Comparison of Mexican-American vs Caucasian prostate cancer active surveillance candidates.

BACKGROUND: We compared upgrading and upstaging rates in low risk and favorable intermediate risk prostate cancer (CaP) patients according to racial and/or ethnic group: Mexican-Americans and Caucasians. METHODS: Within Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database (2010-2015), we identified low risk and favorable intermediate risk CaP patients according to National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Descriptives and logistic regression models were used. Furthermore, a subgroup analysis was performed to test the association between Mexican-American vs. Caucasian racial and/or ethnic groups and upgrading either to Gleason-Grade Group (GGG II) or to GGG III, IV or V, in low risk or favorable intermediate risk CaP patients, respectively. RESULTS: We identified 673 (2.6%) Mexican-American and 24,959 (97.4%) Caucasian CaP patients. Of those, 14,789 were low risk (434 [2.9%] Mexican-Americans vs. 14,355 [97.1%] Caucasians) and 10,834 were favorable intermediate risk (239 [2.2%] Mexican-Americans vs. 10,604 [97.8%] Caucasians). In low risk CaP patients, Mexican-American vs. Caucasian racial and/or ethnic group did not result in either upgrading or upstaging differences. However, in favorable intermediate risk CaP patients, upgrading rate was higher in Mexican-Americans than in Caucasians (31.4 vs. 25.5%, OR 1.33, P = 0.044), but no difference was recorded for upstaging. When comparisons focused on upgrading to GGG III, IV or V, higher rate was recorded in Mexican-American relative to Caucasian favorable intermediate risk CaP patients (20.4 vs. 15.4%, OR 1.41, P = 0.034). CONCLUSION: Low risk Mexican-American CaP patients do not differ from low risk Caucasian CaP patients. However, favorable intermediate risk Mexican-American CaP patients exhibit higher rates of upgrading than their Caucasian counterparts. This information should be considered at treatment decision making.

Cognitive Factors Associated with Frequency of Eating Out and Eating Takeout among Latinas.

Higher frequency of eating outside the home can be an unhealthy behavior that may contribute to higher rates of obesity among Latinas, a disproportionately affected group. There is a growing need to understand potentially modifiable factors (eg, dispositional mindfulness, self-efficacy, nutrition knowledge) associated with higher frequency of eating outside the home in this population. This study assessed associations of cognitive factors (ie, dispositional mindfulness, self-efficacy of eating and purchasing healthy foods, nutrition knowledge) with frequency of eating out among Latinas. A secondary analysis was performed of data from a cross-sectional study of Latinas between February and May 2015. The study comprised a convenience sample of 218 Spanish- or English-literate Latinas, between the ages of 18 and 55 years, who lived in South or East Los Angeles and self-identified as the primary person responsible for grocery shopping in the household. Most participants identified as foreign-born Mexican Americans. Frequency of eating out was assessed as the outcome variable, and three cognitive variables (mindfulness disposition, self-efficacy, nutrition knowledge) served as independent variables. Multinomial models assessed the association between cognitive factors and frequency of eating out. Models were adjusted for age, English-speaking ability, income, having an obesity-related disease (ie, overweight or obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease), household size, and education level. For every 1-unit increase in mindfulness disposition, the risk of a participant eating out every week compared with every month decreased by a factor of 0.42 (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 0.58, P < 0.01). For every 1-unit increase in self-efficacy, the risk of a participant eating out every week compared with every month decreased by a factor of 0.32 (RRR = 0.68, P < 0.05), and the risk of a participant eating out every 2 weeks compared with every month decreased by a factor of 0.44 (RRR = 0.56, P < 0.05). For every 1-unit increase in nutrition knowledge, the risk of a participant eating out every week compared with every month increased by a factor of 1.42 (RRR = 1.42, P < 0.01). Lower dispositional mindfulness was associated with higher frequency of eating out when comparing individuals who ate out at least every week with those who ate out once a month or less or every 2 weeks. Lower self-efficacy was associated with eating out more when comparing those who ate out once a month or less with those who ate out at least every week or every 2 weeks. Lower nutrition knowledge was associated with lower frequency of eating out for participants who ate out once a month or less compared with those who ate out at least every week.

Association of Milk Consumption and Vitamin D Status in the US Population by Ethnicity: NHANES 2001-2010 Analysis.

Vitamin D has been identified as a nutrient of public health concern, and higher intake of natural or fortified food sources of vitamin D, such as milk, are encouraged by the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. We, therefore, examined the association of milk consumption and vitamin D status in the United States (US) population. Twenty-four-hour dietary recall data and serum 25(OH)D concentrations were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2010 and were analyzed by linear and logistic regression after adjusting for anthropometric and demographic variables. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Approximately 57-80% children and 42-60% adults were milk consumers. Milk intake (especially reduced-fat, low fat and no-fat milk) was positively associated (plinear trend < 0.05) with serum vitamin D status and with a 31-42% higher probability of meeting recommended serum vitamin D (>50 nmol/L) levels among all age groups. Serum vitamin D status was also associated with both type and amount of milk intake depending upon the age and ethnicity. In conclusion, the results indicate that milk consumers consistently have higher serum vitamin D levels and higher probability of meeting recommended levels. Therefore, increasing milk intake may be an effective strategy to improve the vitamin D status of the US population.

Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Poor Control of Hypertension Among Young American Adults: Race-Stratified Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the race-stratified trends for prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in young American adults aged 18 to 44 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2005-2016 for adults aged 18 to 44 years was used to calculate age-adjusted (using 2005, 2010, and 2015 US Census population proportions) weighted trends in prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Mexican-American participants as per the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. Trends were estimated by logistic regression models including demographic, socioeconomic, health care access, and Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons as covariates. RESULTS: Among 15,171 young American adults, stable trends for the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension was seen in all racial groups (Plinear trend>.05 for all). The prevalence from 2013 to 2016 was highest in non-Hispanic blacks (30.7%; 95% CI, 27.3 to 34.0%), followed by non-Hispanic whites (21.9%; 95% CI, 19.6 to 24.1%), and Mexican Americans (21.9%; 95% CI, 18.6 to 25.1%). The awareness was stable at ∼43.2% in non-Hispanic blacks, ∼34.8% in non-Hispanic whites, and ∼28.4% in Mexican Americans from 2005 to 2008 through 2013 to 2016. The stable treatment rates at nearly 34.4%, 23.7%, and 20.6%, were seen in non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white, and Mexican-Americans, respectively. The optimal control of hypertension was seen in 14.5% (95% CI, 12.1 to 17.0%) non-Hispanic blacks, 12.2% (95% CI, 10.3 to 14.0%) non-Hispanic whites, and 10.3% (95% CI, 7.1 to 13.5%) Mexican Americans from 2013 to 2016. CONCLUSION: Nearly one in every three non-Hispanic young black and one in every five young Mexican American and non-Hispanic white adults have hypertension. Our race-stratified analyses highlight the categorical need to improve the abysmal control of hypertension which is approximately 1 in 10 young adults.

Tattoo Removal as a Resettlement Service to Reduce Incarceration Among Mexican Migrants.

In Mexico, tattooed migrants face discrimination and are at high-risk of incarceration, thus, we assessed whether receiving laser tattoo removal affected the likelihood of incarceration. In 2015-2016, 89 adults ages ≥ 18 years with visible tattoos were recruited at a free-clinic to receive laser tattoo removal or assigned to the wait-list; all completed baseline and 6-month questionnaires. Overall, 97.8% of participants ever migrated to the USA. In multivariate analyses restricted to migrants (n = 87), those receiving laser tattoo removal [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 0.27, 95% CI 0.07-0.89] and possessing a Mexican Voting card (AOR 0.14; 95% CI 0.03-0.58) were significantly less likely than wait-list participants to be incarcerated at 6-months. Previously incarcerated participants were significantly more likely to be incarcerated at follow-up. Tattoo removal may reduce incarceration among Mexican migrants. Future studies can assess other health and social benefits of tattoo removal for migrants/deportees returning to Mexico.

Cultural influence on mindful eating: traditions and values as experienced by Mexican-American and non-Hispanic white parents of elementary-school children.

OBJECTIVE: To examine perceptions of mindful eating and mindful food parenting among parents of elementary school children. METHODS: Four focus groups were conducted with 19 Mexican-American parents and 13 non-Hispanic white parents of children from a northern California elementary school. RESULTS: Themes emerging from this research included food traditions during mealtime, perceptions of mindful eating, mindful food parenting and portion control, mindful food parenting practices through gardening, and mindful food parenting with traditional foods. Mexican-American participants identified cooking traditional foods as an important part of their mindful eating and food parenting practices. Mexican-American participants also highlighted the importance of using their senses to appreciate food. Both Mexican-American and non-Hispanic white participants emphasized the importance of involving children in gardening and meal preparation. Mexican-American parents had different perceptions of food portion control than the non-Hispanic white participants. CONCLUSIONS: The current study indicates the importance of mindfulness in broad food-related practices such as gardening, cooking and preserving food traditions in mindful eating practices. More research is needed to further understand how culture shapes and impacts these food practices among different cultural groups.

Body Image, Physical Activity and Cultural Variables Underlying Race and Ethnicity among Latino Men.

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity is a significant public health concern among Latino men. Common correlates of obesity that have been examined in previous studies are diet, physical activity, and body image. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine whether or not there are differences in body image, physical activity and cultural variables between Mexican and Puerto Rican men. METHODS: Participants completed a health and culture interview, anthropometric measures, a dietary assessment, and an objective measure of physical activity. The results are from the 203 participants who completed the health and culture interview. RESULTS: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans did not differ in their current and ideal body image, body image discrepancy, body satisfaction or how they described their weight. Puerto Ricans watched a greater number of hours of television per day than Mexicans (p < .01). There were no significant differences in their participation in any regular activity designed to improve or maintain their physical fitness, the number of times or length they engaged in this activity, or in their perceived exertion during this activity. Puerto Ricans reported a higher level of familism (p < .01) and machismo (p < .05) than Mexicans. There were no ethnic differences in folk illness beliefs, fatalism or personalism, acculturation level, acculturative stress, or ethnic identity. CONCLUSIONS: Results are discussed in relation to the development of healthy eating, physical activity and body image interventions for Puerto Rican and Mexican men.

Familism, sibling relationship qualities, and sibling sex constellation as predictors of alcohol use among Mexican-origin adolescents.

Sibling relationship qualities and traditional family values (i.e., familism) are contextual factors relevant for early substance use risk among Mexican-origin adolescents. Yet limited research has examined whether familism moderates the effects of sibling relationship features on alcohol use. The present study examined whether familism enhanced or reduced the effects of sibling intimacy, negativity, and sibling deviance on later alcohol use, also testing whether sibling sex constellation (sisters, brothers, mixed) modified the patterns of influence. We analyzed two waves of data (N = 404) from the California Families Project, a longitudinal study of Mexican-origin youth. Using zero-inflated Poisson models, we examined unique and intersecting prospective influences of age 14 sibling contexts and familism on the likelihood of and degree of engagement in alcohol use at age 16. Results indicated a complex interplay of sibling features, familism values, and alcohol use patterns. Familism moderated the effects of sibling intimacy on later alcohol use patterns. For those with lower familism, increasing intimacy was associated with higher probability of any use, but decreasing degree of use (especially for brother pairs and sister pairs). Among those with higher familism, increasing intimacy predicted reduced probability of any use, but increases in the degree of use (for sister and mixed pairs). More sibling negativity was related to reduced alcohol use probability for brothers, and increased alcohol use in mixed sibling pairs. Sibling deviance was associated with greater age 16 alcohol use. This study highlights cultural considerations for including siblings in substance use prevention programs for Mexican-origin youth. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Factors associated with seeking preventive dental care: an integrative model exploration of behaviors in Mexican immigrants in Midwest America.

BACKGROUND: Mexican immigrants in the United States suffer from poor oral health. The objective of the current study was to explore the utility of applying theory-based factors associated with seeking preventive dental care in a sample of Mexican American adults. METHODS: Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey of a sample of 157 people of Mexican origin (64% female; age 34 ± 11 years) recruited primarily from church congregations and lay community organizations in Central Indiana. Using the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction as the guiding framework, structural equation modeling was used to test factors associated with intention to seek preventive dental care. RESULTS: Attitude towards seeking preventive dental care (estimate = 0.37; p < .0001) and self-efficacy for seeking preventive dental care (estimate = 0.68; p < .0001) were associated with intention to seek preventive dental care. The association between dental beliefs and intention to seek preventive dental care was mediated by attitude and self-efficacy (indirect effect = 0.26, p = .002), and the association between past behavior and intention to seek preventive dental care was mediated by self-efficacy (indirect effect = 0.26, p = .003). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that interventions to increase preventive dental care seeking behavior among Mexican Americans should focus on changing attitudes toward seeking preventive dental care and on increasing self-efficacy to seek preventive dental care. Findings also support the use of interventions to influence dental beliefs.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome on the US Mexico Border: A Survey in an Indigent Population Using Rome III Criteria.

GOALS: To investigate the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and its association with health perception and health care-seeking behavior in this Mexican American population. BACKGROUND: The prevalence of IBS ranges from 3% to 20.4% in the United States and 4.4% to 16% in Mexico, based on Rome III and II criteria. However, its epidemiological profile in the US Mexico border is unknown. STUDY: We conducted a survey in a randomly selected indigent population (N=521) recruited into a colon cancer screening program (ACCION). The prevalence of IBS was estimated and a multivariable logistic regression was carried out to determine the associated risk factors. Results are summarized using odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: A total of 464 (89%) completed the survey (mean age, 56.7 y; female, 74.8%). Country of birth was Mexico in 90.5% and the United States in 8.2% and acculturation was more Spanish (94.8%) than English (5.2%). Overall, 5.6% (95% CI, 3.7-8.1) fulfilled criteria for IBS with a predominance among women (6.9%) versus men (1.7%) (P=0.03). On the basis of multivariable analysis, lower number of bowel movements/week (odds ratio, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.80-1.00), having a primary care physician: 4.09 (1.51-11.12), using herbal treatments: 2.76 (1.08-7.06) and a previous IBS diagnosis: 23.11 (3.44-155.45), were significantly associated with the presence of IBS. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of IBS on the US Mexico border is comparable with data obtained from studies in both countries. Consulting a primary care physician as an associated factor may reveal the high rate of health-care seeking in IBS patients, while herbal treatments may reflect a cultural influence.

Medical Pluralism in the Use of Sobadores among Mexican Immigrants to North Carolina.

Mexican immigrants have a rich history of traditional healers. This analysis describes the conditions for which Mexican immigrants seek treatment from sobadores, and delineates factors that influence seeking treatment from a sobador or a biomedical doctor. This systematic qualitative analysis uses interview data collected with 24 adult Mexican immigrants to North Carolina who had been treated by a sobador in the previous 2 years. Immigrants are engaged in medical pluralism, seeking care from sobadores and biomedical doctors based on the complaint and patient's age. Using a hierarchy of resort, adults seek treatment from sobadores for musculoskeletal pain not involving a fracture. Doctors are first consulted when treating children; sobadores are consulted if doctors do not provide culturally appropriate treatment. Mexican immigrants seek care that addresses their culturally determined health concerns. The need to improve access to culturally competent biomedical health care for vulnerable immigrant populations continues.

Self-schema as a non-drinker: a protective resource against heavy drinking in Mexican-American college women.

Alcohol use is considered less acceptable for women than men in the Mexican culture. However, recent studies of Mexican-American (MA) women show that prevalence and rates of alcohol use are escalating, particularly in those with high acculturation to Western standards. Building on recent studies that demonstrated that drinking-related identities (self-schemas) are important predictors of alcohol use in college populations, this secondary data analysis investigated the association between acculturation, MA cultural values, and acculturative stress, drinking-related self-schemas and heavy drinking over time in college-enrolled MA women. Data were drawn from a 12-month longitudinal study of self-schemas and health-risk behaviors in 477 college-enrolled MA women. Drinking-related self-schemas, acculturation, MA cultural values and acculturative stress were measured at baseline, and heavy drinking was measured at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Thirty-six percent of women had a non-drinker self-schema but only 3% had a drinker self-schema. Higher spirituality was protective against heavy drinking, and this effect can be partially explained by presence of a non-drinker self-schema. Interventions that emphasize the personal relevance of being a non-drinker and support the importance of spirituality may help to prevent heavy drinking in MA college women.

Short Sleep Duration Is Associated With Eating More Carbohydrates and Less Dietary Fat in Mexican American Children.

Study Objective: Short sleep duration is a risk factor for childhood obesity. Mechanisms are unclear, but may involve selection of high carbohydrate foods. This study examined the association between estimated sleep duration and macronutrient intake as percentages of total energy among Mexican American (MA) 9-11 year olds. Methods: This cross-sectional study measured diet using two 24-hour recalls and estimated sleep duration using hip-worn accelerometry in MA children (n = 247) who were part of a cohort study. Child and maternal anthropometry were obtained; mothers reported on demographic information. Using linear regression, we examined the relationship of sleep duration with energy intake, sugar intake, and the percentage of energy intake from carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Results: Children were 47% male; mean age was 10 (SD = 0.9) years. Mean sleep duration was 9.6 (SD = 0.8) hours; 53% were overweight/obese, with a mean energy intake of 1759 (SD = 514) calories. Longer sleep duration was independently associated with a lower percentage of energy intake from carbohydrates (ß = -0.22, p < .01) and a higher percentage of energy from fat (ß = 0.19, p < .01), driven by the percentage of energy from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; ß = 0.17, p < .05). No association was found with the intake of energy or total sugars, or the percent of calories from protein. Conclusions: MA children who slept longer consumed diets with a lower percentage of calories from carbohydrates and a higher percentage from fat, especially from PUFA. Short sleep duration may be a risk factor for food cravings that are high in carbohydrate content and may displace heart-healthy dietary fat, and thereby increase obesity risk among children.

Differences in Mexican Americans' Prevalence of Chronic Pain and Co-Occurring Analgesic Medication and Substance Use Relative to Non-Hispanic White and Black Americans: Results from NHANES 1999-2004.

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the burgeoning Mexican American (MA) population's pain experience. METHODS: Using 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, prevalence of chronic pain, analgesic medication use, and substance use were examined among MA, non-Hispanic White (NHW), and non-Hispanic Black (NHB) respondents. Logistic and linear regression models examined racial/ethnic differences in: 1) chronic pain prevalence among all respondents, 2) location and number of pain sites among respondents with chronic pain, and 3) analgesic medication and substance use among respondents with chronic pain. RESULTS: Compared to NHWs and NHBs, MAs were less likely to report any chronic pain. Among respondents with chronic pain, MAs had higher odds of reporting headache, abdominal pain, and a greater number of pain sites than NHWs. Compared to NHWs, MAs with chronic pain had lower odds of reporting past-month analgesic medication and COX-2 inhibitor use. MAs with chronic pain had lower odds of being a current cigarette smoker and heavy alcohol drinker but had similar street drug/cocaine use relative to NHWs. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that: 1) MAs are less likely to develop chronic pain than NHWs, 2) MAs with chronic pain report greater headache and abdominal pain than NHWs, and 3) MAs with chronic pain are less likely to use analgesic medications and other substances compared to NHWs. These results suggest that providers should consider taking extra time to discuss analgesic medications with MAs. Future investigations should examine reasons underlying these racial/ethnic differences in chronic pain, as well as differences in the use of other substances, such as marijuana.

A Qualitative Exploration of Less Acculturated Mexican Mothers' Safety Perceptions of Herbs, Medicines, and Cleaners in the Home.

Childhood poisoning is a leading public health concern in our society. The death rate from unintentional poisonings among children has increased by 80% from 2000 to 2009. Immigrant children are also at-risk. A qualitative study, consisting of a pile sort, was conducted among immigrant Mexican mothers to determine their safety perceptions of commonly used medicines, herbs, and cleaners. Participants (N = 35) were selected for semi-structured interviews from a pediatric primary care clinic in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Some mothers over-estimated their children's ability to discern the dangers of substances, relied heavily on sensory skills of children, and perceived a medicine as safe after successful use in the past. Other mothers were more cognizant of allergic reactions, ingestion, and the need to store substances carefully. Brief interventions that incorporate culturally-appropriate safety messages are needed to assist Mexican mothers in creating a safe home environment.

Chamomile Consumption and Mortality: A Prospective Study of Mexican Origin Older Adults.

PURPOSE: Approximately 20% of adults use some kind of herbal; however, little data exists from population-based study or clinical trials to support effectiveness of most herbal products. Chamomile is a commonly used herb among older adults of Mexican origin. We examined the effects of herbal chamomile consumption on mortality among older adults of Mexican origin. METHODS AND DESIGN: A sample from the Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly, a population-based study of noninstitutionalized Mexican Americans aged 65 and older from five Southwestern states (Texas, California, New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona). We included all men and women from 2000 to 2007 (n = 1,677). RESULTS: Chamomile was used by 14% of the sample. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses showed that chamomile was associated with a decreased risk of mortality in the total sample (hazard ratio [HR] 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55-0.92) and for women (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.49-0.92) but not for men. In models adjusted for sociodemographic variables, health behaviors, and chronic conditions, chamomile remained significantly associated with reduced mortality in women (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.53-0.98). IMPLICATIONS: The use of chamomile shows protective effects against mortality in this sample of older adults of Mexican origin for women. Further research is warranted in other populations to determine if these effects are consistent.

Spirituality and Resilience Among Mexican American IPV Survivors.

Women with abusive partners use a variety of coping strategies. This study examined the correlation between spirituality, resilience, and intimate partner violence using a cross-sectional survey of 54 Mexican American women living along the U.S.-Mexico border. The meaning-making coping model provides the conceptual framework to explore how spirituality is used as a copying strategy. Multiple ordinary least squares (OLS) regression results indicate women who score higher on spirituality also report greater resilient characteristics. Poisson regression analyses revealed that an increase in level of spirituality is associated with lower number of types of abuse experienced. Clinical, programmatic, and research implications are discussed.

Surviving the Distance: The Transnational Utilization of Traditional Medicine Among Oaxacan Migrants in the US.

Transnational health practices are an emergent and understudied phenomenon, which provide insight into how migrants seek care and tend to their health care needs in receiving communities. We conducted in depth interviews with return migrants (N = 21) and traditional healers (N = 11) to explore transnational health practices among Mixtec migrants from Oaxaca, specifically in relation to their utilization of traditional healers, medicinal plants, and folk remedies. In established migrant destination points, folk remedies and plants are readily available, and furthermore, these resources often travel alongside migrants. Traditional healers are integral to transnational networks, whether they migrate and provide services in the destination point, or are providing services from communities of origin. Findings encourage us to rethink migrants' communities of origin typically thought of as "left behind," and instead reposition them as inherently connected by transnational channels. Implications for transnational health care theory and practice are addressed.

Blood folate concentrations among women of childbearing age by race/ethnicity and acculturation, NHANES 2001-2010.

Hispanic women have higher rates of neural tube defects and report lower total folic acid intakes than non-Hispanic white (NHW) women. Total folic acid intake, which is associated with neural tube defect risk reduction, has been found to vary by acculturation factors (i.e. language preference, country of origin, or time spent in the United States) among Hispanic women. It is unknown whether this same association is present for blood folate status. The objective of this research was to assess the differences in serum and red blood cell (RBC) folate concentrations between NHW women and Mexican American (MA) women and among MA women by acculturation factors. Cross-sectional data from the 2001-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used to investigate how blood folate concentrations differ among NHW or MA women of childbearing age. The impact of folic acid supplement use on blood folate concentrations was also examined. MA women with lower acculturation factors had lower serum and RBC folate concentrations compared with NHW women and to their more acculturated MA counterparts. Consuming a folic acid supplement can minimize these disparities, but MA women, especially lower acculturated MA women, were less likely to report using supplements. Public health efforts to increase blood folate concentrations among MA women should consider acculturation factors when identifying appropriate interventions.

Moving away from a cultural deficit to a holistic perspective: Traditional gender role values, academic attitudes, and educational goals for Mexican descent adolescents.

Latina/o youth lag behind Asian American and non-Latina/o White youth in many academic areas. Previous research has taken a deficit approach to understand the factors that affect academic outcomes for Latina/o youth often neglecting to highlight both the potential positive and negative contributions of gender role values. The present study took a holistic perspective to understand the affect of traditional Latina/o gender role values (i.e., marianismo, machismo, and caballerismo) on the academic attitudes and educational goals of Mexican descent youth. Structural equation models were tested to examine the associations of "positive" and "negative" gender role values on educational goals using 524 Mexican descent adolescents from a mid-sized city in southern Texas. We hypothesized that positive aspects of traditional Latina/o gender role values (i.e., "positive marianismo" and caballerismo) would be associated with more positive attitudes toward academics and higher educational goals. We further expected negative gender role values (i.e., "negative marianismo" and machismo) to have the opposite effect. Additionally, based on the theory of planned behavior and gender schema theory, academic attitudes were hypothesized to mediate the relation between gender role values and educational goals. An alternative model was tested in which educational goals mediated the relation between gender roles and academic attitudes. Results indicated that both models fit the data well, and recommendations are made for future longitudinal research aimed at disentangling the directionality of the relations in the model. Implications for research and practice are discussed.