Elena Bastida

Residency in the United States, Subjective Well-Being, and Depression in an Older Mexican-Origin Sample

Objective: To compare the mental health and well-being of Mexican immigrants with native-born Mexican Americans living in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Methods: A randomly stratified sample of 353 Hispanics aged 45 and older were interviewed. The immigrant group (n = 148) was compared with native-born Mexican Americans (n = 205). Results: The findings showed that the native-born group was not significantly different from the immigrant group on measures of depression, health status, life satisfaction, or self-esteem. The immigrant group was found to report significantly more stress than the Mexican American group. Income, age, gender, and acculturation were significant predictors of well-being, whereas immigration status and years of residency were not. Discussion: The well-being of Mexican immigrants in the United States is confounded by such variables as income, age, gender, and acculturation, along with various other contextual factors that characterize their life experiences in the United States.

The impact of religiosity on self- assessments of health and happiness: evidence from the US Southwest

Using an age stratified random sample from an ongoing population-based study of Mexican Americans 45 years of age or older living in the Southwest this study fexamines the relationship between religiosity and self-rated indices of physical health, subjective health status and happiness. After estimating a set of binary logit models and controlling for individual characteristics such as age and gender, findings indicate that religiously involved respondents have a lower probability of reporting a health problem than those less or not involved. Further, those respondents who attend religious services regularly are more likely to assess themselves healthier and happier than those reporting sporadic or no attendance. However, when the religious variable is factored into six constructs, as the frequency of religious attendance increases the happiness measure initially increases to an inflection point then it continues to increase but at a slower rate. This result is consistent with the argument that those individuals who, on average, attend religious services once a week appear to reap the greatest incremental rewards in terms of assessments of subjective health and overall happiness.

Ethics and Community-Based Participatory Research: Perspectives From the Field

Exploring the importance of ethical issues in the conduct of community-based participatory research (CBPR) continues to be an important topic for researchers and practitioners. This article uses the Beyond Sabor Project, a CBPR project implemented in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, as a case example to discuss ethical issues such as the importance of increasing community involvement in research, ensuring that communities benefit from the research, sharing leadership roles, and sensitive issues regarding data collection and sharing. Thereafter, this article concludes with a brief discussion of six principles that can inform the practice of ethical conduct when implementing CBPR studies. This article also lists additional reading resources on the importance of ethics in the conduct of CBPR.

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and related conditions in a south Texas Mexican American sample.

The prevalence of self-reported diabetes mellitus in a Mexican American sample population living in Hidalgo County in south Texas was examined¹ along with risk for related sequelae. Data from a stratified random sample of 849 Mexican American men and women ages 45 and older were examined. A subsample of 193 diabetics was compared to 656 nondiabetics with respect to hospitalization, reasons for hospitalization, and other related medical conditions. The prevalence of self-reported diabetes for both men and women was 25.9%. Hospitalization rates for diabetics over a 1-year period and a 5-year period were significantly higher than nondiabetics. Hypertension, cardiac problems, amputations, kidney or urinary problems, eye problems, and joint and bone problems were significantly more common in the diabetics sample than in the nondiabetic sample. The data indicate that diabetes in Mexican Americans may be undertreated in south Texas.

Religion, Suffering, and Self-rated Health Among Older Mexican Americans

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between religiously based beliefs about suffering and health among older Mexicans. METHODS A nationwide survey of older Mexican Americans was conducted (N=1,005). Questions were administered to assess beliefs about finding positive outcomes in suffering, the benefits of suffering in silence, other dimensions of religion, and health. RESULTS The findings suggest that older Mexican Americans who use their faith to find something positive in the face of suffering tend to rate their health more favorably. In contrast, older Mexican Americans who believe that it is important to suffer in silence tend to rate their health less favorably. DISCUSSION Moving beyond measures of church attendance to explore culturally relevant beliefs about suffering provides important insight into the relationship between religion and health among older Mexican Americans.

Core religious beliefs and providing support to others in late life

A number of studies suggest that people who have strong social support systems at church tend to enjoy better mental and physical health. Yet little is known about the factors that promote strong church-based social support networks. The purpose of this study is to show that key religious beliefs may have something to do with it. A new construct—spiritual connectedness–is introduced for this purpose. Spiritual connectedness refers to an awareness of the bond that exists among all people and the sense of the interdependence among them. Data from a nationwide longitudinal survey of older people in the United States reveal that a strong sense of spiritual connectedness is associated with providing more emotional support and tangible assistance to fellow church members over time. The data further reveal that older people with a strong sense of spiritual connectedness are more likely to pray for others, as well.

Church-Based Social Relationships, Belonging, and Health Among Older Mexican Americans

The purpose of this study is to explain how church-based emotional support influences the health of older Mexican Americans. This issue is evaluated with a theoretical model that contains the following core linkages: (1) older Mexican Americans who go to church more often will be more likely to receive emotional support from fellow church members; (2) older Mexican Americans who receive more support from their fellow church members will be more likely to feel they belong in their congregation; (3) older Mexican Americans who feel they belong in their congregation are likely to have a stronger sense of personal control; and (4) older Mexican Americans who have a stronger sense of personal control are likely to enjoy better health. Data from a recent nationwide survey of older Mexican Americans provide support for each of these relationships.

Intermediate outcomes of a chronic disease self-management program for Spanish-speaking older adults in South Florida, 2008-2010.

Introduction The prevalence and negative health effects of chronic diseases are disproportionately high among Hispanics, the largest minority group in the United States. Self-management of chronic conditions by older adults is a public health priority. The objective of this study was to examine 6-week differences in self-efficacy, time spent performing physical activity, and perceived social and role activities limitations for participants in a chronic disease self-management program for Spanish-speaking older adults, Tomando Control de su Salud (TCDS). Methods Through the Healthy Aging Regional Collaborative, 8 area agencies delivered 82 workshops in 62 locations throughout South Florida. Spanish-speaking participants who attended workshops from October 1, 2008, through December 31, 2010, were aged 55 years or older, had at least 1 chronic condition, and completed baseline and post-test surveys were included in analysis (N = 682). Workshops consisted of six, 2.5-hour sessions offered once per week for 6 weeks. A self-report survey was administered at baseline and again at the end of program instruction. To assess differences in outcomes, a repeated measures general linear model was used, controlling for agency and baseline general health. Results All outcomes showed improvement at 6 weeks. Outcomes that improved significantly were self-efficacy to manage disease, perceived social and role activities limitations, time spent walking, and time spent performing other aerobic activities. Conclusion Implementation of TCDS significantly improved 4 of 8 health promotion skills and behaviors of Spanish-speaking older adults in South Florida. A community-based implementation of TCDS has the potential to improve health outcomes for a diverse, Spanish-speaking, older adult population.

Religion and Health Among Older Mexican Americans: Exploring the Influence of Making Mandas

A manda is a religious quid pro quo whereby an older Mexican American promises to perform a religious act if the Virgin or one of the saints grants a request. The purpose of this study is to see whether making mandas is associated with health among older Mexican Americans. Findings from the study model suggest that making mandas is associated with a greater sense of personal control, and more personal control is associated, in turn, with better health.

Contact With the Dead, Religion, and Death Anxiety Among Older Mexican Americans

The purpose of this study is to see if contact with the dead is associated with lower death anxiety among older Mexican Americans. The data come from a nationwide survey of older Mexican Americans (N = 1,005). The study model specifies that (a) older Mexican Americans who have experienced contact with the dead are more likely to see the connectedness that exists among all people; (b) seeing that all people are one promotes feelings of grateful to God; (c) gratitude toward God is, in turn, associated with lower death anxiety. The findings support each of these relationships.