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Foreign-born faculty (FBF) comprise between a quarter and a third of the higher education workforce in the U.S. today. As part of a larger mixed methods research project, we examined undergraduate students' perceptions of FBF prior to and after engaging with them in the classroom. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of undergraduate students (N = 474) enrolled at three public universities in the southeastern U.S. We examined demographic and educational correlates of undergraduate students' perceptions of FBF, preferences regarding taking courses (preference factor) taught by FBF, and perceived benefits of learning (benefit factor) from FBF. Findings showed that several student characteristics (e.g. being Latinx/Hispanic; being born or raised with one or both parents from overseas; being an upperclassman; being a human-service major; taking at least one course with FBF) were associated with more positive perceptions of FBF and a higher level of perceived benefits of learning from FBF. The findings in this study strongly support the assertion that providing U.S. undergraduate students with more opportunities to learn from FBF in their college classrooms will support those students' development of positive perceptions of diversity and difference as a key educational outcome.

Background: Essential workers across multiple industries faced a disproportionate burden of morbidity and mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects were especially severe for agricultural and food processing workers, many of whom are members of the structurally vulnerable Latine community. Under current U.S. federal laws, children under 12 years old can legally work in agriculture, one of the most hazardous U.S. industries. Many of these working youth are Latine and experience health and educational inequities., Methods: Using a community-based participatory research approach and a qualitative design, we conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews in North Carolina in 2022, with service providers in health, education, and advocacy fields (n = 10) and Latine youth farmworkers aged 10-17 (n = 24). We used participatory qualitative analysis methods and a reflexive thematic analysis to understand and describe the work experiences of these youth during the first 2 years of the pandemic., Results: Amidst precarious economic and school situations exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, many youths described an increased need to work to support their families. While aware and sometimes fearful of the added occupational health risks of COVID-19, youth and their families felt they had few other options. Service providers and youth described minimal employer-provided safety protocols or equipment, yet some workers organized their own attempts at safety protocols. Youth narratives imply limited knowledge of basic workplace safety requirements., Conclusions: Study findings emphasize the urgent need to address structural vulnerabilities shaping workplace policies and norms to protect Latine youth farmworkers to support their healthy development., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe the level of self-care of diabetes and diabetes distress and examine their relationship in non-Hispanic Black adults living with type 2 diabetes., Methods: This cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted with 275 non-Hispanic Black adults with type 2 diabetes in North Carolina over 10 weeks, July 2022 to September 2022. An online survey collected sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, self-care measures of diabetes, and diabetes distress. The theory of self-care of chronic illness guided the study. Median regression examined the relationship between self-care of diabetes and diabetes distress., Results: Of the 275 participants, over half reported a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes at younger ages than expected, with a mean age of 40. The self-reported mean A1C of 9% exceeded the recommended goal of <7%, with an average of 2 diabetes-related comorbidities. The self-care of diabetes scale scores were low, and total diabetes distress scores were high. Significant positive associations were found between total diabetes distress and self-care monitoring and self-care management., Conclusions: In this sample, non-Hispanic Black adults had low levels of self-care of diabetes and high levels of diabetes distress. The findings indicate a relationship between self-care of diabetes and diabetes distress; as diabetes distress increases, so do the attempted activities of self-care of diabetes. Health care professionals in diabetes care are uniquely positioned to address further the behavioral aspects of diabetes management, particularly diabetes distress, to support non-Hispanic Black adults living with type 2 diabetes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declare there are no conflicts of interest.