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The prevalence of disease-driven mass mortality events is increasing, but our understanding of spatial variation in their magnitude, timing and triggers are often poorly resolved. Here, we use a novel range-wide dataset comprised 48 810 surveys to quantify how sea star wasting disease affected Pycnopodia helianthoides, the sunflower sea star, across its range from Baja California, Mexico to the Aleutian Islands, USA. We found that the outbreak occurred more rapidly, killed a greater percentage of the population and left fewer survivors in the southern half of the species's range. Pycnopodia now appears to be functionally extinct (greater than 99.2% declines) from Baja California, Mexico to Cape Flattery, Washington, USA and exhibited severe declines (greater than 87.8%) from the Salish Sea to the Gulf of Alaska. The importance of temperature in predicting Pycnopodia distribution rose more than fourfold after the outbreak, suggesting latitudinal variation in outbreak severity may stem from an interaction between disease severity and warmer waters. We found no evidence of population recovery in the years since the outbreak. Natural recovery in the southern half of the range is unlikely over the short term. Thus, assisted recovery will probably be required to restore the functional role of this predator on ecologically relevant time scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Little research on the association of neighborhood environment with physical activity in resource-poor communities has been done. This study assessed changes in perceptions of the neighborhood environment and the association between those perceptions and physical activity in Mexican Americans on the Texas-Mexico border in an area where there would be community efforts to enhance pedestrian and cycling infrastructure and programming., Methods: We analyzed data from a population-based cohort of Mexican American individuals on the Texas-Mexico border. From 2008 to 2018, interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect perceptions of neighborhood environment and physical activity at baseline, 5- and 10-year follow-ups, and at other ancillary study visits, with an average of 3 data points per participant. We conducted multivariable longitudinal logistic regression analyses to assess if the changes in odds of positive perceptions of the neighborhood environment over the study years differed by physical activity patterns., Results: The sample (n = 1036) was mostly female (71%), born in Mexico (70%), and had no health insurance (69%). We saw improvements in the perceptions of several neighborhood environment attributes from 2008 to 2018, though we saw different longitudinal trajectories in these perceptions based on an individual's longitudinal physical activity patterns. By 2014-2018, we saw significantly higher positive perceptions of the neighborhood environment for those who consistently met physical activity guidelines compared with those who did not (adjusted rate ratio = 1.12, P = .049)., Discussion: We found that perceptions of many neighborhood environment attributes improved between 2008 and 2018, and that overall positive perceptions were associated with consistently meeting physical activity guidelines over time.

The prevalence of disease-driven mass mortality events is increasing, but our understanding of spatial variation in their magnitude, timing and triggers are often poorly resolved. Here, we use a novel range-wide dataset comprised 48 810 surveys to quantify how sea star wasting disease affected Pycnopodia helianthoides , the sunflower sea star, across its range from Baja California, Mexico to the Aleutian Islands, USA. We found that the outbreak occurred more rapidly, killed a greater percentage of the population and left fewer survivors in the southern half of the species's range. Pycnopodia now appears to be functionally extinct (greater than 99.2% declines) from Baja California, Mexico to Cape Flattery, Washington, USA and exhibited severe declines (greater than 87.8%) from the Salish Sea to the Gulf of Alaska. The importance of temperature in predicting Pycnopodia distribution rose more than fourfold after the outbreak, suggesting latitudinal variation in outbreak severity may stem from an interaction between disease severity and warmer waters. We found no evidence of population recovery in the years since the outbreak. Natural recovery in the southern half of the range is unlikely over the short term. Thus, assisted recovery will probably be required to restore the functional role of this predator on ecologically relevant time scales.

Introduction: Hispanic populations are less likely that other ethnicities to meet physical activity guidelines. Community health worker (CHW) outreach is an effective delivery method for behavior change messages owing to shared culture, language, and life experience. This study examined the efficacy of a CHW-delivered intervention, Tu Salud ¡Si Cuenta! (Your Health Matters!) at Home Intervention, to promote physical activity among Mexican Americans., Study Design: RCT., Setting and Participants: Mexican Americans living along the Texas-Mexico border from June 2010 to April 2013., Intervention: Eligible adults were randomized into intervention (n=250) or standard care (n=250). Intervention participants received 6 monthly CHW visits that included education, motivation, and support for lifestyle changes. Standard care was potentially exposed to a community-wide health promotion campaign. Data were collected at baseline and 6- and 12-month follow-ups., Main Outcome Measures: Meeting physical activity guidelines was defined as ≥600 MET-adjusted minutes of moderate and vigorous exercise., Results: Intervention participants were more likely to meet physical activity guidelines at 6 months (AOR=2.02, 95% CI=1.25, 3.26) than standard care, but the significance was not maintained at 12 months (AOR=1.53, 95% CI=0.92, 2.53). The results were similar in the as-treated and obesity-stratified analyses. The secondary analysis corroborated the primary results., Conclusions: This study shows increases in physical activity among those exposed to a CHW intervention, including participants with obesity. It also indicates that the removal of CHW contact tapers the effect at 12 months., Trial Registration: NCT01168765., (Copyright © 2019 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The study reported here examines factors influencing decision-making concerning health care access and navigation among persons of Mexican origin living along the U.S./Mexico border. Specifically, the study examined how persons with limited financial resources accessed these two systems. Seven focus groups were held with 52 low income Mexican American people aged 18-65 years. Transcripts were analyzed to identify themes in Atlasti 5.0 software and the theory used included a socio-ecological framework and complemented by constructed from the Social Cognitive Theory. We found that in addition to a lack of insurance and financial resources to pay for health care; fear, embarrassment and denial associated with a diagnosis of illness; poor medical personnel interactions, and desire for quality but streamlined health care also influenced decision making. This theory-based study raises important issues if health care is to improve the health and welfare of disadvantaged populations and points to the need for greater focus on medical homes and prevention and early intervention approaches.

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between nativity and nutritional behaviors and beliefs in the Mexican American population living in the South Texas border region. Mexican Americans living the border region of South Texas were sampled to assess their nutrition behaviors and beliefs. Nativity was measured as whether subjects were born in the United States or Mexico. Nutritional behaviors were measured using the SPAN and indexes were used to measure barriers to good nutrition, dietary self-efficacy, and dietary importance. OLS regression analysis was used and adjustments were made for sociodemographic factors. Differences between US-born Mexican Americans and Mexico-born Mexican Americans existed in nutritional beliefs, but not in behaviors. Mexico-born Mexican Americans reported their dietary choices as more important and reported greater food self-efficacy than their US-born Mexican American counterparts. Socioeconomic status influenced US-born Mexican Americans nutritional beliefs only and the same effect was not observed for Mexico-born Mexican Americans. Despite low levels of overall acculturation in the border region dietary beliefs still exist between immigrants and US-born Mexican Americans in dietary beliefs, but, not behaviors in US-born Mexican Americans.

To address obesity and related morbidities, community-based participatory research (CBPR) strategies were employed to design and evaluate a Spanish-language media campaign promoting physical activity and healthful food choices among Mexican Americans. Process evaluation including content analyses on types and focus of media messages was conducted. Focus groups assessed appeal and trustworthiness of messages. All media campaign products featured role models and experts. Campaign messages primarily (91%) appeared in TV morning show segments. Newsletters presented individual and family role model stories. A majority of newsletters (68%) were distributed through churches and "promotora" outreach efforts. CBPR lends itself to the selection and tailoring of evidence-based media campaigns. Moreover, CBPR guidance resulted in media messages that were credible and appealing to audience. Process evaluation strategies that gather information from the community provide solid evidence for how to modify the campaign to best meet audience expectations.

Drinking practices vary substantially among different countries. An understanding of such differences can help researchers, clinicians, and policymakers develop prevention, diagnostic, and treatment measures as well as overall alcohol policies that are appropriate for a given country. Accordingly, researchers have conducted cross-cultural analyses of drinking patterns and practices. Three countries included in such analyses are India, Mexico, and Nigeria. These countries differ substantially in their ethnic and cultural characteristics, including the role that alcohol plays in daily life. To gain a better insight into the attitudes toward alcohol in these countries, researchers have analyzed the alcoholic beverage preferences, gender and age differences in alcohol consumption patterns, drinking contexts and drinking patterns, alcohol-related problems, approaches to prevention and treatment, and drinking indicators in each nation. These analyses demonstrate that no single definition of "normal" drinking, problem drinking, or alcohol dependence can apply equally to all countries or cultures.