Family-Based Caregiving: Does Lumping Asian Americans Together Do More Harm than Good?

Asian American family caregivers have gained increased attention due to the need to provide life-sustaining aid at home given the rising numbers of older adults. This article reflects upon caregiving-related research studies that have overlooked the circumstances Asian American caregivers bring to the home-care context. Policies written to address community needs tend to omit the social circumstances many Asian American caregivers must face when trying to take advantage of programs and services. For example, the eligibility requirements fail to recognize distinctive cultural values embedded within the caregiving processes. Further, most Asian American data is aggregated. Aggregating data by ethnicity limits an accurate portrayal of social circumstances. The health effects developed from caregiving demands tend to remain unaddressed and the distribution of goods and essential services generally does not reach many home-based Asian American caregivers in need. This text examines a within-group perspective to uncover sociocultural dimensions influencing caregiving. Different perspectives include those of government and community agencies, research institutions, and data-driven websites (e.g., U.S. Census Bureau). Role Strain Theory and Role Enhancement Theory are discussed. This article explores critical issues such as the health impacts of caregiving demands, Asian American identity conflicts, and United States caregiving policy’s lack of acknowledgment of Asian American diversity. To begin making corrections to misleading assumptions about Asian Americans and their culture, the article closes with how researchers need to accept the heterogeneity of Asian Americans and provide a foundation for culturally appropriate policies and programs that can enhance caregivers’ quality of life

UAlbany Faculty OER Showcase, Catherine Dwyer Director of Scholarly Communications

Julia Hastings presentation: 0:00-16:05 Elise Gervais presentation: 16:05-26:06 Marcus Adams presentation: 26:06-41:45 The slides that Marcus Adams used for his presentation are available for download

Healthy-lifestyle behaviors associated with overweight and obesity in US rural children

BackgroundThere are disproportionately higher rates of overweight and obesity in poor rural communities but studies exploring children’s health-related behaviors that may assist in designing effective interventions are limited. We examined the association between overweight and obesity prevalence of 401 ethnically/racially diverse, rural school-aged children and healthy-lifestyle behaviors: improving diet quality, obtaining adequate sleep, limiting screen-time viewing, and consulting a physician about a child’s weight.MethodsA cross-sectional analysis was conducted on a sample of school-aged children (6–11 years) in rural regions of California, Kentucky, Mississippi, and South Carolina participating in CHANGE (Creating Healthy, Active, and Nurturing Growing-up Environments) Program, created by Save the Children, an independent organization that works with communities to improve overall child health, with the objective to reduce unhealthy weight gain in these school-aged children (grades 1–6) in rural America. After measuring children’s height and weight, we17 assessed overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 85th percentile) associations with these behaviors: improving diet quality18 (≥ 2 servings of fruits and vegetables/day), reducing whole milk, sweetened beverage consumption/day; obtaining19 adequate night-time sleep on weekdays (≥ 10 hours/night); limiting screen-time (i.e., television, video, computer,20 videogame) viewing on weekdays (≤ 2 hours/day); and consulting a physician about weight. Analyses were adjusted 21 for state of residence, children\u27s race/ethnicity, gender, age, and government assistance.ResultsOverweight or obesity prevalence was 37 percent in Mississippi and nearly 60 percent in Kentucky. Adjusting for covariates, obese children were twice as likely to eat ≥ 2 servings of vegetables per day (OR=2.0,95% CI 1.1-3.4), less likely to consume whole milk (OR=0.4,95% CI 0.2-0.70), Their parents are more likely to be told by their doctor that their child was obese (OR=108.0,95% CI 21.9-541.6), and less likely to report talking to their child about fruits and vegetables a lot/sometimes vs. not very much/never (OR=0.4, 95%CI 0.2-0.98) compared to the parents of healthy-weight children.ConclusionsRural children are not meeting recommendations to improve diet, reduce screen time and obtain adequate sleep. Although we expected obese children to be more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors, we found the opposite to be true. It is possible that these groups of respondent parents were highly aware of their weight status and have been advised to change their children’s health behaviors. Perhaps given the opportunity to participate in an intervention study in combination with a physician recommendation could have resulted in actual behavior change

COVID-19 and The Black Church

Background and Objective: Of the many 2020 lessons, relying on academic–community research partnerships helped to facilitate community engagement and encourage life-saving health behaviors. Involving Black Faith-Based Institutions as community partners in public health interventions has traditionally been successful in promoting positive health behaviors. The scientific literature, unfortunately, lacked a clear roadmap for pandemic-related public health behaviors and operational transformations with Black Faith-Based Institutions. In order to build productive collaboration with Black Churches, researchers need to understand what is already happening. Therefore, the present study follows two objectives: (1) to examine the content, kind, and type of health information currently shared in Black faith-based institutions and (2) to evaluate and discuss the accuracy of that information with representatives of faith-based institutions. Methodology: A qualitative content analysis of available social media. The study sample included 10 churches from the Capital Region and 10 churches from New York City. Each church was randomly selected from a list of Black Churches in New York State by region. The data collection instrument was designed to capture the social media and sermon content. In addition, common pandemic health behaviors were recorded. Preliminary Findings: The findings indicate that Black Churches across two regions of New York State were differentially prepared to support their congregations. Some churches social media included pandemic health behavior content that resembled information available from a public health department. For example, some social media was exclusively dedicated to coronavirus resources that were easily accessible. Other churches were not similarly prepared to distribute health behavior content as readily. The social media content, in general, reflected basic health information for those churches who were social media savvy. The service recordings showed many pastors alone in their church or home offices. The videos indicated early demonstration of social distancing. For churches that did not have a social media presence it is unknown the kind of messaging in sermon or public health practice that was passed on to congregants. Preliminary Summary: The Black Church throughout responses to the pandemic provided spiritual uplift, encouragement and addressed family shortages. There was evidence that many churches provided food, clothing, masks, hand sanitizer, disinfectant, and communal prayer to all who needed it (both church and community members). Many churches found a way to virtually support congregants through prayer and remain a steadfast, trusted resource within the Black community. Given the spread of COVID-19 and social distancing mandates, churches have relied on many ways to remain in contact with its members in order to pass on information, spiritual and emotional support. The coronavirus pandemic has encouraged churches to explore innovative forms of communication to share messages of comfort with their congregants. Despite the shift from in person to online communications, the Black Church remains a beacon of hope and a source of strength for congregants and community members alike

Whole grain consumption is inversely associated with BMI Z-score in rural school-aged children

Objective To examine the relationship between intake of whole grains and BMI Z-score in rural children.Design General linear models and logistic regression were used to examine the cross-sectional associations between whole grain intake and BMI Z-score, prevalence and odds ratios of overweight and obesity. Dietary intake was assessed using the Block Food Screener for ages 2–17 years. Children were classified into three categories according to servings of whole grain intake: <1·0 serving/d, 1·0–1·5 servings/d and >1·5 servings/d.Setting The CHANGE (Creating Healthy, Active and Nurturing Growing-up Environments) study, an obesity prevention intervention in elementary schools in eight rural US communities in California, Mississippi, Kentucky and South Carolina.Subjects Seven hundred and ninety-two children attending 3rd–6th grade.Results After adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, physical activity and state of residence, whole grain intake was inversely associated with BMI Z-score (0·90 v. 0·61 in the lowest v. the highest whole grain intake category; P trend = 0·01). Children who consumed >1·5 servings of whole grains/d had a 40 % lower risk of being obese (OR = 0·60; 95 % CI 0·38, 0·95, P = 0·02) compared with children who consumed <1·0 serving/d. Further adjustment for potential dietary predictors of body weight (fruit, vegetable and dairy intakes) did not change the observed associations.Conclusions Increasing the intake of whole grains as part of an overall healthy lifestyle may be beneficial for children to achieve and maintain a healthy weight

The VPAC2 Receptor Is Essential for Circadian Function in the Mouse Suprachiasmatic Nuclei

AbstractThe neuropeptides pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) are implicated in the photic entrainment of circadian rhythms in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). We now report that mice carrying a null mutation of the VPAC2 receptor for VIP and PACAP (Vipr2−/−) are incapable of sustaining normal circadian rhythms of rest/activity behavior. These mice also fail to exhibit circadian expression of the core clock genes mPer1, mPer2, and mCry1 and the clock-controlled gene arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the SCN. Moreover, the mutants fail to show acute induction of mPer1 and mPer2 by nocturnal illumination. This study highlights the role of intercellular neuropeptidergic signaling in maintenance of circadian function within the SCN