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Research shows that vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is one of the most effective methods for reducing risk for cervical cancer; it also protects against other HPV-related cancers. Controversies exist regarding HPV vaccination in several communities; which may in part explain why although rates of HPV vaccination are increasing nationwide, Los Angeles County (LAC) data show that many adolescents are still not vaccinated. These adolescents remain at high-risk for infection. Using community-based participatory principles, we conducted an environmental scan that included a literature review, the development of a community advisory board, community feedback from HPV community meetings, and interviews with stakeholders to understand attitudes toward HPV vaccination and their impact in follow through with HPV vaccines. Twenty-eight key stakeholders participated in our coalition comprised of community organizations and clinics with strong ties to the local community. This is the only coalition dedicated exclusively to improving HPV vaccine uptake in LAC. Of these, twenty-one participated in an environmental scan via qualitative interviews about HPV vaccination programs, service delivery priorities, and proposed steps to increase HPV vaccination uptake in LAC. The environmental scan revealed targets for future efforts, barriers to HPV uptake, and next steps for improving local HPV vaccination uptake rates. The environmental scan also identified local HPV vaccination interventions and resources. Although LAC has developed important efforts for vaccination, some interventions are no longer being implemented due to lack of funds; others have not been evaluated with sufficient outcome data. The risk for cervical and other HPV-related cancers could be greatly reduced in LAC if a multilevel, multicultural, and multilingual approach is taken to better understand rates of HPV vaccination uptake, particularly among racial/ethnic minorities and LGBTQ youth. Our environmental scan provides guidance on attitudes toward vaccination, and how best to address the needs of LAC families and providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latina/o youth in the U.S. are often characterized by elevated rates of cigarette smoking and depressive symptoms, and these rates appear to vary by youth acculturation and socio-cultural stress. Scholars suggest that parents’ cultural experiences may be important determinants of youth smoking and depressive symptoms. However, few studies have examined the influence of parent acculturation and related stressors on Latina/o youth smoking and depressive symptoms. To address this gap in the literature, in the current study we investigated how parent-reported acculturation, perceived discrimination, and negative context of reception affect youth smoking and depressive symptoms through parent reports of familism values and parenting. The longitudinal (4 waves) sample consisted of 302 Latina/o parent-adolescent dyads from Los Angeles ( N = 150) and Miami ( N = 152). Forty-seven percent of the adolescent sample was female ( M age = 14.5 years), and 70% of the parents were mothers ( M age = 41.10 years). Parents completed measures of acculturation, perceived discrimination, negative context of reception, familism values, and parenting. Youth completed measures regarding their smoking and symptoms of depression. Structural equation modeling suggested that parents’ collectivistic values (Time 1) and perceived discrimination (Time 1) predicted higher parental familism (Time 2), which in turn, predicted higher levels of positive/involved parenting (Time 3). Positive/involved parenting (Time 3), in turn, inversely predicted youth smoking (Time 4). These findings indicate that parents’ cultural experiences play important roles in their parenting, which in turn appears to influence Latino/a youth smoking. This study highlights the need for preventive interventions to attend to parents’ cultural experiences in the family (collectivistic values, familism values, and parenting) and the community (perceived discrimination). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction American Indian (AI) adolescents have the highest prevalence of commercial tobacco use of any ethnic group in the United States. This study examines ethnic identity (EI), participation in cultural activities, and stressful life events (SLEs) as correlates of smoking and examines historical trauma (HT) as a mediator of these associations. Methods California AI youth (N = 969, ages 13–19, recruited from 49 tribal youth organizations and cultural activities in urban and reservation areas in California) completed a tobacco survey. Structural equation modeling was used to test a model examining HT as a potential mediator of the associations of EI, participation in cultural activities, and SLEs with cigarette smoking. Results Model fit was adequate. EI, participation in cultural activities, and SLEs predicted HT. HT mediated the associations of participation in cultural activities and SLEs with past-month smoking. Stronger EI predicted greater past-month smoking and this effect was mediated by greater HT. The direct effects from HT to both smoking outcomes were positive and the direct effect from EI to past-month smoking was negative. Conclusions HT is a risk factor for cigarette smoking both directly and in mediating the links of EI, cultural activities, and SLEs. More efforts are needed to help AI youth to process these thoughts and empower themselves to contribute to their own lives and those of their families and communities without resorting to unhealthy addictive behaviors such as commercial tobacco use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose We sought to determine the extent to which initial levels and over-time trajectories of cultural stressors (discrimination, negative context of reception, and bicultural stress) predicted well-being, internalizing symptoms, conduct problems, and health risk behaviors among recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents. Addressing this research objective involved creating a latent factor for cultural stressors, establishing invariance for this factor over time, estimating a growth curve for this factor over time, and examining the effects of initial levels (intercepts) and trajectories (slopes) of cultural stressors on adolescent outcomes. Methods A sample of 302 recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents in Miami (median of 1 year in the United States at baseline) and Los Angeles (median of 3 years in the United States at baseline) was recruited from public schools and assessed six times over a 3-year period. Results Perceived discrimination, context of reception, and bicultural stress loaded onto a latent factor at each of the first five timepoints. A growth curve conducted on this factor over the first five timepoints significantly predicted lower self-esteem and optimism, more depressive symptoms, greater aggressive behavior and rule breaking, and increased likelihood of drunkenness and marijuana use. Conclusions The present results may be important in designing interventions for Hispanic immigrant children and adolescents, including those within the present wave of unaccompanied child migrants. Results indicate targeting cultural stressors in interventions may have potential to improve well-being and decrease externalizing behaviors and substance use within this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hispanic emerging adults are a priority population for substance use prevention, yet few studies have examined whether traditional Hispanic cultural values serve as risk or protective factors for substance use among emerging adults. This study examined the relationship between familism, respeto, fatalism, and substance use among Hispanic emerging adults.Methods: Participants (ages 18 to 25) completed surveys indicating identification with familism, respeto, and fatalism, past month use of tobacco, marijuana, hard drugs and binge drinking. Separate logistic regression models examined the association between cultural values and each substance use outcome, controlling for acculturation, age and gender.Results: Among participants (n=1445, mean age=23, 60% female), 21% reported past month cigarette use, 18% reported past month alternative tobacco product (ATP) use, 25% reported past month marijuana use, 44% reported past month binge drinking, and 7% reported past month hard drug use. Higher fatalism scores were associated with increased ATP use. Higher familism scores were associated with binge drinking, while higher respeto scores were associated with decreased binge drinking, marijuana, and hard drug use.Conclusion: These findings suggest that substance use prevention and intervention programs should emphasize how substance use interferes with caring and honoring parents (respeto) and family cohesion and functioning (familism). Programs that highlight these cultural values and beliefs may be beneficial for Hispanic emerging adults and members of other collectivistic cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: American-Indian adolescents have the highest tobacco use prevalence of all ethnic groups in the United States. Although much has been written about the role of tobacco in traditional Native-American cultures, little is known about modern-day perceptions of tobacco among American-Indian adolescents. Methods: This study conducted focus groups of 40 American-Indian adolescents in urban and rural areas of Southern California. Participants discussed the role of traditional ceremonial tobacco use in their lives, the use of commercial tobacco as a substitute for sacred tobacco, the perceived safety of traditional versus commercial tobacco, and the perceptions of American-Indian imagery in tobacco advertising. Results: Many American-Indian adolescents may be introduced to traditional tobacco use at early ages. Smoking is viewed as a sign of respect for the elders, but there are acceptable ways for adolescents to participate in ceremonies without inhaling smoke. Commercial cigarettes often are substituted for homegrown tobacco at ceremonies and events. Traditional tobacco was perceived as less dangerous than commercial tobacco because it does not contain chemical additives. However, respondents still perceived that smoking traditional tobacco and breathing tobacco smoke conferred health hazards. Participants found the use of American-Indian imagery in tobacco advertising offensive and stereotypical. Indian casinos were mentioned frequently as places where smoking occurred. Conclusions: Continued health education efforts are needed to decrease habitual use of commercial tobacco products and secondhand smoke exposure among American-Indian youth. Further research is needed to identify ways for American-Indian youth to participate in their cultural traditions while minimizing their risk for tobacco-related diseases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Previous studies have documented associations between perceptions of racial/ethnic discrimination and adverse health outcomes among Hispanics and other minority groups. However, these studies have not examined change in perceived discrimination over the lifecourse and whether trajectories of perceived discrimination affect outcomes differently. This study of 2722 Hispanic students identified trajectories of perceived discrimination from 9th grade through emerging adulthood (approximately ages 14-23), and compared these trajectory groups on substance use outcomes. Four distinct trajectory groups were identified: (1) low and stable discrimination, (2) increasing discrimination, (3) initially high but decreasing discrimination, and (4) high and stable discrimination. Compared with the low and stable discrimination group, the groups that experienced higher levels of discrimination were at higher risk of cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, and hard drug use. Specifically, the group with increasing discrimination (group 2) had a higher risk of alcohol, marijuana, and hard drug use; the group with initially high but decreasing discrimination (group 3) had a higher risk of cigarette smoking and alcohol use; and the group with high and stable discrimination (group 4) had a higher risk of alcohol, marijuana, and hard drug use. Results indicate that experiencing discrimination during adolescence, emerging adulthood, or both, regardless of whether the discrimination increases or decreases, could place Hispanic youth at risk for substance use. Health education programs are needed to help Hispanic youth learn effective skills to cope with discrimination without resorting to substance use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Emerging adults who experienced stressful childhoods may engage in substance use as a maladaptive coping strategy. Given the collectivistic values Hispanics encounter growing up, adverse childhood experiences may play a prominent role in substance use decisions as these events violate the assumptions of group oriented cultural paradigms. Alternatively, adverse childhood events might not increase the risk of substance use because strong family ties could mitigate the potential maladaptive behaviors associated with these adverse experiences. This study examined whether adverse childhood experiences were associated with substance use among Hispanic emerging adults. Method Participants (n = 1420, mean age = 22, 41% male) completed surveys indicating whether they experienced any of 8 specific adverse experiences within their first 18 years of life, and past-month cigarette use, marijuana use, hard drug use, and binge drinking. Logistic regression models examined the associations between adverse childhood experiences and each category of substance use, controlling for age, gender, and depressive symptoms. Results The number of adverse childhood experiences was significantly associated with each category of substance use. A difference in the number of adverse childhood experiences, from 0 to 8, was associated with a 22% higher probability of cigarette smoking, a 24% higher probability of binge drinking, a 31% higher probability of marijuana use, and a 12% higher probability of hard drug use respectively. Conclusions These findings should be integrated into prevention/intervention programs in hopes of quelling the duration and severity of substance use behaviors among Hispanic emerging adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present study compares statistical models for three conceptualizations of drug use in 11th grade (past 30day ever/never use, past 30day frequency of drug use and past 30day drug use consequences) with externalizing and internalizing problems in emerging adulthood when controlling for age, academic achievement and socioeconomic status in a Hispanic sample. Multivariate logistic regression models for the different drug use variables were compared when modeling weapon carrying, arrest, multiple lifetime sex partners, drug/alcohol use before sex and condom use in emerging adulthood. A multivariate linear regression model was used to model depression in emerging adulthood as a function of drug use measurement controlling for other covariates and depression in adolescence. Our findings suggest that any conceptualization of drug use will produce equitable results and model fit statistics when examining externalizing problems. However, when investigating internalizing problems, such as depression, lower frequency drug use—and not high frequency—was more strongly associated with depression whereas experiencing high levels of drug use consequences—and not low levels of consequences—was associated with depression in emerging adulthood despite similar model fit values. Variation between drug use and the experience of drug use consequences may lead to misspecification of “at-risk” subgroups of drug users. Implications and future directions are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• We observed parents with high HPV vaccine hesitancy reported lower intent to have their child receive the COVID-19 vaccine. • Parents that were reluctant to vaccinate their adolescent against COVID-19 had higher HPV vaccine hesitancy. • Improving health messages to reduce overall vaccine hesitancy may be an effective way at addressing vaccination disparities among underrepresented groups. Parental human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine hesitancy contributes to delays or refusals in adolescent uptake. It is unclear if COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has further impacted the low HPV vaccine uptake trends among underrepresented minorities. This study examines the relationship between COVID-19 vaccine intent and HPV vaccine hesitancy among parents for their adolescents in communities with low vaccine uptake in Los Angeles County. Parents from a school-based academic enrichment program serving low-income, first-generation immigrant families completed an online cross-sectional survey to understand parental HPV vaccine hesitancy, adolescent HPV vaccine behavior, and attitudes towards other vaccines, including intent to receive COVID-19 vaccines. In March 2021, parents with children ages 9–17 years completed online surveys. Using multivariate logistic regression models, we examined whether low parent intent to vaccinate their adolescent against COVID-19 was associated with hesitancy to vaccinate against HPV. A total of 291 surveys were completed. Among parents with high HPV vaccine hesitancy for their adolescent, 33 % did not intend to vaccinate their adolescent against COVID-19 compared to 7 % among parents with low HPV vaccine hesitancy. Low parent intention to vaccinate adolescent against COVID-19 was associated with higher HPV vaccine hesitancy (p < 0.01) after controlling for parent nativity status, medical mistrust, receiving the flu vaccination and negative HPV information. Our findings indicate associations between low parental COVID-19 vaccine intent and higher HPV vaccine hesitancy for their adolescent. Identifying community-relevant health interventions to address parental vaccine hesitancy across multiple child and adolescent vaccines may help to achieve equitable vaccine uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Although diabetes is a nationwide epidemic, US Latinos are a particularly vulnerable population. Culturally appropriate interventions can combat this disparity, especially those that increase social support. However, these interventions face significant cost and time barriers, which mHealth (mobile health) may overcome. This trial examines the benefit of adding social support to an existing text-message based, patient-focused mHealth intervention for emergency department patients with poorly controlled diabetes. Family members and friends of patients were randomized to mHealth augmented social support training (daily text-messages that synchronize with the patient messages) or a pamphlet based training (the same content mailed to their house.) We hypothesize that patients who received mHealth augmented social support will have a larger improvement in diabetes management (glycosylated hemoglobin or A1C) than those receiving standard support at six-months, and that improvement will be sustained at twelve-months. Secondary patient outcomes are clinical (weight, blood pressure), behavioral (medication adherence, self-care activities) and psychosocial (general and diabetes-specific social support, self-efficacy, diabetes-related distress, depression, fatalism and quality of life). We screened 2004 patients and enrolled 166 patient/supporter dyads. 70% of patients are Spanish-speaking, 51% female, with a mean A1C of 10.8. We employed innovative measures to remotely enroll family members and support a bilingual population, which will assist other investigators in design of similar trials. The findings of our trial will have real-world applicability for clinicians, health system administrators, health educators and mHealth developers who aim to improve the health of this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Epidemiological studies have described an “acculturation paradox.” Increased acculturation to the United States is associated with increased consumption of dietary fat and decreased consumption of fruits/vegetables. Objective To expand understanding of the dietary acculturation paradox, this study examined how bicultural Mexican-American women construct ethnic identity and how these identities and identity-making processes relate to perceptions of health and nutrition. Design We utilized embedded mixed methods (in-depth interviews; survey). Participants/setting We analyzed a purposive sample of English-speaking Mexican-American women aged 18 to 29 years (n=24) in rural California to assess ethnic identity and diet beliefs. Results Participants described food as central to expressing cultural identity, usually in terms of family interactions. Mexican food traditions were characterized as unhealthy; many preferred American foods, which were seen as healthier. Specifically, Mexican-American women perceived Mexican patterns of food preparation and consumption as unhealthy. In addition, traditional Mexican foods described as unhealthy were once considered special-occasion foods. Among the participants who expressed a desire to eat healthfully, to do so meant to reject Mexican ways of eating. Conclusions This study raises questions about the nature of the “dietary acculturation paradox.” While food—the eating of Mexican foods—is central to the maintenance of ethnic identity throughout acculturation, negative perceptions about the healthfulness of Mexican foods introduce tension into Mexican-American women’s self-identification. This study suggests a subtle contradiction that may help to explain the dietary acculturation paradox: While previous research has suggested that as Mexicans acculturate to the United States they adopt unhealthy diets, this study finds evidence that they do so at least in part due to perceptions that American diets are healthier than Mexican diets. Implications for interventions to improve Latinos’ diets include an emphasis on the family and use of Spanish linguistic cues. Finally, messages that simply advocate for “traditional” diets should be reconsidered because that message is discordant with perceptions of the healthfulness of such foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Emerging adulthood (ages 18 to 25) is characterized by changes in relationships, education, work, and viewpoints on life. The prevalence of substance use also peaks during this period. Among emerging adults, Hispanics have a unique substance use profile, and have been described as a priority population for substance use prevention. Cross-sectional studies among Hispanics have shown that specific role transitions (e.g., starting or ending romantic relationships) were associated with substance use. Negative affect from uncertainty/stress that accompanies role transitions in emerging adulthood may lead to substance use as a maladaptive coping mechanism. Longitudinal studies are needed to gain a more complete understanding of these associations.Methods: Participants completed surveys for Project RED, a longitudinal study of substance use among Hispanics in Southern California. This study used Coarsened Exact Matching to overcome the methodological limitations of previous studies. Participants were matched on pretreatment variables including age, gender, substance use behavior in high school, and depressive symptoms. Past-month cigarette use, binge drinking, marijuana use, and hard drug use were the outcomes of interest. After matching, each outcome was regressed on each individual role transition in year one of emerging adulthood with this process repeated in year two of emerging adulthood.Results: Role transitions in romance and work were positively associated with multiple categories of substance use.Conclusions: Prevention programs should teach emerging adults ways to cope with the stress from role transitions. Individual role transitions may be used to screen for subgroups of emerging adults at high risk for substance use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A significant number of parents delay or refuse vaccinating their children. Incidental exposure to vaccine information (i.e., scanned information) may be an important contributor to anti-vaccine sentiment. This study examines the association between scanned information, trust in health information sources and vaccine safety concerns among African American, Mexican American, and non-Hispanic White women.Methods: Women (N=761) in Los Angeles County were sampled via random digit dial and surveyed regarding use of and trust in health information resources and vaccine safety concerns.Results: Analyses indicate that the sources of information associated with vaccine safety concerns varied by ethnicity. Each ethnic group exhibited different patterns of association between trust in health information resources and vaccine safety concerns.Conclusions: Information scanning is associated with beliefs about vaccine safety, which may lead parents to refuse or delay vaccinating their children. These relationships vary by ethnicity.Practice Implications: These findings help inform practitioners and policy makers about communication factors that influence vaccine safety concerns. Knowing these sources of information will equip practitioners to better identify women who may have been exposed to anti-vaccine messages and counter these beliefs with effective, vaccine-promoting messages via the most relevant information sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Purpose: Previous studies have documented associations between cultural factors and substance use among Hispanic adolescents. Negative cultural experiences such as discrimination have been associated with an increased risk of substance use among Hispanic adolescents, whereas positive cultural resources, such as maintenance of Hispanic cultural orientations, have shown protective effects. However, few studies have examined the continuing influence of cultural factors on substance use from adolescence to emerging adulthood. Methods: We surveyed a cohort of Hispanic adolescents in Southern California in 9th, 10th, and 11th grades, and 3–4years after high school. Growth curve analyses were conducted to examine the effects of U.S. acculturation, Hispanic acculturation, ethnic identity, and perceived discrimination on change in tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use over time. Results: Higher perceived discrimination at baseline was significantly associated with a higher intercept (initial level) of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. Higher initial level of Hispanic acculturation was significantly associated with a lower slope of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. Conclusions: Cultural phenomena such as acculturation and perceived discrimination can continue to affect substance use through the transition to emerging adulthood. Health education interventions are needed to help Hispanics navigate this developmental transition without engaging in substance use. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Introduction: Hispanic emerging adults appear to be at especially high risk for substance use but little is known about their risk and protective factors. A crucial next step to reducing substance use among this priority population may involve understanding how transition-to-adulthood themes are associated with substance use. Intervention and prevention programs could also benefit from information about which if any specific transitions undergone in emerging adulthood are associated with substance use. Methods: Hispanic emerging adults (aged 18 to 24) completed surveys indicating their identification with transition-to-adulthood themes, role transitions in the past year, and use of alcohol and marijuana. Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between transition-to-adulthood themes and past-month binge drinking and marijuana use, controlling for age and gender. Separate logistic regression models explored the association between each individual role transition and past-month binge drinking and marijuana use, controlling for age and gender and using a Bonferonni correction. Results: Among the participants (n =1,390), 41% were male, the average age was 21, 24% reported past-month marijuana use and 34% reported past-month binge drinking. Participants who felt emerging adulthood was a time of focusing on others were less likely to report marijuana use and binge drinking. Among the 24 transitions, five were significantly associated with past-month marijuana use and 10 were significantly associated with past-month binge drinking. Conclusion: Findings suggest transition-to-adulthood themes as well as specific changes experienced by emerging adults are meaningful for Hispanics and should be explored in prevention and intervention programs in the future. Future research should determine what specific mechanisms are making these transitional processes risk factors for substance use. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: The 2016 FDA's "Deeming Rule" prohibited free samples of vaping products. The purpose of this study was to investigate compliance with or adaptation to this newly established FDA policy.Methods: Vape shops were recruited in Southern California between November 2017 and December 2018. Data collectors interviewed 121 vape shop employees who responded to questions pertaining to the sampling protocol at their shop. Nicotine levels used for sampling were also assessed for consideration of future policy adoption.Results: Only 7.4% of shops were non-compliant to federal sampling rules. The remaining shops either: 1) charged a fee for samples (58.7%); 2) deducted the fee from the final purchase price (5.8%); or 3) eliminated product sampling (28.1%). Of the shops that charged for sampling (including membership fees), 94.4% initiated a minimal cost protocol (≤$1) for sampling. Half (50.0%) the shops that allowed sampling offered nicotine-containing samples.Conclusion: There was high compliance (92.6%) to the change in policy among vape shops. However, minimal modification of sampling protocol was observed due in part to the lack of specificity on parameters of compliance, which lessened the potential impact of the policy. To further protect consumers, policymakers must develop unambiguous and comprehensive policies to achieve intended results and true compliance. At minimum, future tobacco product sampling policies should consider standardized pricing; alternatively, total elimination of tobacco product sampling is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This article reports on the associations between acculturation and substance use among 198 ninth-grade Southern California adolescents (mean age=13.8 years). Substance use measures included 30-day (current) and lifetime use of alcohol and other drugs. Acculturation was measured using the Acculturation, Habits, and Interests Multicultural Scale for Adolescents (AHIMSA) acculturation scale, a multi-dimensional acculturation scale yielding four acculturation strategy scores. Linear regression analyses evaluated the association between acculturation on alcohol and drug use, adjusting for several covariates. Results revealed that the assimilation acculturation strategy was significantly, but negatively associated with current alcohol use, especially among males. The separation acculturation strategy was significantly and positively associated with current alcohol use, especially among females. Marginalization was associated with greater risk for lifetime alcohol and drug use, especially among males, and a greater risk of current drug use among females. The social influence covariates were predictive of both current and lifetime alcohol and drug use. Future studies should incorporate multidimensional acculturation scales in adolescent substance use to understand how different acculturation strategies impact different populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: To ascertain the effects of parent-adolescent acculturation gaps, perceived discrimination, and perceived negative context of reception on adolescent cigarette smoking, alcohol use, sexual activity, and sexual risk taking. We used an expanded, multidimensional model of acculturation.Method: A sample of 302 recently immigrated parent-adolescent dyads (152 from Miami and 150 from Los Angeles) completed measures of acculturation (Hispanic and American practices and identifications, and individualist and collectivist values) and parent-adolescent communication. Adolescents completed measures of recent cigarette smoking, alcohol use, sexual behavior, and sexual risk taking.Results: Parent-adolescent gaps in American practices and ethnic identity, and perceptions of a negative context of reception, predicted compromised parent-adolescent communication. In Miami only, adolescent-reported communication negatively predicted odds of cigarette smoking, occasions of drunkenness, and number of sexual partners. Also in Miami only, parent-reported communication positively predicted these outcomes, as well as occasions of adolescent binge drinking, drunkenness, number of sexual partners, and odds of unprotected sex. The only significant findings in Los Angeles were protective effects of parent-reported communication on frequency of alcohol use and of binge drinking. Mediational effects emerged only in the Miami sample.Conclusions: Effects of parent-adolescent acculturation gaps vary across Hispanic groups and receiving contexts. The especially strong parental control in many Mexican families may account for these differences. However, other important differences between Hispanic subgroups and communities of reception could also account for these differences. Prevention efforts might encourage Hispanic youth both to retain their culture of origin and to acquire American culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]