Low Levels of Lifetime Pap Test Receipt Among Vulnerable Guatemalans

Low and middle-income countries, such as Guatemala, shoulder a disproportionate share of cervical cancer, a preventable disease in high income countries. Tangible obstacles, such as lack of access to health care, cultural differences, and insufficient infrastructure, and facilitators, such as being Ladino, married, and educated, have been identified in the literature related to cervical cancer prevention. The aim of this survey was to explore barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer prevention, comparing rural Indigenous and urban Ladino populations. We surveyed 139 women in two health clinics. Participants answered questions about demographic information, cervical cancer knowledge, and health care behaviors. We analyzed survey data with four bivariate models. Our results suggest vulnerable populations, such as rural Indigenous women who are single, illiterate, and lack education, face higher cervical cancer risk. Partnerships should be formed with health promotors and lay midwives to educate and encourage vulnerable populations to prevent cervical cancer.

Comfort with LGB people and attitudes toward same-sex parenting in Continental American Hispanic Nations

Negative attitudes toward Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) individuals leads to a perceived inability of LGB individuals to foster 'appropriate' family relationships, inciting negative attitudes specifically toward same-sex parenting. Intergroup and interpersonal relationships play a critical role in fostering attitudes toward others wherein type of contact, frequency, degree of closeness in the relationship, and the positivity/negativity of interactions are potential mediator of these relations, Moreover, the mechanism behind co-constructing positive relationships with sexual and gender minorities is comfort with contact with LGB individuals. The present study explored the effects of interpersonal contact and the mediator role of comfort with LGB people in explaining attitudes toward same-sex parenting in Spanish-speaking countries in North, Central, and South America. These countries are of particular interest given the dearth of research in the region on attitudes toward same-sex parenting as well as the varying degrees of acceptance of and protections for same-sex parented families. A non-probabilistic sample of 1955 heterosexual cisgender participants from 14 countries was asked to complete a series of sociodemographic questions, a questionnaire about their interpersonal contact/comfort experiences with LGB people, and the Attitudes Toward Gay and Lesbian Parenting Scale. Results showed that comfort was vital in fostering accepting attitudes toward Same-Sex Parenting across countries. Findings also suggested that comfort with LGB people has a particularly powerful influence in regions with less legal and cultural acceptance of LGB individuals. Policies are not enough to instill widespread change: we must encourage, facilitate, and supervise the formation of relationships with LGB people.

Social support associated with restorative treatment, professionally applied fluoride and flossing: A cross-sectional analysis including recent immigrants from Central America and Mexico in the Midwest USA

OBJECTIVES

This study examined how Mexican and Central American immigrants' social support was associated with three selected dental outcomes among recent immigrants, prior to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Using baseline wave data from the 2017-2022 VidaSana study about the health and social networks of Mexican and Central American immigrants living in Indiana, this study utilized logistic and ordinal logistic regression to predict lifetime fluoride use, lifetime dental restoration and flossing frequency, across levels of social support and differences between Mexican and Central American immigrants.

RESULTS

Data from 547 respondents were included in the present analysis (68% women; mean age 34.4 years [SD 11.2]; Central American 42%; Mexican 58%). Results show a high level of social support was associated with increased probability of fluoride use, dental restoration and higher flossing frequency for Mexican immigrants. However, social support for Central American immigrants was associated with a decreased likelihood of fluoride use, more infrequent flossing, and had no significant association with dental restorations experience. What would be a negative association between Central American immigrants and dental restoration was accounted for by education level and never having been to a dentist.

CONCLUSIONS

While higher social support was linked to beneficial outcomes for oral health in Mexican immigrants, the opposite was found in Central Americans. These findings highlighted the complexities of social relationships among new immigrants, and potential heterogeneity within the Hispanic population, particularly regarding social and behavioural measures as they pertain to oral health. Further research is needed to identify the underlying mechanisms producing both differences in social support and oral health outcomes.