Pilar Horner

Social capital and cigarette smoking among Latinos in the United States

This paper presents the results of analyses conducted to examine if social capital indicators were associated with current cigarette smoking and with quitting smoking among a national representative sample of Latinos living in the United States. Data are from 2540 Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans, and Other Latinos who participated in the National Latino and Asian American Survey. A significant inverse association between neighborhood cohesion and current smoking, and a positive association with quitting smoking, were found only among Mexican Americans. No other significant associations were found except for family conflict being associated with higher odds of current smoking with Cuban Americans. Implications of these findings are discussed to unravel the differences in social capital and smoking behaviors among Latino populations.

The Association of Family and Peer Factors with Tobacco, Alcohol, and Marijuana Use Among Chilean adolescents in Neighborhood Context.

Research on adolescent use of substances has long sought to understand the family factors that may be associated with use of different substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. However, scant attention has been focused on these questions in Latin American contexts, despite growing concerns about substance use among Latin American youth. Using data from a sample of 866 Chilean youth, we examined the relationship of family and neighborhood factors with youth substance abuse. We found that in a Latin American context, access to substances is an important predictor of use, but that neighborhood effects differ for marijuana use as opposed to cigarettes or alcohol. Age of youth, family and peer relationships, and gender all play significant roles in substance use. The study findings provide additional evidence that the use of substances is complex, whereby individual, family, and community influences must be considered jointly to prevent or reduce substance use among adolescents.

Parental Perceptions of Neighborhood Effects in Latino Comunas: The Script of "the Delinquent" in Understanding Drug Use, Violence, and Social Disorganization

Objectives: To obtain rich information about how adult Latinos living in high-poverty/high-drug use neighborhoods perceive and negotiate their environment. Methods: In 2008, 13 adult caregivers in Santiago, Chile, were interviewed with open-ended questions to ascertain beliefs about neighborhood effects and drug use. Analysis: Inductive analysis was used to develop the codebook/identify trends. Discussion: Residents externalized their understanding of drug use and misuse by invoking the concept of delinquent youth. A typology of their perceptions is offered. Learning more about residents’ circumstances may help focus on needs-based interventions. More research with Latino neighborhoods is needed for culturally competent models of interventions.

Being the Diversity Hire: Negotiating Identity in an Academic Job Search.

A diverse faculty is a goal of all social work programs. However, recruiting and retaining diverse faculty is often a struggle. In this article, narratives of 3 recent doctoral graduates are analyzed to identify the role that diversity played in their academic job searches. Autoethnographic analysis revealed 2 broad themes: identity and institutional/structural issues. The narratives explore being the potential “diversity hire” and difficulties related to identity negotiation. Issues related to disciplinary and departmental politics as well as structural concerns are represented in the narratives. This study highlights the multiple challenges for minority faculty candidates and the work that still needs to be done to honor diversity and to integrate it into a faculty and institution.

Social Work Faculty and Undergraduate Research Mentorships

ABSTRACT Social work faculty scholars lead the field as generators of knowledge that integrates investigative studies with practical social welfare outcomes. As such, the faculty potentially offers undergraduate researchers a different way of envisioning research that extends beyond traditional undergraduate research models. To date, however, no research exists that examines a research mentorship from the perspective of the social work faculty. Here we draw upon a study with 18 faculty at a major midwestern university and evaluate their experiences as mentors in an undergraduate research program. Both quantitative and qualitative survey data were gathered. The most prominent themes in the data were (a) personal and professional enhancement, (b) time management challenges, (c) added value to faculty research, (d) increased sense of connection to the social work community, and (e) need for more preparation and structure. We conclude by suggesting a new rubric for social work researchers that can guide mentorship during the research process.

Adolescent Pregnancy in Canada: Multicultural Considerations, Regional Differences, and the Legacy of Liberalization

This chapter explores adolescent pregnancy among Canadians. Canada enjoys a relatively low teenage pregnancy rate compared with other Western nations, but aggregate statistics mask regional variations. As a vast nation with two European colonial settler populations and diverse Aboriginal peoples, Canada has historically been a diverse country. Canada’s multicultural policy has further diversified the population, making large urban centers such as Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver among the most diverse cities in the world. Federally funded health care is managed at the provincial level making each province’s priorities and delivery different. While a human sexual rights perspective broadly frames reproductive health and national guidelines for sexual health education, local programs are not bound to them. Women generally enjoy high levels of access to health care, abortion, and reproductive health information, but there is variation in access, attitudes, and behaviors. The ethno-cultural diversity of Canada’s population, its regional differences, languages, and religions challenge aggregate analyses and social service implementation. These concerns are reflected in the body of research about adolescent pregnancy in Canada. In this chapter, we describe variation in, and attitudes toward, adolescent pregnancy and sexual behavior are described with emphasis on adolescents and young women. These issues remain strongly influenced by Canada’s extensive geographical realities as well as political, social, and economic values that reflect dedication to upholding multicultural differences, social justice, and freedom. Widely sanctioned reproductive choice and sexual education programs exemplify how Canadian values translate into rational and health promoting policies rather than punitive and restrictive agendas which lead to less effective health and mental health care for women and their newborns. We discuss these issues in this chapter but first we begin by providing a brief description of Canada’s history and its population.

Raising Children Amid the Threat of Deportation: Perspectives from Undocumented Latina Mothers

ABSTRACT Despite the large number of families with at least one undocumented parent, little research has investigated mothering amid the threat of immigration enforcement. We present results of a community-based participatory study with 7 Latina mothers who describe their experiences of parenting while navigating the possibility of deportation. Undocumented mothers found meaning in caring for their children. Yet due to restrictions related to immigration status, mothers were unable to support their children as they intended and feared their deportations would leave children without care, contributing to psychological duress. We provide recommendations for practitioners working with mixed-status families.

Adolescent Pregnancy in Chile: A Social, Cultural, and Political Analysis

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive overview and discussion of pregnancy and sexuality among youth in Chile from a social, cultural, and political perspective. Trends and patterns of a number of behaviors (i.e., pregnancy rates, infant mortality rates, use of contraceptives, attitudes toward sex) are presented, and the historical influences on contemporary youth are discussed. We argue that youth live under competing epistemological stances that converge and play out within the social space as both promoting sexualized behavior and admonishing it. These confusing and seeming arbitrary messages (both explicit and implicit through the denial of sexual health education) are likely to have a confusing and negative effect on the lives and development of Chilean adolescents. Today, Chile maintains a democratically lead government and claims to be the most economically and socially stable country in Latin America. These changes have dramatically changed the social and political climate for all Chileans and especially for adolescent females. Young Chilean girls and boys must not only manage the changing hormonal and social pressures of their adolescent lives, but they must also navigate a current reality marked by historical, religious, cultural, economic, and political processes. This chapter posits that the complex social realities of Chilean history and present social and political realities contribute to the country’s failure to properly address issues concerning adolescent sexuality, sexual and reproductive rights, health, and education, and teenage motherhood. We conclude that Chilean policies and practices need to align with the changing social realities, however, for this to occur a new radical approach needs to be considered especially for those young women who are the most vulnerable in society.

Interactional health disparities within the context of gender inequities in the Dominican Republic

Background: More than thirty years ago after the discovery of HIV/AIDS, demystifying the silent destroyer of immune system, has remained a scientific stinker. The contributions of hepatitis B (HBV) and C co infection is becoming increasingly recognized. The prevalence of HIV/HBV co infection has been studied by many in Nigeria, but non has been studied in adult population in owerri, Imo State, southeast, Nigeria. Method: A total of 300 HIV positive adults who were >18years and residing in Owerri were enrolled in this study. Participants were drawn from twenty (20) private laboratory services between January, 2013 and August, 2013. Sample Collection and Processing: 2mls of blood from patients who tested positive for HIV were drawn after obtaining informed consent, using a sterile syringe and needle. Samples were transferred into a universal glass container. These were adequately labeled and allowed to stand between 4-6 hours to obtain the sera. The sera were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen using HBsAg Rapid test Kit (Atlas Link Biotech Co, ltd) according to the manufacturer’s direction. Result: Out of the three hundred (300) individuals who tested positive for HIV, thirty two (32) persons (10.6%) showed positive serology test for Hepatitis B in our series. Out of these persons, twenty one (21) (65.6%) were females while eleven (11) (34.4%) were males. Among the study population, persons aged 25-34.9 years had the highest prevalence of co infection (56.25%), while patients aged 55-64.9 years had the least prevalence. Males aged 35-44.9 years had the highest prevalence. Majority of the females were secondary school holders (46.9%) who were self-employed and having multiple unprotected heterosexual lifestyles. Conclusions: HIV and Hepatitis B viral infections share common route of transmission with HIV known to accelerate HBV replication and progression. The increasing number of chronic liver diseases like cirrhosis among HIV infected individuals which have been demonstrated to be higher in HBV infected persons call for greater concern. Greater public health enlightenment in areas of health seeking behavior, safer sex practice, and overall health promotion must be intensified if reduction of this hepatitis B viral burden is to be achieved. Nwako Okechukwu et al., J AIDS Clin Res 2013, 4:9 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-6113.S1.002P living with Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) [PLWHA] are cared for by family members or friends. Caregivers are now expected to provide more complex care in the home and many of them experience compromised physical, social, and mental health. To determine the physical health and mental status of family caregivers for PLWHA, the relationships among the variables were examined. This is a descriptive correlational design study, comprised of 66 female participants, with a mean age of 39.53 years.Most (66.7%) participants were unemployed. The participants scored 79.5% on knowledge of HIV and AIDS, that is, the participants obtained 36.6 points out of a possible 46 points, demonstrating some knowledge deficit. There were positive and significant relationships between stress related to caregiving and several variables: lack of food (r = 0.280, p ≤ 0.05; lack of supplies, such as diapers (r = 0.331, p = 0.01); inability of care-recipient to eat (r = 0.245, p ≤ 0.05); lack of support from the family or friends (r = 0.353, p = 0.01); and lack of knowledge and skills in meeting the physical needs of the care-recipient (r = 0.276, p ≤ 0.05). The relationship between the age of the participant and related to caregiving was significant (r = .325, p = 0.01). Family caregivers should be trained and capacitated on effective stress releasing techniques; and National family caregivers’ policies and programmers be developed and operationalized to guide care and support of caregivers. Mona Hassan et al., J AIDS Clin Res 2013, 4:9 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-6113.S1.002Objectives: Enteric parasites are a major cause of diarrhoea in HIV/AIDS patients with low CD4 counts. Parasitic infections in HIV-infected individuals can reduce their quality of life and life span, especially those who are severely immunosuppressed with a CD4 T-lymphocyte count < 200cells/μl. This study presents CD4 counts and enteric parasitic infections in HIV-infected individuals. Methodology: A total of 480 subjects were recruited at the General Hospital, Nasssarawa Toto, Nigeria. Stool samples collected were analyzed macroscopically and microscopically for consistency and the presence of enteric parasites; while the accompanying CD4 values were enumerated using the coulter manual CD4 count method. Results: The overall prevalence rate of enteroparasites was 24% (115/480). The parasites detected were Hookworm (6.5%), Entamoeba histolytica (4.4%), Schistosoma mansoni (2.9%), Giardia lamblia (2.5%), Entamoeba coli (2.3%), Isospora belli (1.7%), Strongyloides stercoralis (1.0%), Faciola spp. (1.0%), Dipylidium caninum (0.6%), Cyclospora spp. (0.4%), Ascaris lumbricoides (0.4%), and Enterobius vermicularis (0.2%). Most (80%) of the patients infected with these parasites had a CD4 count of less than 200 cells/μl. Similarly, majority (65%) of patients with diarrhoea had a CD4 count of less than 200 cells/μl. Patients with CD4 counts of 201 cells/μl and above were less affected. However, these differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusions: Low CD4 counts in HIV-infected patients can lead to enteric infections. This information strengthens the importance of monitoring CD4 counts and intestinal parasites. Routine CD4 testing will greatly improve the prognosis of HIV positive patients.I the US, African Americans (AA) face the most rigorous burden of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection. In actual fact, HIV has reached epidemic proportions in African American women (AAW). Therefore, reducing risky sexual behaviors in AA women is a vital component of preventative initiatives for this vulnerable population. Despite the many studies conducted on HIV in the AA community, factors that influence sexual risk taking, such as self-esteem, have yet to be understood. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between self esteem and sexual risk taking behaviors in young AAW. The participants were a convenience sample of 33 AAW from three Metropolitan regions within Michigan. Data collection materials specific to this study are a sociodemographic questionnaire, an interview questionnaire, and a semi-structured qualitative interview guide. The sociodemographic questionnaire was obtained by self-report and information collected included age, race, education level, marital status, income level, religious affiliation and participation, sexual activity, current relationship duration, and confidence that the current relationship is monogamous. Participants also completed an interview questionnaire that consisted of eight, five point likert scales that measured three broad categories: a) condom use intentions, b) interpersonal factors and c) relationship characteristics and dynamics. The Modified AIDS Risk Reduction Model provided the framework for the semistructured interview questions used for the focus group session. Following attainment of a written consent, participants completed the questionnaires before the focus group session. The combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods used in the study allowed the researchers to gain a better understanding of how self esteem influences risky sexual behaviors in AAW. The results offer important insight into how AAW define self esteem and the relationship self esteem has on risky sexual behaviors. Moreover, findings from the study can be used to develop strategies that facilitate self-efficacy and sexual assertiveness programs for this vulnerable population. Laura I. Pittiglio, J AIDS Clin Res 2013, 4:9 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-6113.S1.002