic information, current health status, lifestyle habits, and anthropomorphic measures were collected from adult HEVS participants at baseline and after program completion 11 months later. Changes in anthropomorphic and health measurements after the HEVS program were compared in the same participants using a paired t test and McNemar test, respectively. Results: A total of 56,472 adult participants (86.5% female) enrolled in the HEVS program. The greatest proportion of participants was between the ages of 18 and 34 years. Prior to participating in HEVS, mean body mass index and waist circumference were 26.3 kg/m2 and 85.7 cm, respectively. Postprogram data from 17,145 individuals showed statistically significant decreases in body mass index, waist circumference, and the proportion of patients with self-reported hypertension. Conclusions: The HEVS program successfully engaged a large number of Colombians in physical activity and resulted in significant improvements in their health, demonstrating the effectiveness of a government-supported, community-based physical activity program.

Alcohol use, acculturation and socioeconomic status among Hispanic/Latino men and women: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and patterns of alcohol use among U.S. Hispanic/Latino adults of diverse backgrounds. The population-based Hispanic Community Health Study/ Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) enrolled a cohort of Hispanic/Latino adults (N = 16,415) ages 18-74 years at time of recruitment, from four US metropolitan areas between 2008-11. Drinking patterns and socio-demographics questionnaires were administered as part of the baseline examination. The relationship between age, sex, socio-demographics, acculturation, current alcohol use, and alcohol risk disorder, defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) [no risk (i.e., never drinker), low risk (i.e., women<7 drinks/week; men<14 drinks/week), and at-risk (i.e., women>7 drinks/week; men>14 drinks/week)] were assessed in unadjusted and adjusted multinomial logistic regression analyses. Men reported a higher prevalence than women of at-risk drinking. For women, increased odds of at-risk alcohol use was associated with: a younger age, greater education, full-time employment, and acculturation after adjustment. For men, having a lower income (vs. higher income) or a higher income (vs. not reported) and being employed fulltime (vs. retired) was associated with at-risk alcohol use. For both men and women, there were variations in odds of at-risk drinking across Hispanic/Latino heritage backgrounds, after adjustment. Exact values, odds ratios and p-values are reported within the text. Common factors across sex associated with at-risk drinking included being of Mexican background and being employed full-time. Intervention strategies should consider diversity within the Hispanic/Latino community when designing alcohol abuse prevention programs.