Community-based participatory research to promote healthy lifestyles among Latino immigrant families with youth with disabilities.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an optimal approach that brings together community stakeholders, researchers and practitioners in an effort to understand and address social issues and health disparities experienced by vulnerable populations. Latino immigrant families in the United States with youth and young families with disabilities have experienced a number of barriers in gaining positive health outcomes. These families face challenges in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, placing them at high risk for obesity, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions. The purpose of this study was to develop a healthy lifestyles intervention in collaboration with Latino immigrant families with youth and young adults with disabilities using a CBPR approach, and to examine the impact of the intervention from participants' perspectives. METHODS: Grounded in the principles of CBPR, we developed a partnership with community stakeholders to create a healthy lifestyles intervention aimed at meeting the needs of Latino families in the United States. During and following implementation of the intervention, we conducted focus groups with 12 intervention participants to examine the impact of the intervention. RESULTS: Participants identified the intervention program as meeting a need in the community and reported specific positive aspects related to health behaviors, social learning, inclusion, community participation, and peer advocacy. DISCUSSION: CBPR healthy lifestyle interventions are relevant to the needs of Latino immigrant families with youth and young adults with disabilities. Health professionals should involve community residents in the design of healthy lifestyles programming to ensure strategies for change are relevant and relatable.

Unpacking barriers to healthy lifestyles from the perspective of youth with disabilities and their parents.

Adolescents and young adults with disabilities experience several health inequalities and challenges in maintaining healthy lifestyles. As a group, individuals with disabilities experience higher rates of obesity compared to youth without disabilities. This study was designed to examine the types of challenges experienced by youth with disabilities and parents of youth with disabilities in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Strong evidence indicates that having a healthy lifestyle and preventing obesity are not only the result of an individual's behavior related to physical activity and consumption of healthy products but also several complex factors in the person's environment. This study was designed to understand the perceptions of youth with disabilities and their parents about the challenges they experience in engaging in physical activity and consuming healthy products, and ideas and strategies for promoting healthy lifestyles. Overall, youth with disabilities lack access to opportunities for engaging in physical activity as well as access to affordable foods. Implications for systems and policy changes are discussed.

Sintomatología depresiva y relación con la actividad física en estudiantes de una universidad con enfoque deportivo / Depressive symptomatology and its relationship to physical activity in students from sport-oriented universities

Introducción: La depresión es una problemática de salud pública responsable de alta carga de mortalidad, afecta principalmente a jóvenes universitarios. La evidencia sugiere que la participación en actividad física genera beneficios en salud mental. Resulta importante estudiar esta asociación teniendo en cuenta otra serie de factores como variables sociodemográficas y el tipo de carrera universitaria. Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia de sintomatología depresiva y evaluar si el nivel de actividad física podría ser un factor protector en estudiantes de una universidad con enfoque deportivo. Materiales y métodos: Estudio transversal con muestra representativa de 291 estudiantes. Se aplicó cuestionario Beck II y versión larga del International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Se realizó análisis univariado y bivariado con razones de prevalencia para depresión, según nivel de actividad física ajustadas mediante modelos de regresión generalizados con vínculo logarítmico de distribución binomial. Resultados: Las prevalencias de síntomas de depresión e inactividad física son respectivamente 27% y 22%. La prevalencia de síntomas de depresión es 46% mayor en quienes no son suficientemente activos (RP: 1,46 IC95%:0,95-2,25). Conclusiones: La prevalencia de síntomas de depresión e inactividad física más bajas comparadas con poblaciones similares, probablemente se relacionan con el enfoque deportivo de la institución.

Introduction: Depression is a public health problem that has a burden of high mortality, mainly affecting the young university student population. The evidence suggests that participation in physical activity generates mental health benefits. It is important to study this association as well as the relationship between depression and sociodemographic variables and university program. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of depressive symptomatology and assess whether physical activity levels can be a Protective factor in university students enrolled in sports programs. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 291 students. The Beck II questionnaire and long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) were applied. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed with prevalence ratios for depression, according to the level of physical activity adjusted by generalized regression models with logarithmic link of binomial distribution. Results: The prevalence rates of depression symptoms and physical inactivity were 27% and 22%, respectively. The prevalence of depression symptoms is 46% higher in those who are not sufficiently active (RP: 1.46 IC95%:0.95-2.25). Conclusions: Prevalence of depressive symptoms and physical inactivity were lower compared to similar populations and are probably related to the sport focus of the institution.