Papers by Gloria Asencio-Toro
Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education, Jan 4, 2017
Cancer education is essential for improving cancer prevention and biobanking knowledge among raci... more Cancer education is essential for improving cancer prevention and biobanking knowledge among racial-ethnic minorities, with the goal of increasing diversity and representativeness of biospecimen collections. However, little is known about the communication modalities for optimal delivery of information. We examined feasibility of recruitment and compared communication modalities for delivering cancer prevention and biobanking education to Hispanics. Communication modalities were evaluated using participation rates and change in knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, intention, receptivity, and trust. Enrollment in a biobanking registry was a behavioral outcome. Community members in Ponce, Puerto Rico and Tampa, Florida were recruited. Participants (N = 254) were randomized to one of three communication modalities: standard dissemination (mailed materials); enhanced dissemination (mailed materials plus follow-up call); and 'charla' (face-to-face group discussion). Participants ...
Relating sociodemographic factors and glycemic control among inpatients with type 2 diabetes
Journal of Public Health, 2020
Abstract Diabetes is a major public health concern and is significantly linked to mental illness ... more Abstract Diabetes is a major public health concern and is significantly linked to mental illness and adverse health outcomes. Aim The overarching goal of this study was to characterize the association between biopsychosocial factors and glycemic control among inpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Subjects and methods A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted to examine biopsychosocial variables obtained from 345 inpatients of a general hospital in Puerto Rico. Results Descriptive and non-parametric analyses revealed the mean age of this sample was 62.75 years of age, 95% CI [61.17, 64.32]. and 53% were female. Sixty-two percent (62.6%) evidenced poor glycemic control and the average glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was 8.18%, 95% CI [7.94, 8.43]. Younger age was significantly linked to higher HbA1c levels r( N = 345) = − 0.276, p ≤ 0.001 and patients with lower monthly household income evidenced poorer glycemic control, χ 2 (5) = 13.12, p = 0.022. Conclusion These findings reveal a significant relationship between age, income level, and glycemic control. Future studies exploring the psychosocial mechanisms that uniquely link social determinants and glycemic control are warranted.
HIV Felt Stigma Scale
PsycTESTS Dataset, 2013
Additional file 1 of Commonly diagnosed mental disorders in a general hospital system
Additional file 1. Commonly Diagnosed Mental Disorders in a General Hospital System.
George Scott ( gscott1989@gmail.com ) Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences: Ponce Healt... more George Scott ( gscott1989@gmail.com ) Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences: Ponce Health Sciences University https://orcid.org/00000002-3132-9488 Alessandra Beauchamp-Lebrón Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences: Ponce Health Sciences University Ashley Rosa-Jiménez Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences: Ponce Health Sciences University Javier Hernández-Justiniano Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences: Ponce Health Sciences University Axel Ramos-Lucca Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences: Ponce Health Sciences University Gloria Asencio-Toro Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences: Ponce Health Sciences University Julio Jiménez-Chávez Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences: Ponce Health Sciences University
OBJECTIVE To assess needs perceptions regarding the importance of and satisfaction with psychosoc... more OBJECTIVE To assess needs perceptions regarding the importance of and satisfaction with psychosocial support among cancer patients and survivors in Puerto Rico. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in 181 participants (70 men and 111 women) who were either undergoing cancer treatment (patients) or had completed cancer treatment (survivors). Participants completed a sociodemographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire, and the Psychosocial Needs Inventory (PNI). RESULTS The participants reported having or having had prostate (36%) or breast (32%) cancer or some other cancer type (32%). Of the 149 participants reporting cancer type, 130 were classified as having a high perceived level of health and quality of life, and 19 were classified as having a low perceived level of health and quality of life. In terms of perceived needs, the highest level of importance were assigned to the Support Network (e.g. family, friends, neighbors, care professionals; M = 2.88, SD = 0.43)...
Abstract A64: Community and Academia: Identifying strategies for cancer prevention education in Puerto Rico
Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention
In the United States, the Hispanic population suffers from major health disparities relative to n... more In the United States, the Hispanic population suffers from major health disparities relative to non-Hispanic Whites. For example, this population shows low participation rates in cancer screening and other prevention programs, which indicates the need to design cancer educational programs tailored to Hispanics. The health status and health behaviors of today9s Hispanic youth will play a central role in shaping the long-term health and health care needs not only of Hispanics in the United States but also of Hispanic at large. Puerto Rico currently has limited opportunities to educate young people on cancer prevention and control. The purpose of this study was to identify cancer prevention education needs, and corresponding education delivery strategies, to be implemented in cancer prevention programs targeting high school students in Puerto Rico. The study employed a mixed sequential-exploratory design under a Community Based Participatory Research approach (CBPR). As such, cancer prevention education needs and delivery strategies were identified through group discussions held in years 2013-2014 as part of two community forums with stakeholders (n=66) representing various community sectors (e.g. cancer patients/survivors, school teachers, parents, etc. During a second phase, in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the qualitative study9 findings, a quantitative study was conducted. The qualitative information collected through group discussions was used to develop a survey administered to 85 high school health teachers in Puerto Rico. Content analysis was on verbatim transcripts (group discussions) and descriptive statistics applied for quantitative data (survey). Data triangulation and interpretation was done in collaboration with the Community Advisory Panel (CAP). The CAP was developed specifically to collaborate in the process of cancer prevention activities development, implementation and outreach research data interpretation. Themes from qualitative analysis fell into 5 main categories for children and adolescents: Importance of cancer prevention education, reaffirmation of need for disseminating cancer prevention education efforts, identification of cancer education prevention strategies, identification of resources to promote cancer prevention and, potential challenges for the implementation of cancer prevention education efforts. Survey results showed 100% of teachers agreed on the importance of shifting cancer prevention education efforts to early ages, 57% reported it was important to integrate cancer prevention education topics in high school curriculums, 74% identified the need for developing cancer prevention education and 60% identified the need to bring external resources in the form of workshops to teachers. Study findings highlights the need to develop cancer prevention education efforts for children and adolescents in Puerto Rican schools. Citation Format: Julio Jimenez, Jacob Matos, Eida Castro, Axel Ramos, Cynthia Cortes, Gwendolyn P. Quinn, Thomas Brandon, Clement K. Gwede, Susan Vadaparampil, Vani Simmons, Jessica McIntyre, Gloria Asencio. Community and Academia: Identifying strategies for cancer prevention education in Puerto Rico. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A64.
Del Poly a la Inter: reflexiones y apuntes sobre la enseñanza de la psicología en la Universidad Interamericana, Recinto de San Germán
Revista Puertorriquena De Psicologia, 2006
Este articulo trata sobre la ensenanza de la psicologia en el Recinto de San German de la Univers... more Este articulo trata sobre la ensenanza de la psicologia en el Recinto de San German de la Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico. Hasta el 1956, la institucion fue conocida como Instituto Politecnico de Puerto Rico (Poly) y desde el 1957, se le conoce con el nombre actual. El Poly se establecio en 1912 en lo que hoy conocemos como Recinto de San German. Este trabajo incluye informacion sobre el curriculo, la facultad, el estudiantado y las estructuras administrativas bajo las cuales han funcionado los programas. La aportacion del Recinto de San German a la formacion de estudiosos/as de la psicologia y de psicologos/as se ha analizado ademas, tomando en consideracion cuatro periodos: 1916-56; 1957-85; 1986-99 y 2000-06. Lo presentado se fundamenta en informacion obtenida a traves de catalogos, boletines, informes de la universidad y del recinto. Esta mirada inicial refleja que la ensenanza de la psicologia en este recinto ha estado fundamentada en el andamiaje de una institucion orientada a la ensenanza y que el curriculo del bachillerato ha estado orientado primordialmente hacia la preparacion para continuar estudios graduados y hacia la empleablidad de sus egresados/as.
Retraso del lenguaje secundario por déficit auditivo
Av Med Cuba, Sep 1, 2004
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS): Examination of its Psychometric Properties in a Sample of Puerto Rican General Hospital Inpatients
Abstract A58: Adaptation of a Spanish-language educational DVD about biobanking for Hispanics in Puerto Rico and Florida
Commonly Diagnosed Mental Disorders in a General Hospital System
International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 2021
Background: Considering many patients receive care from general hospitals, these healthcare insti... more Background: Considering many patients receive care from general hospitals, these healthcare institutions are uniquely situated to address mental and physical health needs. Little is documented, however, on the common cur‐ rent mental disorders diagnosed in patients receiving care in general hospital settings, especially in Puerto Rico. The objective of this study was to characterize the five most common current DSM‐5 mental disorder diagnoses made in patients receiving non‐psychiatric medical and surgical care from a general hospital system in southern Puerto Rico between January 2015 and December 2019.
Methods: Our clinical health psychology team provides integrated psychology consultation‐liaison services to select clinical units in general hospitals across the southwestern region of Puerto Rico. The clinical team conducted routine standardized psychological evaluations at patients’ bedside, arrived at a current DSM‐5 diagnosis if warranted, and documented the diagnosis and other select variables. A retrospective study of cross‐sectional data generated from the clinical team’s standardized evaluations of 5494 medical patients was implemented. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to assess the odds of being diagnosed with a current DSM‐5 mental disorder during hospitalization.
Results: Overall, 53% of the entire sample was diagnosed with a mental disorder during hospitalization. Major depressive, neurocognitive, anxiety, substance‐related and schizophrenia‐spectrum disorders were the most fre‐ quently diagnosed. Interestingly, females were 23% less likely to have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder than males (aOR: 0.769, CI [0.650, 0.909], p = 0.002). This is to say males evidenced 1.30 higher odds of being diag‐ nosed with depression compared to their female counterpart. Age, biological sex, civil status, employment status, monthly household income, previous mental disorder and history substance use/abuse history was differentially associated with receiving a current DSM‐5 disorder.
Conclusion: The integration of clinical health psychology services within a general hospital facilitated our team’s work of identifying and treating co‐occurring mental disorders among hospitalized patients receiving medical
and surgical care. Future studies examining the opportunities and barriers of integrating clinical health psychology services within a general hospital’s administrative and clinical infrastructure for rapid identification and treatment of co‐occurring mental disorders among medical patients is encouraged.
Diabetes is a major public health concern and is significantly linked to mental illness and adver... more Diabetes is a major public health concern and is significantly linked to mental illness and adverse health outcomes. Aim The overarching goal of this study was to characterize the association between biopsychosocial factors and glycemic control among inpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Subjects and methods A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted to examine biopsychosocial variables obtained from 345 inpatients of a general hospital in Puerto Rico. Results Descriptive and non-parametric analyses revealed the mean age of this sample was 62.75 years of age, 95% CI [61.17, 64.32]. and 53% were female. Sixty-two percent (62.6%) evidenced poor glycemic control and the average glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was 8.18%, 95% CI [7.94, 8.43]. Younger age was significantly linked to higher HbA1c levels r(N = 345) = − 0.276, p ≤ 0.001 and patients with lower monthly household income evidenced poorer glycemic control, χ 2 (5) = 13.12, p = 0.022. Conclusion These findings reveal a significant relationship between age, income level, and glycemic control. Future studies exploring the psychosocial mechanisms that uniquely link social determinants and glycemic control are warranted.
Amer J Public Health, 2006
Measuring HIV felt stigma: a culturally adapted scale targeting PLWHA in Puerto Rico
AIDS Care, 2010
The objective of this study was to culturally adapt and validate a scale to measure HIV-related f... more The objective of this study was to culturally adapt and validate a scale to measure HIV-related felt stigma in a group of People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Puerto Rico. The researchers conducted a two-phase cross-sectional study with 216 participants (60, first phase; 156, second phase). The first phase consisted of the cultural adaptation of the scale; the second evaluated its psychometric properties. After conducting a factor analysis, a 17-item scale, the HIV Felt-Stigma Scale (HFSS), resulted. Participants completed the Puerto Rico Comprehensive Center for the Study of Health Disparities Socio-demographic Questionnaire, the HFSS, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the Sexual Abuse dimension of the History of Abuse Questionnaire; the case managers completed the Case Manager Stigma Guide with subjects. The HFSS measures four dimensions: personalized stigma, disclosure concerns, negative self-image, and concern with public attitudes. The alpha and Pearson correlation coefficients (0.91 and 0.68, respectively) indicated satisfactory validity and reliability; the scale suggested adequate convergent validity. The HFSS is a culturally sensitive instrument that fills the existing gap in the measurement of felt stigma in Spanish-speaking PLWHA.
Measuring HIV felt stigma: A culturally adapted scale targeting PLWHA in Puerto Rico.
AIDS care, Jan 1, 2010
The objective of this study was to culturally adapt and validate a scale to measure HIV-related f... more The objective of this study was to culturally adapt and validate a scale to measure HIV-related felt stigma in a group of People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Puerto Rico. The researchers conducted a two-phase cross-sectional study with 216 participants (60, first phase; 156, second phase). The first phase consisted of the cultural adaptation of the scale; the second evaluated its psychometric properties. After conducting a factor analysis, a 17-item scale, the HIV Felt-Stigma Scale (HFSS), resulted. Participants completed the Puerto Rico Comprehensive Center for the Study of Health Disparities Socio-demographic Questionnaire, the HFSS, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the Sexual Abuse dimension of the History of Abuse Questionnaire; the case managers completed the Case Manager Stigma Guide with subjects. The HFSS measures four dimensions: personalized stigma, disclosure concerns, negative self-image, and concern with public attitudes. The alpha and Pearson correlation coefficients (0.91 and 0.68, respectively) indicated satisfactory validity and reliability; the scale suggested adequate convergent validity. The HFSS is a culturally sensitive instrument that fills the existing gap in the measurement of felt stigma in Spanish-speaking PLWHA.
… journal of public …, Jan 1, 2006
Del Poly a la Inter: Reflexiones y apuntes sobre la enseñanza de la psicología en la Universidad Interamericana, Recinto de San Germán
Revista Puertorriqueña de Psicología, Dec 2006
Obediencia o autodireccion?: Comparacion de las preferencias de madres, padres y maestras/os de niñas y niños puertorriqueños de la zona oeste
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Papers by Gloria Asencio-Toro
Methods: Our clinical health psychology team provides integrated psychology consultation‐liaison services to select clinical units in general hospitals across the southwestern region of Puerto Rico. The clinical team conducted routine standardized psychological evaluations at patients’ bedside, arrived at a current DSM‐5 diagnosis if warranted, and documented the diagnosis and other select variables. A retrospective study of cross‐sectional data generated from the clinical team’s standardized evaluations of 5494 medical patients was implemented. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to assess the odds of being diagnosed with a current DSM‐5 mental disorder during hospitalization.
Results: Overall, 53% of the entire sample was diagnosed with a mental disorder during hospitalization. Major depressive, neurocognitive, anxiety, substance‐related and schizophrenia‐spectrum disorders were the most fre‐ quently diagnosed. Interestingly, females were 23% less likely to have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder than males (aOR: 0.769, CI [0.650, 0.909], p = 0.002). This is to say males evidenced 1.30 higher odds of being diag‐ nosed with depression compared to their female counterpart. Age, biological sex, civil status, employment status, monthly household income, previous mental disorder and history substance use/abuse history was differentially associated with receiving a current DSM‐5 disorder.
Conclusion: The integration of clinical health psychology services within a general hospital facilitated our team’s work of identifying and treating co‐occurring mental disorders among hospitalized patients receiving medical
and surgical care. Future studies examining the opportunities and barriers of integrating clinical health psychology services within a general hospital’s administrative and clinical infrastructure for rapid identification and treatment of co‐occurring mental disorders among medical patients is encouraged.