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Coping styles of African American youth living in poverty is investigated in order to understand which coping styles are associated with resiliency for the population and expand on previous findings of Gaylord-Harden and colleagues' (2008) coping style cluster analysis of urban African American youth. As part of a larger study, the current study surveyed 143 African American youth on the basis of their coping styles, and ocping groups were compared cross-sectionally on psychological and behavioral outcomes and risk factors. In longitudinal analyses, coping group membership was used to predict later outcomes and risk. Results indicated a three-cluster solution with high, moderate and low use coping groups. Within cluster variation showed that the high use coping group used significantly more Avoidant, Active and Problem-Focused Social Support Seeking than other strategies. Additionally, the low-use coping group showed almost absent use of all types of Social Support Seeking and ...

Objectives: The purpose of our study was to understand the perception of the Latino community in a rural state regarding COVID-19. Over one third of national COVID-19 cases are among Latinos, likely due to an increased prevalence of comorbid risk factors and social determinants of health that make following precautions difficult. Design: Respondents were recruited using snowball sampling as part of a previous effort to establish an academic-community partnership with Latinos in the area. In April 2020, we conducted 14 semi-structured interviews in Spanish with participants over the phone. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed into Spanish, and translated to English. We employed the framework approach in a thematic analysis using NVivo 12. Results: Common themes were a wariness of news appearing on social media, generalized worry, and the use of natural medicines to maintain health. Respondents followed recommended guidelines to protect their own health, though expressed concern that members of their community were not. Conclusions: We offer insights into the perception of Latinos of the COVID-19 pandemic in a rural state. Our findings may influence communication techniques of local health departments and offer a way to understand how this often-overlooked community deals with the pandemic.

Safe haven laws allow one to safely and legally relinquish an infant at a designated location. In this paper, we examine one key policy implementer of safe haven laws, calls to a national hotline. Using 2018-2019 call data from the National Safe Haven Alliance hotline, we present information about the callers, why they call, what actions are taken, and the outcomes. Of the 388 callers and 453 reasons that they called, we found that 56.5% wanted general information about safe havens, 13.7% want information about adoption, and 9.3% want instructions on how to relinquish an infant. Callers are connected to other resources 69.2% of the time and 18.1% are given instructions on how to relinquish an infant. Helpline staff are expected to have a broad array of knowledge regarding pregnancy, parenting, and other options. Findings are compared with research on other crisis hotlines. The discussion includes considerations for policy practice.

Background: Engaging minorities in research especially in Montana where Latinos make up a small percentage of the population can be a challenge. We describe an effort to recruit Latinos into a research study by hosting a health screening event. Purpose: This event served as the first step in the creation of an academic-community partnership. Methods: We formed an interdisciplinary research team and involved key community stakeholders in planning a health screening event. We provided lunch, flu vaccinations, and screening measures including blood pressure, body mass index, and diabetes status. We also asked for volunteers to sign up to participate in future focus groups. Results: Thirty five people participated in the health screening event, and 29 people volunteered to engage in future research. The majority of participants reported not having health insurance or a regular medical provider, were overweight or obese, and did not have diabetes. Discussion: Engaging the Latino community in research is important, and this paper describes the first step in the creation of an academic-community partnership. Translation to Health Education Practice: Attention to community needs through active partnership and adherence to the responsibilities and competencies for health education specialists provides an example of a successful study that can be adapted to other populations.

The Southwest is an arid region characterized by low water availablility even at the best of times. Drought is common and has forced regional communities to adapt to extreme conditions and drastic fluctuations in temperature and water availability. The acequia culture that has grown here and dates back to pre-colonial times uses a system of water sharing that has made agricultural productivity across the region not only possible but highly successful. Yet climate change, largely related to burning of fossil fuels, is projected to push the southwest region's already unpredictable precipitation patterns to new extremes. The severe drought in the region is projected in some models to be a new normal with no real end in sight in terms of water scarcity. Much of Rio Arriba's community has lived on the land for generations. The ancestors have farmed the land, prospering when water was plentiful, and compromising when water was scarce. The rules of acequia governance have seen the entire agricultural system through some of the worst droughts on record. The rules have been long-established and endured multiple stressors. This resiliency makes the acequia system an ideal case to study in the face of global climate change. Post World War II shifts in economic and farming policy, increasingly drier environmental conditions with predictions of prolonged drought, and rising water demands from rapidly growing populations in New Mexico and the border region of Texas and Mexico are applying new stressors to this system. Operating on funding from the National Science Foundation, this project is part of a greater research initiative, Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems, and aims to evaluate the changes in land use within the agricultural zone of the Lower Rio Chama (San Jose, Alcalde, Hernandez, Chamita, El Duende and El Rito) since 1930. Assessing changes in landuse will provide a baseline of trends upon which acequia users and community members can understand the multitude of stressors weighing down on the acequia system. Through informing the community of the complex issues related to the acequia system, this research aims to build a foundation upon which the community can come together to create regional water planning strategies necessary to the long term sustainability of both local communities living on the Rio Chama and the greater region of which they are a part.

Introduction: In 2020, 18.4% of Hispanics experienced mental illness, yet only about a third received treatment compared with nearly half of non-Hispanic Whites. In Montana, where only 11% of the mental health needs are currently met, service utilization is low. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of the Hispanic immigrant population in a rural state on mental health and professional service utilization. Methods: Using a descriptive phenomenological approach, we conducted semi-structured telephone interviews in Spanish. Audio recordings were transcribed, translated to English, and analyzed for themes. Results: We recruited a sample of 14 participants from Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela ranging in age from 33 to 59. We identified five themes: definitions of mental health, maintaining mental health, familismo/socialization, stigma, and acculturation stress. Discussion: Novel findings point to the need for Spanish-language services focused on reducing s...

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a common disorder that affects the hand, caused by compression of the median nerve at the wrist. Despite its prevalence and impact on individuals, the underlying biological mechanisms of CTS remain poorly understood. Moreover, there is a lack of strategies for identifying individuals at risk for CTS in order to prevent its development. In recent years, the use of genome sequencing, genetic analysis, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has revealed several genetic factors that may be associated with CTS, including specific genes and gene loci. A Genetic Risk Score (GRS) that incorporates these findings could potentially be used to predict the likelihood of developing CTS and enable earlier identification and prevention of the condition. GWAS has already demonstrated a correlation between CTS severity and a GRS composed of 13 susceptibility loci. Further research on the development of a more comprehensive GRS for CTS could potentially reduce the ...

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a common disorder that affects the hand, caused by compression of the median nerve at the wrist. Despite its prevalence and impact on individuals, the underlying biological mechanisms of CTS remain poorly understood. Moreover, there is a lack of strategies for identifying individuals at risk for CTS in order to prevent its development. In recent years, the use of genome sequencing, genetic analysis, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has revealed several genetic factors that may be associated with CTS, including specific genes and gene loci. A Genetic Risk Score (GRS) that incorporates these findings could potentially be used to predict the likelihood of developing CTS and enable earlier identification and prevention of the condition. GWAS has already demonstrated a correlation between CTS severity and a GRS composed of 13 susceptibility loci. Further research on the development of a more comprehensive GRS for CTS could potentially reduce the overall burden of this disorder.