Doubled-Up Households, Self-Management Behaviors, Diabetes Preventive Care Services, and Hospital Use in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) 2015-2020.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated associations of living in a doubled-up household (i.e., adults living with adult children, other related adults, or other unrelated adults) with diabetes self-management behaviors, occurrence of diabetes preventive care services, and hospital use by Hispanic/Latino adults with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed data from the second clinical visit (2014-2017) through subsequent annual follow-up interviews completed through January 2020 of all participants with diabetes in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Multivariable regression was used to test associations between doubled-up status with diabetes self-management behaviors (i.e., checking blood glucose level, checking feet for sores), diabetes preventive care services done by a doctor (i.e., dilated-eye examination, feet checked, hemoglobin A1c measured, urine analysis for kidney function), and hospital use (i.e., emergency department [ED] visits and hospitalizations). RESULTS: Hispanic/Latino adults living doubled up were less likely to have their urine checked by a doctor for kidney disease compared with adults not in doubled-up households. Doubled-up status was not associated with diabetes self-management behaviors. Adults living doubled up in a household with other related adults had a 33% increased risk of ED visits compared with adults living doubled up in a household with adult children. CONCLUSIONS: Health care settings where Hispanic/Latino adults with diabetes receive trusted care should add housing characteristics such as doubled-up status to social-needs screening to identify residents in need of connecting with housing or social services and more targeted diabetes management services.

Retaining Hispanics: Lessons From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

We aimed to examine the retention of Hispanics/Latinos participating in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), a prospective cohort study of 16,415 adults in 4 US cities who were enrolled between 2008 and 2011. We summarized retention strategies and examined contact, response, and participation rates over 5 years of annual follow-up interviews. We then evaluated motivations for participation and satisfaction with retention efforts among participants who completed a second in-person interview approximately 6 years after their baseline interview. Finally, we conducted logistic regression analyses estimating associations of demographic, health, and interview characteristics at study visit 1 (baseline) with participation, high motivation, and high satisfaction at visit 2. Across 5 years, the HCHS/SOL maintained contact, response, and participation rates over 80%. The most difficult Hispanic/Latino populations to retain included young, single, US-born males with less than a high school education. At visit 2, we found high rates of motivation and satisfaction. HCHS/SOL participants primarily sought to help their community and learn more about their health. High rates of retention of Hispanics/Latinos can be facilitated through the employment of bilingual/bicultural staff and the development of culturally tailored retention materials.

Levels of Participants Satisfaction with Initial Contact and Examination Visit: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

OBJECTIVE: This study examined perceived satisfaction among Hispanic/Latino individuals who participated in a baseline examination for the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), a large cohort study of 16,415 adults living in four selected communities. METHOD: An estimated 22% (n= 3,584) of participants completed a questionnaire regarding satisfaction with staff attention, the overall experience during the study examination, and the influence of the informed consent digital video disc (DVD). RESULTS: The majority of participants who completed the questionnaire expressed overall satisfaction with the study. Most participants reported that staff were friendly, courteous and respectful and study test procedures were clearly explained. Participants who preferred to complete the interview in Spanish felt that the informed consent DVD positively influenced their ability to make an informed decision to enroll in the study. Participants who preferred to complete the interview in English tended to report that the baseline examination was longer than expected compared with participants who completed the interview in Spanish. CONCLUSION: Results demonstrate that culturally and linguistically trained staff and the use of the study's informed consent DVD were effective in explaining study procedures and positively influenced decisions to participate in the HCHS/SOL study. These results can inform recruitment and enrollment strategies for future participation of minority groups into longitudinal cohort studies.