Biomedical subjects

Sylvia Paz

Publications and source records attributed to Sylvia Paz.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Category fluency in a latino sample: associations with age, education, gender, and language.

The authors know of no published studies that have evaluated the effect of Spanish- versus English-language on category fluency within a sample of United States Latinos only. As part of a pilot study for the institution of a cognitive screening program in a cohort of Latinos, we assessed category fluency (fruits, vegetables, and "other" supermarket items) in a sample of 90 self-identified Latino community residents (aged 52-84, 0-18 years of education). The primary demographic correlates of category fluency were age and education. The decrement in naming of fruits with age was limited to the older old subjects (>age 70). Relatively younger old subjects (aged 61-70) did not differ from middle-aged subjects on category fluency. Gender showed little relationship to category naming. Persons naming in Spanish named significantly fewer 'other supermarket' items, but did not differ from English speakers in the more common fluency categories of fruits and vegetables. This analysis of category fluency in an ethnically homogenous sample with a wide range of formal education provided an evaluation of the effects of chosen language free of possible confounding by cultural differences, and also provided a more complete evaluation of the influence of education on category fluency.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2004

Compliance with recommendations for follow-up care in Latinos: the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study.

PURPOSE: To determine rates of follow-up eye and health care in the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES), a population-based sample of Latinos. METHODS: Participants received a complete ophthalmic examination and were referred to a local healthcare provider for follow-up care, if ocular or systemic disease was found. Participants receiving referrals were later contacted by telephone and interviewed in their language of choice (English or Spanish) by a trained bilingual interviewer, to determine follow-up rates, and to discuss the barriers preventing follow-up care. RESULTS: Of 430 referred participants, 335 (78%) completed the follow-up survey; 278 (68%) of the responders obtained follow-up care. Among the 108 (32%) individuals who did not seek follow-up care, 54 (50%) cited cost of care as the main reason, while 30 (28%) indicated a lack of knowledge as to where to go for care, and 18 (17%) indicated the unavailability of health care. Logistic regression analyses (controlling for acculturation, co-morbid conditions, and patients' prior knowledge of their diagnoses) revealed that participants with insurance coverage, diagnosis with a systemic disease, and higher educational level were more likely to have received follow-up care. CONCLUSION: More than two thirds of the participants reported seeking the recommended follow-up care. Although cost, availability of services, and convenience of accessing care were found to be major barriers to obtaining health care, higher education, insurance coverage, and prior knowledge of the disease, were associated with receiving recommended care. Knowledge of barriers to seeking health care is important when developing community based healthcare programs directed toward the Latino population.

Acculturation↗

PubMed2003

Psychometric performance of the NEI VFQ-25 in visually normal Latinos: the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study.

PURPOSE: To characterize the psychometric performance of the National Eye Institute 25-item Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) in visually normal Latinos (Mexican Americans). METHODS: The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES) is a population-based study to assess the prevalence of eye disease and self-reported visual functioning in Latinos aged 40 or more years. Self-reported visual functioning was assessed by using English and Spanish versions of the NEI VFQ-25. Psychometric properties of the NEI VFQ-25, including internal consistency of the subscales and the individual items, were assessed through the Multi-trait Analysis Program-Revised (MAP-R) analysis. Adjusted mean and median subscale scores were compared between English and Spanish speakers to identify any systematic differences. RESULTS: Of the 1917 participants from two census tracts, 1171 participants with no visual impairment were included in this analysis. The mean age of the participants was 52.3 years, 57% of the participants were female, and 67.5% of the participants were Spanish speaking. Median scores for Spanish-speaking participants were significantly lower than those of the English-speaking participants on four subscales: Ocular Pain, General Vision, Vision-Specific Mental Health, and General Health (P < 0.05). Internal consistency for three of eight measurable subscales for the study group was poor (Cronbach alpha < 0.6). CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals psychometric inconsistencies in the NEI VFQ-25 when administered to visually normal Latinos. The difference in mean subscale scores between Spanish and English speakers must be integrated into the development of population norms of visual function. Further detailed psychometric evaluation is needed to determine the validity of this instrument in Latino populations.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2002

Using focus groups to develop a culturally sensitive methodology for epidemiological surveys in a Latino population: findings from the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES).

BACKGROUND: Many standardized survey instruments are initially developed in English-speaking populations. These instruments may not be culturally appropriate for other ethnic groups, such as Latinos. METHODS: The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES) was designed to determine the prevalence of blindness, visual impairment, and ocular diseases; risk factors for these diseases; and general and ocular healthcare use among non-institutionalized adult Latinos in suburban Los Angeles County, California. The LALES investigators used focus groups to develop questionnaires and to devise culturally sensitive methods for implementing this epidemiologic study in a Latino population. Eighty-four respondents were administered the in-home questionnaire and then scheduled into one of 6 in-home focus groups, allowing participants to reflect in groups about the study, their participation, and the state of the instruments and the translations. FINDINGS: Overall, respondents reported that the questionnaire was well written, easy to understand, and very clear. Recommendations from participants included: 1) keep questions brief; 2) minimize the number of response choices; 3) keep phrasing clear; 4) simplify technical terms; 5) provide test results immediately after the clinical examination; and 6) hire Spanish-speaking staff to increase participants' trust and confidence. CONCLUSION: Focus groups assisted in yielding a culturally appropriate survey research tool and methodology for this population-based study in a Latino community.

Adult↗