Application of a Novel Method for Assessing Cumulative Risk Burden by County

The purpose of this study is to apply the Human Security Index (HSI) as a tool to detect social and economic cumulative risk burden at a county-level in the state of Texas. The HSI is an index comprising a network of three sub-components or “fabrics”; the Economic, Environmental, and Social Fabrics. We hypothesized that the HSI will be a useful instrument for identifying and analyzing socioeconomic conditions that contribute to cumulative risk burden in vulnerable counties. We expected to identify statistical associations between cumulative risk burden and (a) ethnic concentration and (b) geographic proximity to the Texas-Mexico border. Findings from this study indicate that the Texas-Mexico border region did not have consistently higher total or individual fabric scores as would be suggested by the high disease burden and low income in this region. While the Economic, Environmental, Social Fabrics (including the Health subfabric) were highly associated with Hispanic ethnic concentration, the overall HSI and the Crime subfabric were not. In addition, the Education, Health and Crime subfabrics were associated with African American racial composition, while Environment, Economic and Social Fabrics were not. Application of the HSI to Texas counties provides a fuller and more nuanced understanding of socioeconomic and environmental conditions, and increases awareness of the role played by environmental, economic, and social factors in observed health disparities by race/ethnicity and geographic region

Socioeconomic and Cultural County-level Factors Associated with Race/Ethnic Differences in Body Mass Index in 4th Grade Students in Texas

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between county-level socioeconomic environment and the propensity to be overweight or obese by race/ethnic group in a sample of fourth grade children the Texas public school system. Methods: The data used come from the School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) surveillance study – a surveillance study of school-aged children in Texas. The outcome variable used was Body Mass Index (BMI) categorized as underweight/normal/healthy, overweight, and obese. Exposure variables were derived from county-level Hispanic and Black concentration and socioeconomic data using the Human Security Index (HSI) as a framework. We made comparisons between Non-Hispanic White, Black and Hispanic children enrolled in the fourth grade. We used bivariate and regression analysis using jackknife variance estimates. Results: Hispanic and Black children were more likely to be obese and overweight than non-Hispanic White children. Hispanic and Black children were more likely to live in counties with higher economic, educational and social stress than non-Hispanic White children. In the logistic regression analysis comparing the odds of overweight or obese to underweight/healthy/normal weight, both Hispanic and Black children continued to have a higher odds of overweight and obesity than non-Hispanic White children. In separate regression analyses for each race/ethnic group (ie, Hispanic, Black, and White students) the county-level educational and social stress variables had a significant association with overweight and obesity in Hispanic children only. Hispanic ethnic concentration was associated with the odds of being overweight but not obese, while percent Black was associated with obesity in Hispanic children. There were no significant associations between socioeconomic or ethnic concentration and overweight or obese in Black children. Discussion: The results from this study indicate that county-level effects on childhood obesity may be more than just socioeconomics and ethnic concentration. Future research should involve multiple levels of analysis, including census tract, school and home variables simultaneously, in order to understand how the environments children live in impact their risk for obesity and how these influences may vary by race/ethnicity

Cardiovascular disease risk among the Mexican American population in the Texas-Mexico border region, by age and length of residence in United States

Introduction: Although the relationship between health behaviors and outcomes such as smoking and obesity with longer residence in the United States among Mexican American immigrants is established, the relationship between length of residency in the United States and risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is not fully understood. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between immigrant status, length of residence in the United States, age, and CVD markers in a sample of Mexican American adults living in Brownsville, Texas. Methods: We categorized participants in the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort study as immigrants in the United States for 10 years or less, immigrants in the United States for more than 10 years, or born in the United States. We conducted logistic and ordinary least squares regression for self-reported chronic conditions and CVD biomarkers. Results: We found bivariate differences in the prevalence of self-reported conditions and 1 CVD biomarker (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) by length of residence in the middle (41-64 y) and younger (18-40 y) age groups. After adjusting for covariates, the following varied significantly by immigrant status: stroke and high cholesterol (self-reported conditions) and diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (CVD biomarkers). Conclusion: The association between immigrant status, length of residence in the United States, and CVD markers varied. The effect of length of residence in the United States or immigrant status may depend on age and may be most influential in middle or older age

Using the Framingham Risk Score to Evaluate Immigrant Effect on Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Mexican Americans

Background—This study uses the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) for 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) to evaluate differences between Mexican American immigrants and the U.S.-born population. Methods and Results—Data from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (N=1,559). Average total risk scores were generated by age group for each gender. Regression analysis was conducted adjusting for covariates and interaction effects. Both women and men in the CCHC sample who were long-term immigrant residents (mean FRS scores women 4.2 with p\u3c.001 vs. men 4.0 with p\u3c.001) or born in the U.S. (mean FRS scores women 4.6 with p\u3c.001 vs. men 3.3 with p\u3c.001) had significantly higher risk scores than immigrants who had only been in this country for less than 10 years. The interaction model indicates that differences between immigrant and native-born Mexican Americans are most greatly felt at lowest levels of socioeconomic status for men in the CCHC. Conclusions—This study suggests that in terms of immigrant advantage in CVD risk, on whom, where, and how the comparisons are being made have important implications for the degree of difference observed

Application of a Novel Method for Assessing Cumulative Risk Burden by County

The purpose of this study is to apply the Human Security Index (HSI) as a tool to detect social and economic cumulative risk burden at a county-level in the state of Texas. The HSI is an index comprising a network of three sub-components or “fabrics”; the Economic, Environmental, and Social Fabrics. We hypothesized that the HSI will be a useful instrument for identifying and analyzing socioeconomic conditions that contribute to cumulative risk burden in vulnerable counties. We expected to identify statistical associations between cumulative risk burden and (a) ethnic concentration and (b) geographic proximity to the Texas-Mexico border. Findings from this study indicate that the Texas-Mexico border region did not have consistently higher total or individual fabric scores as would be suggested by the high disease burden and low income in this region. While the Economic, Environmental, Social Fabrics (including the Health subfabric) were highly associated with Hispanic ethnic concentration, the overall HSI and the Crime subfabric were not. In addition, the Education, Health and Crime subfabrics were associated with African American racial composition, while Environment, Economic and Social Fabrics were not. Application of the HSI to Texas counties provides a fuller and more nuanced understanding of socioeconomic and environmental conditions, and increases awareness of the role played by environmental, economic, and social factors in observed health disparities by race/ethnicity and geographic region

Socioeconomic Status and Prevalence of Obesity and Diabetes in a Mexican American Community, Cameron County, Texas, 2004-2007

Rates of obesity and diabetes in this border community are among the highest in the United States. Belonging to the lower socioeconomic stratum significantly increased the likelihood of having undiagnosed diabetes and, in patients too young to be eligible for Medicare, the overall risk of developing diabetes. Modest improvement in income has a beneficial effect on health in this racial/ethnic minority community

Acculturation, Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, and Physical Activity in Mexican Origin Women

Purpose: Longer time in the United States (US) is associated with increased risk of obesity in Hispanic immigrants, particularly for women. Although previous research has established an association between nutrition and acculturation, little attention has focused on physical activity. In this study, we examine the associations between acculturation on Mexican origin women’s body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and report of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Method: Mexican origin women ≥18 years (n=120) from South Carolina (n=60) and Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley (n=60) completed a survey and anthropometric measures. Participants reported MVPA in hours per week, country of birth, age at migration (\u3c16\u3eyears, 16-25 years, and ≥26 years), and language use. Using these latter two as indicators of acculturation, we evaluated associations between acculturation and BMI, WC, and MVPA. Results: Age standardized means for BMI indicated lowest BMI and waist circumference measures among women either with middle-range English language proficiency or who had immigrated to the US between the ages of 16-25; however, the relationship with BMI was more robust. Age standardized means for MVPA show that women who migrated at younger ages (\u3c16\u3eyears) had the lowest MVPA levels, followed by those migrating as younger adults (16-25 years), then adults (≥26 years). Similarly, women with lowest English proficiency levels had the lowest reported MVPA and those with highest English proficiency had highest reported MVPA. Conclusions: The relationship between acculturation and obesity and MVPA is multifaceted. While the relationship between MVPA and the two indicators of acculturation appear to be linear, the direction of association varied by acculturation indicator. Moreover, the association with acculturation indicators and measures of obesity was not linear. The findings from this study have implications in how researchers interpret the relationship between acculturation, obesity and obesity risk factors

Lower IgG somatic hypermutation rates during acute dengue virus infection is compatible with a germinal center-independent B cell response

Reads, clonal groups, and lineages numbers per individual and condition. The table shows the number of raw and used sequences as well as the number of clonotypes and lineages per individual. (XLS 30 kb

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Maternal and Umbilical Cord Blood from Pregnant Hispanic Women Living in Brownsville, Texas

Venous blood was drawn from 35 pregnant Hispanic women living in Brownsville, Texas, and matched cord blood was collected at birth. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to measure concentrations of 55 individual PAHs or groups of PAHs. Results indicate that these women and their fetuses were regularly exposed to multiple PAHs at comparatively low concentrations, with levels in cord blood generally exceeding levels in paired maternal blood. While the possibility of related adverse effects on the fetus is uncertain, these exposures in combination with socioeconomically-disadvantaged and environmentally-challenging living conditions raise legitimate public health concerns

Crop pests and predators exhibit inconsistent responses to surrounding landscape composition

The idea that noncrop habitat enhances pest control and represents a win–win opportunity to conserve biodiversity and bolster yields has emerged as an agroecological paradigm. However, while noncrop habitat in landscapes surrounding farms sometimes benefits pest predators, natural enemy responses remain heterogeneous across studies and effects on pests are inconclusive. The observed heterogeneity in species responses to noncrop habitat may be biological in origin or could result from variation in how habitat and biocontrol are measured. Here, we use a pest-control database encompassing 132 studies and 6,759 sites worldwide to model natural enemy and pest abundances, predation rates, and crop damage as a function of landscape composition. Our results showed that although landscape composition explained significant variation within studies, pest and enemy abundances, predation rates, crop damage, and yields each exhibited different responses across studies, sometimes increasing and sometimes decreasing in landscapes with more noncrop habitat but overall showing no consistent trend. Thus, models that used landscape-composition variables to predict pest-control dynamics demonstrated little potential to explain variation across studies, though prediction did improve when comparing studies with similar crop and landscape features. Overall, our work shows that surrounding noncrop habitat does not consistently improve pest management, meaning habitat conservation may bolster production in some systems and depress yields in others. Future efforts to develop tools that inform farmers when habitat conservation truly represents a win–win would benefit from increased understanding of how landscape effects are modulated by local farm management and the biology of pests and their enemies