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Background: National data show that Hispanics report low levels of physical activity. Limited information on barriers to exercise in this population exists in the literature. Methods: Surveys were administered to 398 Hispanic participants from two colonias in South Texas to investigate self-reported levels of and perceived barriers to exercise. One-way ANOVA by level of activity and t tests by gender were conducted. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine patterns by level of activity. Results: Results show that 67.6% of respondents did not meet physical activity recommendations of at least 150 minutes per week, as compared with 55.6% nationally. Overall, the most frequently reported barriers included "lack of time," "very tired," and "lack of self-discipline" to exercise. An exploratory factor analysis of the barriers reported by participants not meeting physical activity recommendations resulted in a 3-factor structure. A unidimensional scale was found for participants meeting recommendations. Conclusions: Findings suggest that future interventions should be specific to gender and exercise level to address the high prevalence of inactivity in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children in residential children's homes (RCH) may be at increased risk for physical inactivity due to decreased access to opportunities for activity. Little is known about environmental determinants of physical activity for children in RCH. Methods: Thirty-minute blocks of MVPA and Total METs were measured using the 3-Day Physical Activity Recall (3DPAR). A staff interview, based on the Structural Ecologic Model of Health Behavior, assessed physical activity opportunities, structures, characteristics, policies, and social environment. Wilcoxon 2-sample tests were used to examine differences in environment by location and presence of a recreation director. Mixed model ANOVAs assessed the differences in child level activity by environmental variables. Results: There were significant correlations between opportunities and characteristics of physical activity, facilities, and equipment with total METS for children. Children in homes with a recreation director and homes in rural locations reported more physical activity. Only rural location had a significant effect on physical activity. Presence of a recreation director was significant in several models. Conclusions: Rural location may be conducive for increased physical activity in children at RCH. Employing a recreation director or other trained personnel may be an important policy determinant of physical activity for children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Examine the moderating role of perceived organizational and coworker support on the relationship between job stress and type 2 diabetes risk among employees.Design: A cross-sectional survey was administered to employees at the workplace.Setting: One national retail organization.Participants: Baseline data were obtained from 1595 employees in 21 retail stores.Measures: Self-reported organizational and coworker support to encourage and fulfill job responsibilities and job stress. Diabetes risk was calculated using age, gender, race/ethnicity, blood pressure, physical activity, weight status, and self-reported diagnosed type 2 diabetes.Analysis: Multilevel multiple regression was conducted to test the interaction effect of support on the association between job stress and diabetes risk.Results: Mean age was 37.95 years (±12.03) and body mass index was 26.72 (±4.95). Three percent of participants reported diagnosed diabetes. Organizational support was positively associated with coworker support. Both were negatively associated with job stress. Organizational support, but not coworker support, moderated the relationship of job stress with diabetes risk. Participants with greater perceived organizational support had lower diabetes risk scores compared to those with lower perceived organizational support.Conclusion: Organizational support may be a key factor for workplaces to reduce stress and diabetes risk. Further testing of organizations' supportive role on employee health may be helpful in developing future workplace programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the association between growth and maturation with weight management behaviors (WMBs) among Mexican American youth.Design: A cross-sectional design was used to measure timing of growth and maturation as well as WMBs.Sample: Students were recruited through physical education classes in south Texas schools. The sample included 623 participants (52.3% female; 49.8% with weight ≥85th percentile) in grades 4 through 12. Students in middle school were purposely oversampled to examine questions around timing of growth and maturation.Measures: Growth was measured as maturity offset, an estimate of age at peak height velocity (PHV). Maturity offset is derived from chronological age, height, and sitting height measurements. Participants were classified as pre-PHV or post-PHV. Girls also were categorized as premenarche or early, average, or late maturing based on age at menarche. Weight was measured to calculate body mass index (BMI) percentile. Weight management behavior and timing of menarche were self-reported via a survey.Analysis: Descriptive characteristics were calculated for boys and girls separately. χ2 Tests of proportion were used to test WMB by BMI percentile. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the likelihood of engaging in WMB by maturity offset and, for girls, timing of menarche.Results: Students with weight ≥85th percentile were more likely to describe themselves as overweight and report trying to lose weight through exercise or calorie restriction ( P < .0001). A 1-year increase in maturity offset was associated with youth being 31% more likely to perceive themselves as overweight but less likely to report calorie restriction (odds ratio [OR] = 0.87). Average maturing girls were more likely than premenarcheal girls to exercise, restrict calories, or fast to lose weight (OR = 3.27, 2.11, and 3.27, respectively).Conclusion: Mexican American youth are engaging in WMB, even when their weight status is <85th percentile. The appropriateness of weight management counseling may need to consider a child's stage of growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine the construct validity and reliability of existing self-report items measuring perceptions of the built environment for physical activity. Methods: Exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency, and nonparametric scaling were assessed using data from a crosssectional sample of adults (n=479). Results: A new 5-factor model was identified. Internal consistency and scaling reliabilities were moderate to strong, providing support for the new structure. Conclusions: Further studies are needed to confirm these results. Subscales should be treated as indices and use sum scores in analysis to detect subtle variations and provide more precise power calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examined variations in physical activity (PA) by age, sex and seasonality among park users living in predominantly Mexican American unincorporated community along the Texas-Mexico border. Methods: Park-based PA was assessed during two time periods using direct observations of 2,446 park visitors. Variation in PA was examined by age, sex, seasonality, intensity level, and type of PA using separate Pearson's chi-square analyses. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between age group, sex, season, and intensity level of PA. Results: Sedentary behaviors (32.8%), soccer (20.9%), and basketball (11.9%) were the most commonly observed activities. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that younger aged participants were more likely to engage in moderate and vigorous PA compared to older participants. Females were more likely to engage in light-intensity activity (OR = 1.77, p=<0.001), but were less likely to participate in moderate and vigorous PA (OR=0.15, p=<0.001) compared to males. Park visitors were significantly more likely to engage in light-intensity PA (OR = 1.78, p<0.001) in the summer than in winter, although no difference by season was found for moderate and vigorous PA. Conclusion: Age and sex differences were found in PA intensity, and seasonality was significantly different for light intensity PA, only. Public officials and planners may use this information to build and design parks that cater to the types of activities that Hispanics of different ages and genders engage in to increase the likelihood of meeting physical activity guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are increasingly common venues for same-day neurosurgical procedures, allowing for cost-effective, high-quality patient care. We present the first and largest series of patients undergoing diagnostic cerebral angiography at an ASC to demonstrate the effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of outpatient endovascular care., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data for consecutive patients who underwent diagnostic cerebral angiography at our ASC between January 1, 2024, and May 29, 2024. Data collected included vascular access approach, procedural duration, turnover time, and periprocedural complications. Using a standardized 2-week postprocedural survey, patients were asked to provide comments and rate their subjective satisfaction from a 1 to 5 scale, with "5" being completely satisfied. All cases were performed with a physician team comprising 1 attending neuroendovascular neurosurgery and 1 neuroendovascular fellow present. Fentanyl and midazolam were administered for conscious sedation in all cases., Results: Among the 67 patients included in this series, the mean procedural duration was 29.4 ± 8.6 minutes. The mean turnover time was 13.7 ± 3.6 minutes. Between transradial (46 of 67 [68.7%]) and transfemoral (21 of 67 [31.3%]) access site approaches, there were no statistically significant differences in mean procedural duration (29.4 ± 8.0 vs 29.2 ± 9.9 minutes, respectively; P = .72) or turnover time (14.0 ± 3.9 vs 12.9 ± 2.8 minutes, respectively; P = .4). No complications occurred periprocedurally or within the 2-week follow-up period. A total of 48 (71.6%) of 67 patients responded to the postprocedural survey, all of whom unanimously reported a score of "5.", Conclusion: We found that diagnostic cerebral angiography performed at our ASC was safe and effective for patient care. In addition, all survey respondents (71.6% of those provided the survey) reported highest levels of satisfaction. The integration of neuroendovascular procedures into ASCs potentially offers a cost-effective and highly efficient option in an evolving economic landscape., (Copyright © Congress of Neurological Surgeons 2024. All rights reserved.)