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•Prevalence of current and former ENDS use among US Hispanics/Latinos was 2.0% and 10.4%, each.•Current ENDS use higher in males, highly educated, prefer English, and Puerto Rican background.•Represent an important target group for ENDS use prevention and regulatory interventions.

Introduction:Popularity and use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS or e-cigarettes), have increased tremendously in the United States (US). Yet, data in a representative sample of US Hispanics/Latinos is limited. We determined the prevalence and correlates of ENDS use from the national Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).Methods:Cross-sectional data collected between the years 2015–2017 were analyzed to assess ENDS use (ever (current: use ≤ past 30 days; former: use > past 30 days) and never) among 11,623 adults aged 23+ years. Weighted prevalence estimates were reported and age-adjusted logistic regression models were used to examine associations between sociodemographic, lifestyle/behavioral, and clinical exposures with ENDS use (vs. nonsmokers and cigarette-only smokers, separately).Results:Mean age 47 years ± 0.3 and 52% women. The weighted prevalence of current and former ENDS use was 2.0% and 10.4%, respectively. Over 67% of current ENDS users reported dual-cigarette use. Current ENDS use prevalence estimates ranged from 1.1% in Hispanics/Latinos of South American background to 2.1% in Hispanics/Latinos of Mexican and Puerto Rican background. In logistic regression models, compared with nonsmokers, increased odds of current ENDS use was associated with males (OR=4.90, p<0.001), higher education (OR=2.03, p<0.05), English language preference (OR=7.59, p<0.001), Puerto Rican background (OR=2.09, p<0.05), a high level of physical activity (OR=4.02, p<0.001), and history of alcohol use (OR=15.93, p<0.001). Older age (≥45 years) (OR=0.30, p<0.001), foreign-born participants (OR=0.12, p<0.001), and those with obesity (OR=0.60, p<0.05) and type 2 diabetes (OR=0.46, p<0.001) had lower odds of current ENDS use. These trends were generally similar when cigarette-only smokers were the reference group. Having ever used ENDS was associated with prevalent coronary artery disease.Conclusions:Our study suggest that Hispanic/Latino individuals who are young adults, male, US-born, or have high acculturation are more likely to report current ENDS use.

Hispanics are affected by many health care disparities. The National Cancer Institute (NCI), through its Special Populations Branch, is supporting networking and capacity‐building activities designed to increase Hispanic participation and leadership in cancer research. Redes En Acción established a national network of cancer research centers, community‐based organizations, and federal partners to facilitate opportunities for junior Hispanic scientists to participate in training and research projects on cancer control. Since 2000, Redes En Acción has established a network of more than 1800 Hispanic leaders involved in cancer research and education. The project has sustained 131 training positions and submitted 29 pilot projects to NCI for review, with 16 awards for a total of $800,000, plus an additional $8.8 million in competing grant funding based on pilot study results to date. Independent research has leveraged an additional $32 million in non‐Redes funding, and together the national and regional network sites have participated in more than 1400 community and professional awareness events. In addition, the program conducted extensive national survey research that provided the basis for the Redes En Acción Latino Cancer Report, a national agenda on Hispanic cancer issues. Redes En Acción has increased participation in cancer control research, training, and awareness among Hispanic scientists and within Hispanic communities. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.

Although cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and premature death among Latinos, there is limited knowledge of cancer‐related issues and priorities of greatest significance to the Latino population, the largest minority group in the nation. This information is vital in helping to guide Latino cancer research, training, and awareness efforts at national, regional, and local levels. To help identify cancer issues of greatest relevance to Latinos, Redes En Acción, The National Hispanic/Latino Cancer Network, a major network among the National Cancer Institute's Special Populations Networks, conducted a survey of 624 key opinion leaders from around the country. Respondents were asked to rank the three cancer sites most important to Latinos in their region and the five issues of greatest significance for this population's cancer prevention and control. Recommendations were prioritized for three specific areas: 1) research, 2) training and/or professional education, and 3) awareness and/or public education. Among cancers, breast carcinoma was ranked number one, followed in order by cervical and lung carcinomas. The issues of greatest significance to Latinos were 1) access to cancer screening and care, 2) tobacco use, 3) patient–doctor communication, 4) nutrition, and 5) risk communication. This survey solicited information from scientists, health care professionals, leaders of government agencies, professional and community‐based organizations, and other stakeholders in Latino health. The results laid the foundation for a national Redes En Acción Latino cancer agenda, thus providing a useful tool for individuals and organizations engaged in cancer prevention and control efforts among the Hispanic–Latino population. Cancer 2005. Published 2005 by the American Cancer Society.

To address disproportionately high rates of diabetes morbidity and mortality in some of Chicago's medically underserved minority neighborhoods, a group of community residents, medical and social service providers, and a local university founded the Chicago Southeast Diabetes Community Action Coalition, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention REACH 2010 Initiative. A community-based participatory action research model guided coalition activities from conceptualization through implementation. Capacity building activities included training on: diabetes, coalition building, research methods, and action planning. Other activities sought to increase coalition members' understanding of the social causes and potential solutions for health disparities related to diabetes. Trained coalition members conducted epidemiologic analyses, focus groups, a telephone survey, and a community inventory. All coalition members participated in decisions. The participatory process led to increased awareness of the complexities of diabetes in the community and to a state of readiness for social action. Data documented disparities in diabetes. The participatory action research approach (a) encouraged key stakeholders outside of the health care sector to participate (e.g., business sector, church groups); (b) permitted an examination of the sociopolitical context affecting the health of the community; (c) provided an opportunity to focus on preventing the onset of diabetes and its complications; (d) increased understanding of the importance of community research in catalyzing social action aimed at community and systems change and change among change agents.

This article examines the relationship between selected self-care practices during an episode of illness and the use of formal medical care. Stimulated by conflicting evidence and assertions, the general question addressed is “Is self-care a substitute, a supplement, or a stimulus for use of formal medical care services?” Multiple Classification Analysis was used in a secondary data analysis of a 1976 nationwide study on access to medical care. The results suggest that self-care users may visit the physician less often and stay fewer days in the hospital, and thus they are expected to have lower expenditures for hospital and physician services. Therefore, the self-care activities examined appear to be substitutesfor, rather than supplements or stimuli to, health services utilization. The results must be viewed with some caution due to limitations in the data. However, the results also argue for a greater research emphasis on self-care.

Background:News reports and hate crime data suggest that anti-Hispanic/Latino immigrant sentiment was expressed by some sectors of the U.S. public during the 2016 Presidential campaign and election. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between this period and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors thought to be responsive to acute stress exposure among Hispanic/Latino adults in the US.Methods:Data were from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), a prospective cohort study of Hispanic/Latino adults living in the US. The analytic sample was limited to non-pregnant adults, 35 to 74 years old, who participated in Visit 1 (2008-2011) and Visit 2 (2014-2017). The exposed were defined as participants who completed Visit 2 in 2016 and the unexposed were defined as participants who completed Visit 2 in 2014 or 2015. Cardiovascular disease risk factors included elevated depressive symptoms (CESD-10 score: 10+), current smoking, and at-risk levels of alcohol consumption (women: 7+ drinks/week; men: 14+ drinks/week). Current alcohol use (i.e., any current alcohol use) was also examined as a potential stress-related outcome. Predicted marginal risk ratio models were used to estimate incident Visit 2 outcomes as a function of exposure to the year 2016 among individuals who did not have those outcomes at Visit 1. Models were adjusted for age and insurance status at Visit 1. A priori interactions with nativity status, duration of residence in the US, and Hispanic/Latino background group were examined.Results:No statistically significant association between 2016 exposure and elevated depressive symptoms was observed in the main model, but additive interaction by Hispanic/Latino background group was observed (p= 0.03) (Mexican and Central American background: RRadjusted: 1.28 (0.94, 1.76); Hispanics/Latinos of other background groups: RRadjusted: 0.85 (0.66, 1.09)). No association between 2016 exposure and incident smoking or incident at-risk alcohol consumption was observed and tests for interaction were not statistically significant. For incident current alcohol use, borderline trends in the main model suggested an association with the exposure (RRadjusted: 1.11 (0.99, 1.26)). Further, statistically significant additive interaction by nativity status was observed (Foreign-born: RRadjusted: 1.20 (1.06, 1.37); US/Puerto Rico-born: RRadjusted: 0.78 (0.55, 1.09)).Conclusions:Trends from study findings suggest an association between exposure to anti-Hispanic/Latino immigrant sentiment in 2016 and current alcohol use among foreign-born Hispanic/Latino adults. Given limitations of using time as a proxy for exposure to anti-Hispanic/Latino immigrant sentiment, future studies should explore more specific measurements of sentiment during this time and explore short and long-term effects of this sentiment.

Background:Hispanics/Latinos in the US are at high risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). The American Diabetes Association (ADA) consensus statement recommends prediabetes screening in persons with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2from at-risk racial/ethnic groups and/or with additional T2D risk factors to identify those who may benefit from lifestyle and/or pharmacological (metformin) therapy to prevent T2D. Little is known about the proportion of diverse Hispanics/Latinos who have prediabetes and may benefit from such preventive measures.Objectives:This study examined prediabetes prevalence in Hispanics/Latinos by BMI categories to estimate the proportion eligible for preventive therapy per ADA guidelines.Methods:The HCHS/SOL is a prospective, multi-center, population-based study that enrolled 16,415 diverse Hispanic/Latino adults aged 18-74 years from four US communities in 2008 – 2011. Prediabetes was defined per ADA criteria as any of the following: fasting plasma glucose 100-125 mg/dL, oral glucose tolerance test 140-199 mg/dL, or hemoglobin A1C 5.7%-6.4%. Prevalence of prediabetes age-standardized to the 2010 US population was examined in persons aged 18-74 years with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2who were free of diabetes and not taking anti-glycemic medication (n=9393) and a sub-sample of those aged 18-60 with BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2(n=1528) to determine eligibility for preventive lifestyle and pharmacological therapy, respectively. Overall and heritage specific prevalence estimates (95% confidence intervals) were computed. Analyses were weighted for sampling probability and non-response.Results:Among individuals with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, 50.9% (49.6 - 52.3) had prediabetes, i.e., could benefit from preventive lifestyle measures. Prevalence was highest in those of Mexican heritage (53.1%; 50.8 – 55.4), followed by Puerto Rican (49.8%; 46.2 – 53.4) and Central American (49.8%; 45.5 – 54.1) heritage. Persons of South American heritage had the lowest prevalence (45.6%; 41.4 – 49.6) (p=0.29 for overall differences across groups). Among persons with BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2, 55.7% (52.2 – 59.2) had prediabetes, i.e., could benefit from metformin therapy; prevalence was highest in persons of South American heritage (62.2%; 48.3 – 76.1). Of those who met the criteria for lifestyle measures, about 64% were age 18-44, 69% had at least a high school education, 41% had income <$20,000, and 40% had family history of diabetes. Over 60% of those eligible for preventive metformin therapy were women.Conclusions:Among Hispanics/Latinos who are overweight/obese, over half of those of Mexican heritage and almost half of those of Puerto Rican and Central American heritage need intensive lifestyle measures to prevent progression to diabetes. Among those who are obese, six out of ten individuals of South American heritage met criteria for preventive metformin therapy.

Background:The prevalence of e-cigarette use among youth is on the rise and may be associated with adolescents’ limited knowledge of the health effects of these products. We examined how demographics and socioeconomic status (SES) are correlated with the perceived health risks of e-cigarettes among youth.Methods:Data from a national online survey of youth aged 13-18 in 2017, weighted to be representative of the overall U.S. population in age, sex, race, ethnicity, and region were analyzed. Differences in perceived health risks of nicotine and other chemicals provided by vaping were addressed with respect to the demographics and SES of the participants, taking into account their e-cigarette use status.Results:Among 3,174 participants, 56.5% were female, 19.3% Hispanics and 14.7% non-Hispanic Blacks. Indicators of low SES [family receiving public assistance (PA) or participating in free school lunch program] were seen in 50.2%. With adjustment for e-cigarette use status in multivariable regression models, perceived health risks from the contents of e-cigarettes differed by gender, age, place of residence, and SES status. For example, the odds of perceiving harm from nicotine in e-cigarette products was 1.6 times higher in girls than in boys; the same odds was lower by 27% for those in families receiving government PA compared to those in families that did not. A parent’s education level also significantly influenced their child’s perception of the harm of the contents of e-cigarette products (seeFigure).Conclusions:For youth, the perceived health risks of nicotine, toxins or chemicals in e-cigarette products were significantly different by age, gender, race/ethnicity, and SES. The findings may have relevance for developing communications and education strategies targeting specific youth audiences, especially those in vulnerable groups. These strategies could improve awareness among youth concerning the health effects of e-cigarettes, helping to prevent or reduce e-cigarette use.