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This paper employs concepts from Bourdieu's theory of social fields and contemporary research on transnationalism to explore the complicated history of population movement, culture contact, and interaction that fueled the origins of Mississippian society in the greater Cahokia area and closely related socio-political developments in the Central Illinois River Valley (CIRV) of west-central Illinois. We offer a new take on Mississippian origins and the history of culture contact in the CIRV, arguing that interregional simultaneity and inter-group collaboration played an important part of the early processes of Mississippianization in the North American Midwest. By decentering Cahokia in our explanation of Mississippian origins in the greater Midwest, we argue for a long-term persistence of traditional pre-Mississippian practices in the CIRV region, beginning with the first documented engagement among Cahokians and Illinois Valley groups in the early eleventh century until the beginning of the thirteenth century AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Two risk factors for negative outcomes in Latina/o youth are acculturation dissonance (i.e., discrepant family cultural orientations) and the endorsement of an assimilation strategy of acculturation (i.e., valuing dominant mainstream culture over culture of origin). Though these have been uniquely studied as risk factors for maladaptive behaviors among Latina/o youth, their interaction in relation to both externalizing and internalizing symptoms has yet to be fully examined. Objective: The present study examined the unique and interactive effects of acculturation dissonance and assimilation on both depressive symptoms and delinquent behaviors among Latina/o adolescents. Methods: Participants were 135 Latina/o adolescents (ages 14-20) recruited from a charter high school. Students responded to a paper-and-pencil survey assessing demographic information, acculturation strategy, acculturation dissonance, depressive symptoms, and delinquency. Results: Acculturation dissonance was uniquely associated with depressive symptoms, but interaction effects suggested this association depended on levels of assimilation. At high levels of assimilation, acculturation dissonance was not associated with depressive symptoms, since depressive symptoms were consistently high. In contrast, at low levels of assimilation, acculturation dissonance was positively associated with depressive symptoms. In contrast, acculturation dissonance was uniquely associated with delinquency, and this association did not depend on the level of assimilation. Conclusions: Dissonant cultural orientations within families of Latina/o youth confer risk for negative outcomes across internalizing and externalizing domains. For youth adopting an assimilation strategy of acculturation, risk for depressive symptoms may be increased. Implications of these findings and future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports pilot testing of 'Familias En Nuestra Escuela', an in-school interpersonal violence prevention intervention targeting Hispanic-American teens. The intervention, based on the hypothesis that the preservation and reinforcement of Hispanic cultural values can serve as a protective factor against violence, focused on the enhancement of ethnic pride. Researchers formed a partnership with a midwestern Hispanic community to test the feasibility, receptivity and preliminary impact of the intervention in a pre/post test, no control group design. Participants were low-income, predominantly first-generation Hispanic-American freshmen and sophomore students from one Hispanic-serving high school. Findings revealed a statistically significant increase in the intervention's mediator, ethic pride. Changes in the desired direction occurred on measures of perceptions of self-efficacy for self-control, couple violence, and gender attitudes. The incidence of physical fighting and dating violence behaviors decreased over the course of an academic school year. Results provide preliminary evidence for the use of interventions based on ethnic and cultural pride as a violence prevention strategy among Hispanic-American teens, especially those who are first generation Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acculturation strategy, a significant predictor of immigrant adaptation, has been under-studied with Asian Americans, in particular, Asian American youth. Using person-oriented latent profile analysis, this study identified acculturation strategies among Korean American early adolescents living in the Midwest. Two-hundred ninety-one families were interviewed in 2007 that included 220 youth (mean age 13, 47.7 % female), along with 272 mothers and 164 fathers ( N = 656). They were re-interviewed in 2008 ( N = 588). The study found three distinct acculturation strategies: separation (11.8 %, n = 26), integrated bicultural (66.9 %, n = 150), and modest bicultural (21.3 %, n = 44). Integrated bicultural youth reported the strongest sense of ethnic identity and the most favorable characteristics, providing empirical support for the benefit of biculturalism. The findings further suggest that separation may not be as detrimental as previously thought, and modest bicultural-biculturalism that is not fully developed-may in fact be less desirable among Korean American youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immigrant Latinos face conditions which over time negatively impact their nutritional behaviors and health outcomes. Our objective was to evaluate associations between environmental and lifestyle factors and both protective dietary patterns (e.g., intake of fruits and vegetables) and harmful dietary patterns (e.g., consumption of salty snacks and fast food). Surveys were individually and orally administered to 105 foreign-born Latina mothers living in rural locations in a Midwestern state. Principal component analysis created composite variables for each construct and Spearman correlations were conducted to determine associations. Protective dietary patterns were positively associated with access to food and information (ρ = 0.21) and language acculturation (ρ = 0.24), and negatively associated with family challenges (ρ = −0.31). Food insecurity was negatively associated with harmful dietary patterns (ρ = −0.24). Findings suggest that rural Latino dietary interventions should be complemented with comprehensive strategies addressing environmental and lifestyle factors across ecological domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A needs assessment surveying American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIs/ANs) at an AI/AN health center in the Midwestern United States was conducted, with an emphasis on traditional Native healing. Data from this study included qualitative material from interviews of community members (N = 27; age 12-82) and service providers (N = 11; age 26-70). Respondents emphasized the path to wellness includes physical, spiritual and mental health and that traditional healing can restore various imbalances. Furthermore, traditional healing was considered a complement to Western medicine. Third, traditional medicine as a tool in healthcare settings was conceptualized on a continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient-reported experiences of care are an important focus in health disparities research. This study explored the association of patient-reported experiences of care with race and acculturation status in a primary care setting. 881 adult patients (African-American 34 %; Hispanic-classified as unacculturated or biculturated-31 %; Caucasian 33 %; missing race 2 %), in outpatient Family Medicine clinics, completed a written survey in Spanish or English. Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Clinician & Group (CAG) Survey Adult Primary Care instrument was used for experiences of care and Short Form-12 survey for health status. Controlling for other variables, race and acculturation were significantly associated with several CAG subscales. Hispanic patients gave significantly higher ratings for care experiences and expressed greater interest in shared decision making. Selected patient-reported measures of care are associated with patients' race and acculturation status (for Hispanic patients). We discuss implications for both provision and measurement of quality care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men of Mexican descent (MMD) in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by HIV. Understanding MMD's access to HIV prevention is necessary to reduce their transmission rates. We explored disparities in access to HIV prevention among MMD of different assimilation status, healthcare access, and sexual risk behavior. 322 Midwestern MMD completed a survey assessing their access to passive interventions (e.g., lectures), interactive interventions (e.g., counseling), HIV testing, media information, and information from the Internet. 64% MMD had received passive interventions, 36% interactive interventions, 42% HIV testing, 41% information from media, and 12% from the Internet. MMD who were less assimilated to the U.S., had lower healthcare access, and were at risk for HIV, were less likely to have accessed prevention interventions but more likely to have received media information. Access to HIV prevention among Midwestern MMD is tied to their assimilation and healthcare access. Findings have implications for developing strategies of intervention delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to investigate specific characteristics that may affect the psychological treatment retention of Latinos diagnosed with depression in a community mental health clinic that provides culturally responsive services. Thirty-six Latino clients participated in the pilot study. Descriptive statistics were generated on acculturation, acculturative stress, familismo (the importance of the family), specific demographic variables, and other factors potentially related to treatment outcome. Two specific groups were compared: regular attendees (RAs; n = 18) and premature terminators (PTs; n = 18). RAs were significantly less likely to be employed, and more likely to have medications prescribed at the clinic compared to PTs. Acculturation, acculturative stress, and familismo did not differentiate between groups but were found to characterize the entire sample. The results support the premise that psychological treatment combined with medication keeps clients in treatment. Knowledge of perceived and actual barriers encountered by Latino clients are necessary to guide community-based mental health clinics in developing effective service delivery alternatives that will enhance treatment engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pre-post test, two-group study was conducted to examine the effects of a culturally competent targeted intervention titled GO EARLY Save Your Life on the breast cancer and early screening-related knowledge and beliefs and mammography use among 180 Korean American (KA) women aged 40 years or older who had not had mammograms within the past 12 months. The intervention group received an interactive education session focused on breast cancer, early screening guidelines, and beliefs (breast cancer-related and Korean cultural beliefs). The control group received no education. There was no statistically significant intervention effect on mammography use between the intervention (34%) and control groups (23%) at 24 weeks post baseline. The rates of mammography use for both groups significantly increased from 16 to 24 weeks post baseline. The education was effective in increasing breast cancer/early screening-related knowledge and modifying beliefs (decreasing barriers, fear, seriousness, and fatalism, and increasing preventive health orientation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]