Recent Latinx Immigrants to Miami-Dade County, Florida: A Characterization of Pre- and Post-Immigration Travel.

With greater understanding of preferred and frequently used modes of transportation, urban planners can design and promote efficient, equitable, and sustainable living environments. Few studies have examined the transportation needs immigrants who have recently arrived in the United States. Most of our limited understanding of this subset of the population is based on research obtained from immigrants who have resided in the United States for extended periods of time. Moreover, little is known about how post-immigration travel behaviors are affected by pre-immigration travel behaviors. This study examines how pre-immigration travel behaviors of Latinx immigrants affect their post-immigration travel behaviors within one year of their arrival to Miami-Dade County, Florida. The findings of this study align with previous research suggesting that, among this immigrant group, multiple modes of transportation are used-with variations by sex, income, and country of origin. Unlike previous studies, however, our results reveal a relatively high prevalence of driving, particularly among men, indicating the uniqueness of Latinx travel behavior in Miami-Dade County. An important and novel study finding is that transportation behaviors of immigrants soon after arrival are highly influenced by transportation behaviors in their country of origin. This knowledge can potentially be highly relevant to transportation planners in the United States, as it facilitates the adoption of early behavioral interventions to address immigrants' transportation needs.

Longitudinal associations between marianismo beliefs and acculturative stress among Latina immigrants during initial years in the United States.

Acculturative stress is commonly experienced among Latinx immigrants in the United States who may feel pressured to maintain their heritage cultural norms and beliefs and/or adopt norms and beliefs of the dominant culture. The present study examined longitudinal relations between acculturative stress and endorsement of traditional Latina gender role beliefs (i.e., marianismo). We determined strength of the relations and temporal precedence of acculturative stress and endorsement of marianismo across 3 time points during participants' initial 3 years in the United States using a random intercept cross-lagged panel model. Participants were 530 Latina young adult women (ages 18-23) recruited from Miami-Dade County, Florida. Results suggested that acculturative stress levels at Time 1 positively predicted endorsement of the Family Pillar belief at Time 2, but acculturative stress levels at Time 2 negatively predicted the Virtuous and Chaste and Subordinate to Others beliefs at Time 3. In terms of marianismo beliefs predicting acculturative stress levels over time, the Virtuous and Chaste belief at Time 1 positively predicted acculturative stress at Time 2, and the Silencing Self to Maintain Harmony belief at Time 2 positively predicted acculturative stress at Time 3. Findings suggest that the Family Pillar belief, or feeling responsibility for the family's unity, may be protective against acculturative stress over time. Endorsing certain gender role beliefs (i.e., Virtuous and Chaste, Subordinate to Others) may lead to greater acculturative stress, and Latina young adult women experiencing acculturative stress may alter their endorsement of marianismo beliefs in an attempt to resolve culturally conflicting stress experienced after immigration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Alcohol use Exacerbates Acculturative Stress Among Recently Immigrated, Young Adult Latinas.

Associations between theorized sociocultural factors and acculturative stress were examined among Latina immigrants (aged 18-23 years) during their initial months in the US. Participants' quantity of alcohol use was hypothesized to be linked with more acculturative stress. Using respondent-driven sampling, 530 Latinas who recently immigrated to Miami-Dade County, Florida, were recruited from community activities, Latino health fairs, advertisements at community agencies, and online postings. A path analysis revealed associations between acculturative stress and more time in the US and greater commitment to ethnic identity. Marianismo gender role beliefs differentially related with acculturative stress. Quantity of alcohol use moderated the positive association between time in US and acculturative stress, such that women in the US for less time who drank more alcohol experienced higher levels of acculturative stress than their peers. Findings suggest quantity of alcohol use may exacerbate acculturative stress during some Latina young adult immigrants' initial months in the US.

Latina young adults' use of health care during initial months in the United States.

We examined social ecological predictors of health care utilization among Latina young adults during their initial year after immigration to the United States. Participants were 530 Latinas (ages 18-23) who immigrated to Miami-Dade County, Florida, 11.5 months before assessment. We used multiple logistic regression to test predictors of health care usage. Approximately 36% utilized care. Dimensions of marianismo differentially associated with usage. Usage also was more likely for participants who reported more social network attachment, better health, greater neighborhood cohesion, and possessed a job and health insurance. Findings inform interventions to increase health care usage globally among women after immigration.

A Social Ecological Study of Psychological Distress among Recently Immigrated, Latina Young Adults.

The present study examined potential individual-, cultural-, and interpersonal-level determinants of psychological distress among young adult Latina immigrants during their initial months in the United States (US). Five hundred thirty participants (aged 18-23 years old) immigrated an average of one year before assessment. Higher levels of psychological distress (as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory, Derogatis & Fitzpatrick, 2004) were associated with undocumented immigration status, more immersion in the dominant (US) society, and more acculturative stress. Participants who more strongly endorsed certain marianismo beliefs [i.e., Latina women should be (a) the spiritual leaders of their family and are responsible for the family's spiritual growth and (b) virtuous and chaste] indicated less distress. Participants who endorsed the belief that Latina women should be subordinate and self-silencing to maintain harmony in relationships reported more intense distress. Women who endorsed the belief that Latinas should be the main source of strength for their family also reported more distress. Participants' attachment to their social network served as a moderator of several direct effects. Participants who experienced close attachment to their social network and more ethnic immersion reported substantively less distress than other participants did. Participants reporting lower attachment and lower endorsement of the virtuous and chaste belief experienced more distress than their peers did. Participants indicating lower attachment and higher endorsement of subordinate and self-silencing beliefs also reported more distress than peers did. Finally, participants who spent less time in the US and reported lower attachment indicated higher levels of distress. Findings inform interventions to eliminate mental health disparities affecting Latina young adults.

Riding with Impaired Drivers Among Recent Latino Immigrants in Southern Florida.

In a previous effort we showed that compared with immigrants who are permanent residents, undocumented immigrants are more likely to binge drink, but less likely to drink while impaired (DWI) partly due to their limited amount of driving. This report examines a related risk: riding with an impaired driver (RWI). Data came from an ongoing longitudinal sample of Latino immigrants to Miami-Dade County, FL. Descriptive analyses and regression techniques were applied. While DWI rates among Latino immigrants is heavily limited by their access to a car, RWI rates were not restricted by driving limitations, nor related to participants' legal immigration status (LIS). RWI rates were linked only to heavy drinking. Because it is not affected by driving limitations, RWI for these Latino immigrants is perhaps a more immediate risk than DWI. Addressing RWI among Latino immigrants should be a priority for traffic safety to Miami/Dade country.

Recruiting and Assessing Recent Young Adult Latina Immigrants in Health Disparities Research.

The authors interviewed 4 researchers to identify facilitators in recruiting and assessing Latina immigrants. The 4 researchers recruited 530 recent Latina immigrants (ages 18-23 years) for a study of social and cultural determinants of health. Consensual qualitative research methods revealed that respondent-driven sampling was an effective recruitment method. Fear of deportation was a barrier. Stigma about sensitive topics (e.g., sex, drug use) did not affect participation. Findings can help counselors conduct health disparities research.

Drinking and Driving Among Undocumented Latino Immigrants in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

There is concern that by failing to understand fully the risks associated with driving under the influence (DUI), some Latino immigrants-undocumented in particular-may be overrepresented in alcohol-related crashes. Until now, data on undocumented immigrants has been absent. Data came from an ongoing longitudinal sample of Latino immigrants to Miami-Dade County, FL. Descriptive analyses and regression techniques were applied. Compared with permanent residents, undocumented drivers are more likely to binge drink, less likely to understand DUI laws, and less likely to perceive the risks associated with DUI-three factors largely associated with high DUI rates. Despite facing these risk factors, undocumented immigrants showed low DUI rates, partly due to their limited amount of driving. Differences in risk perceptions and actual DUI events between Latino immigrants of different residency statuses suggest the possibility of early interventions aimed at reducing DUI among Latino immigrants.

Alcohol use among recent Latino immigrants before and after immigration to the United States.

BACKGROUND: US-born Latinos have higher rates of alcohol use than Latinos who have immigrated to the United States. However, little is known about the pre-immigration drinking patterns of Latino immigrants or about the changes in their drinking behaviors in the 2 years post-immigration. OBJECTIVES: This article reports findings of a longitudinal study that compared rates of regular, binge, and heavy drinking among a cohort of recent Latino immigrants, ages 18-34, prior to immigration to the United States and in the 2 years post-immigration. METHODS: Baseline data were collected on the drinking patterns of 405 Latino immigrants living in the United States for 12 months or less. A follow-up assessment occurred during their second year in the United States. RESULTS: Findings indicate that number of days of drinking declined significantly post-immigration. Binge alcohol use (five or more drinks on the same occasion during the past 90 days) significantly declined during the post-immigration period. Heavy alcohol use (five or more drinks on the same occasion on five or more days during the past 90 days) also significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest a need for continued exploration of pre-immigration drinking patterns and research to uncover underlying factors associated with declines in rates of problematic alcohol use among recent Latino immigrants. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: The results of this study can aid in furthering our understanding of the alcohol use of Latino immigrants ages 18-34 prior to and post immigration to the United States to guide future research and the development of culturally tailored clinical interventions.

Challenges and strategies in recruiting, interviewing, and retaining recent Latino immigrants in substance abuse and HIV epidemiologic studies.

The growth of immigrant populations in the United States over the past 20 years has increased the need to enhance understanding about the risk factors that influence their substance abuse and HIV risk behaviors. Today, Latinos account for the largest majority of immigrants gaining entry into the United States. As the largest and fastest growing minority subgroup in the United States, they bear a disproportionate burden of disease and death compared to non-Latinos. Latinos are confronted with escalating HIV and substance-abuse problems, particularly Latinos between the ages of 18-34. This paper is based on our longitudinal study on the drug using and HIV risk behaviors of 527 recent Latino immigrants between the ages of 18-34 who have lived in the United States less than 1 year. The data collection activities of this study have provided insights in identifying, recruiting, interviewing, and retaining Latinos in community-based studies. Strategies, such as utilizing a combination of translation techniques, ensured the development and implementation of culturally appropriate questionnaires. Respondent-driven sampling facilitated identifying participants. Establishing rapport and trust was critical for interviewing, and maintaining a tracking protocol was most important for retention. The lessons learned from this study can guide substance abuse and HIV researchers when recruiting, interviewing, and retaining recent Latino immigrants in future epidemiologic studies.