Mariana Sanchez

The Influence of Religious Coping on the Acculturative Stress of Recent Latino Immigrants

Acculturative stress negatively impacts the physical and mental health of Latino immigrants. Little is known about the pre-immigration resources that may influence the acculturative stress of Latino immigrants. Religion plays a prominent role in Latino culture and may prove to be an influential resource during difficult life transitions, such as those experienced during the immigration process. The present study examines the association between religious coping resources prior to immigration and acculturative stress after immigration within a multiethnic sample of 527 adult Latinos who have lived in the United States for less than 1 year. Path analyses revealed that pre-immigration external religious coping was associated with high levels of post-immigration acculturative stress. Illegal immigrant status was associated with high levels of pre-immigration religious coping as well as post-immigration acculturative stress. These findings expand scientific understanding as to the function and effect of specific religious coping mechanisms among Latino immigrants. Furthermore, results underscore the need for future research, which could serve to inform culturally relevant prevention and treatment programs.

A Longitudinal Study of Social Capital and Acculturation-Related Stress Among Recent Latino Immigrants in South Florida.

This study uses social capital to assess the effects of social support on acculturation-related stress among recently immigrated Hispanics in South Florida before and after immigration. At baseline (N = 527), first 12 months in the United States, acculturative stress was negatively related to support from friends (p < .044) and positively related to support from parents (p < .023). At first follow-up (n = 415), 24 months in the United States, emotional/informational support was negatively associated with acculturation-related stress (p < .028). In the second follow-up (n = 478), 36 months in the United States, support from children was negatively associated with acculturation-related stress (p < .016). Limited English proficiency was found to be negatively associated with acculturation stress at all three points (p < .001, p < .025, and p < .001, respectively). Implications of this study can be used in the design of culturally appropriate and family-oriented interventions for recent immigrants to ease the acculturation process.

The Impact of Religious Coping on the Acculturative Stress and Alcohol Use of Recent Latino Immigrants

Religion plays a prominent role in Latino culture and could be influential during difficult life transitions, such as those experienced during the immigration process. This study examines relations between religious coping, acculturative stress, and alcohol use in a sample of 415 recent Latino immigrants. Higher levels of acculturative stress were associated more positive and negative religious coping. Positive religious coping was related to lower alcohol use. Negative religious coping moderated the relationship between acculturative stress and alcohol use. Participants who used more negative religious coping had higher rates of alcohol use when experiencing high levels acculturative stress. Implications for culturally tailored prevention/interventions are discussed.

Preimmigration Family Cohesion and Drug/Alcohol Abuse Among Recent Latino Immigrants

Given the growing population of Latino immigrants in the United States, it is critical for counselors to understand pre- and postimmigration social contextual factors affecting the mental health of this heterogeneous ethnic population. The objective of our cross-sectional, retrospective study was to investigate the potential protective influence of preimmigration family cohesion on drug/alcohol abuse just prior to migration among 527 Latino young adults (age 18–34 years). Multivariate Poisson regression indicated that preimmigration family cohesion was inversely related with harmful/hazardous alcohol consumption, the frequency/quantity of alcohol use, and illicit drug use when controlling for the potentially confounding sociodemographic factors of gender, age, education, income, marital status, and immigration status (documented or undocumented). Associations between family cohesion and drug/alcohol use behaviors varied between Central American immigrants and Caribbean/South American regional groups. Preimmigration findings offer a fuller contextual understanding of the lives of Latino young adult immigrants and support the importance of family cohesion as a buffer against drug/alcohol abuse.

Alcohol Use Among Latinos: A Comparison of Pre-Immigration, Post-Immigration, and US Born Latinos

US born Latinos have higher rates of alcohol use than Latino immigrants. Yet, little is known about drinking patterns of Latinos before their immigration to the US This exploratory study compares the past month regular, binge, and heavy alcohol use patterns of Latino immigrants prior to immigration with that of post-immigration and US born Latinos. Data on past month alcohol use prior to immigration was collected from 516 recent adult Latino immigrants. Results were compared with US born and post-immigration Latinos using national aggregate data. Alcohol use patterns among Latino immigrants prior to immigration were similar to that of US born Latinos. Alcohol use patterns were lower among Latinos after immigration when compared to pre-immigration and US born Latinos. This study provides a foundation for further exploration of the drinking patterns of Latinos in the US before they immigrated to this country. Findings suggest more research is needed to uncover the underlying factors associated with the higher rates of alcohol use among Latinos prior to their immigration when compared to alcohol use patterns of post-immigration Latinos.

Pre- to postimmigration alcohol use trajectories among recent Latino immigrants.

The escalation of alcohol use among some Latino immigrant groups as their time in the United States increases has been well documented. Yet, little is known about the alcohol use behaviors of Latino immigrants before immigration. This prospective longitudinal study examines pre- to postimmigration alcohol use trajectories among a cohort of recent Latino immigrants. Retrospective preimmigration data were collected at baseline from a sample of 455 Cuban, South American, and Central American Latinos ages 18-34 who immigrated to the United States less than 1 year prior. Two follow-up assessments (12 months apart) reported on their postimmigration alcohol use in the past 90 days. We hypothesized (a) overall declines in pre- to postimmigration alcohol among recent Latino immigrants and (b) gender/documentation specific effects, with higher rates of alcohol use among males and undocumented participants compared to their female and documented counterparts. Growth curve analyses revealed males had higher levels of preimmigration alcohol use with steeper declines in postimmigration alcohol use compared to females. Declines in alcohol use frequency were observed for documented, but not undocumented males. No changes in pre- to postimmigration alcohol use were found for documented or undocumented females. This study contributes to the limited knowledge of pre- to postimmigration alcohol use patterns among Latinos in the United States. Future research is needed to identify social determinants associated with the alcohol use trajectories of recent Latino immigrants, as it may inform prediction, prevention, and treatment of problem-drinking behaviors among the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority in the United States.

Immigration Stress and Alcohol Use Severity Among Recently Immigrated Hispanic Adults: Examining Moderating Effects of Gender, Immigration Status, and Social Support.

OBJECTIVE Identifying and understanding determinants of alcohol use behavior among Hispanic immigrants is an increasingly significant public health concern. Although prior research has examined associations of cultural stressors with alcohol use among Hispanics, few studies have tested these associations among recent adult immigrants. As such, this study aimed to examine (a) the association of immigration stress on alcohol use severity among recently immigrated Hispanic adults (≤ 1 year in the United States) and (b) the moderating effects of gender, immigration status, and social support. METHOD A hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analyses were conducted on a sample of 527 participants in South Florida. RESULTS Results indicated that, after controlling for demographic variables, preimmigration drinking behavior, and dimensions of social support, the association of higher immigration stress with higher alcohol use severity was statistically significant. Moderation analyses indicated that immigration stress had a statistically significant association with alcohol use severity among men, but not women. Also, dimensions of social support consistently reduced the deleterious effect of immigration stress on alcohol use severity. CONCLUSION This study adds to the scarce literature on cultural stressors and alcohol use among recent Hispanic immigrants. Findings suggest that it may be important to design gender-specific interventions and that increasing levels of social support may offset the effects of immigration stress on alcohol use.

Sociocultural Determinants of Risky Sexual Behaviors among Adult Latinas: A Longitudinal Study of a Community-Based Sample

Few studies have examined the sociocultural determinants of risky sexual behavior trajectories among adult Latinas. To longitudinally examine the link between sociocultural determinants of risky sexual behaviors, we followed a sample of adult Latina mother-daughter dyads (n = 267) across a 10-year span through four waves of data collection. The present study investigates how risky sexual behavior (operationalized as sex under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, sex without a condom, or multiple sex partners) is affected by: (a) socioeconomic conditions; (b) mental health; (c) medical health; (d) acculturation to U.S. culture; (e) interpersonal support; (f) relationship stress; (g) mother-daughter attachment; (h) intimate partner violence; (i) religious involvement; and (j) criminal justice involvement. Results indicate the following factors are negatively associated with risky sexual behavior: drug and alcohol use, treating a physical problem with prescription drugs, religious involvement, and mother–daughter attachment. The following factors are positively associated with risky sexual behavior: higher number of mental health symptoms, being U.S.-born, and criminal justice involvement. We discuss implications for the future development of culturally relevant interventions based on the study findings.

Bacteremia caused by nonhemolytic group B streptococci

Case Report A 75-yr-old woman with a history of type 2 noninsulin-dependent diabetes and hepatic cirrhosis with previous acute episodes of encephalopathy was admitted to the hospital because of abdominal swelling, tenderness of several day’s duration, and nausea On physical examination, the patient was afebrile and had tender hepatomegaly, ascites, and jaundice with normal central nervous system findings. The white blood cell count was 8,100/mm3 (85% neutrophils, 12% lymphocytes, and 3% monocytes). Prythrocyte sedimentation rate was 102 mm at the first hour. Other hematologic studies, metabolic profile, and liver function tests showed increased serum amylase (2,832 U/L), hyperglycemia, and hyperbilirubinemia An ultrasonogmphic study was done and a clinical diagnosis of acute pancreatitis was confiied. Medical therapy was begun, and the disease was self-limited within 3 d after treatment was instituted On the fifth day after admission, the patient underwent gynecological exploration because of vaginal discomfort, and a sample of the purulent vaginal discharge was sent to microbiology laboratory for culture. On the sixth day, she suddenly developed fever (39”C), and three sets of blood cultures were obtained. Empiric treatment with cefotaxime (2 g tid i.v.) was begun, yet the patient remained febrile. The vaginal sample grew a pure culture of a gram-positive, nonhemolytic coccus subsequently identified as Sneptoc0ccus agalactiue (3). The same microorganism also grew in all three blood culture sets after overnight incubation (BacTAlert system, Organon Teknika). A Gram stain of the blood culture showed gram-positive cocci resembling streptococci. The organism grew on sheep blood agar at 37°C with 5% COZ as small, white, slightly convex, nonhemolytic colonies, and hemolysis was not detectable on lifting a colony from the agar. The isolate was catalase-negative, PYRand bile esculin-negative, bacitracin-resistant, and did not grow in the presence of 6.5% sodium chloride. In addition, positive reactions for voges-Proskauer and hippurate hydrolysis tests were obtained. Group B streptococcal antigen was demonstrated with the PhadeBact test system (Karo Bio Diagnostics, Sweden), and a biochemical profile consistent with group B streptococci was obtained with the API 20 Strep test (bioM&ieux, France). Serotyping of the isolate by agglutination with antisera to GBS serotypes I through V (Dako A/S, Denmark) produced agglutination with the type II antisera. Repeated subcultures of the isolate onto blood agar under aerobic and anaerobic conditions failed to produce beta hemolysis. No pigment production was seen when the isolate was cultured in Granada medium, a selective and differential pigmentenhancing culture medium (4).

Evaluating a Culturally Tailored HIV Risk Reduction Intervention Among Latina Immigrants in the Farmworker Community

Latina immigrants in the farmworker community are a vulnerable and understudied population at risk of acquiring HIV. Employing a CBPR framework, this pilot study was the first to evaluate the efficacy of SEPA, a CDC evidenced-based and culturally tailored HIV risk reduction intervention on a cohort of N = 110 predominantly undocumented Latina immigrants in a farmworker community. Findings revealed SEPA was effective in increasing HIV knowledge and decreasing HIV risk behaviors. However, no changes in self-efficacy were found in the present sample. We posit specific socio-cultural and structural barriers specific to the farmworker community not targeted in the original intervention may have hindered the programs capacity to influence changes in self-efficacy among this less acculturated population. Possible socio-cultural adaptations of the intervention to the target population and policy implications are discussed.