Theresa Byrd

Theresa Byrd
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | TTUHSC · Medical Education

About

92
Publications
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2,168
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Publications

Publications (92)
Article
Context Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening can significantly reduce incidence and mortality; however, screening rates are suboptimal. The lowest rates are among those with no usual source of care and the uninsured. Objective We describe the implementation and evaluation of a community-based CRC screening program from 2012 to 2015 designed to increa...
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Aim: Each year, about 48 million people in the United States are affected by foodborne illnesses, with approximately 3000 of these cases resulting in death. In Texas, the incidence of illnesses like campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis has increased since 2015. In Lubbock County, Texas, however, published data on foodborne illness are scarce. The p...
Article
Objective To evaluate the impact of an online-delivered, theory-based narrative video on cervical cancer screening knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs in a predominantly Latino community. Methods The study design was a nonrandomized pretest–posttest evaluation. The eligibility criteria included men and women 18 years or older not previously enrolled...
Article
Hispanic women have almost double the cervical cancer incidence and are twice as likely to die from cervical cancer compared with non-Hispanic White women. Cervical cancer is preventable with screening, and based on available data, multiple component screening interventions have been proposed as a strategy to maximize screening, but such studies ar...
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Purpose To determine whether group education is as effective as individual education in improving cervical cancer screening uptake along the US–Mexico border. Design Cluster randomized controlled study. Setting El Paso and Hudspeth Counties, Texas. Participants Three hundred women aged 21 to 65 years, uninsured, due for a Pap test, no prior hist...
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Introduction:: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cancer cause of death among US Hispanics. CRC screening among the Hispanic population is lower compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Method:: The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory study was to better understand the barriers and facilitators of CRC screening and preference for stool-...
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Purpose To determine the relationship between breast cancer screening knowledge and intent to receive a mammogram within 6 months in a sample of Mexican-origin women living in El Paso, Texas. Methods A total of 489 uninsured Mexican-origin women were assigned to treatment or control and completed surveys at pre- and postintervention. Pre-post asso...
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Objective: To assess the cost-effectiveness of interventions to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening among low-income uninsured Hispanics in El Paso, Texas. Method: Participants 50 to 75 years old who were due for screening, were uninsured, and had a Texas address were randomized to promotora, video, or promotora and video interventions. H...
Article
Goals: To investigate the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and its association with health perception and health care-seeking behavior in this Mexican American population. Background: The prevalence of IBS ranges from 3% to 20.4% in the United States and 4.4% to 16% in Mexico, based on Rome III and II criteria. However, its epidemio...
Article
Background: Latinas have the highest rates of cervical cancer in the United States and the second highest rate of cervical cancer mortality. One factor in the disparity is the relatively low rate of screening for cervical cancer in this population. Methods: Eligible women who were out of adherence with cervical cancer screening (>3 years since t...
Article
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the USA. Screening is widely recommended but underutilized, particularly among the low income, the uninsured, recent immigrants and Hispanics. The study objective was to determine the effectiveness of a comprehensive community-wide, bilingual, CRC screening intervention among u...
Article
The objective of our study was to describe decision making by men and their partners regarding active surveillance (AS) or treatment for early-stage, localized prostate cancer. Fifteen couples were recruited from a cancer center multispecialty clinic, which gave full information about all options, including AS. Data were collected via individual, s...
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Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the acceptability and intention to use cervicovaginal self-sampling for high-risk human papillomavirus infection after receiving an educational intervention among the predominantly Hispanic population residing along the US-Mexico border. Methods: Women received an educational intervention about...
Article
Active surveillance is increasingly recognized as a reasonable option for men with low-risk, localized prostate cancer, yet few men who might benefit from conservative management receive it. The authors examined the acceptability of normative messages about active surveillance as a management option for patients with low-risk prostate cancer. Men w...
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Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Despite universal screening recommendations, screening rates in the United States remain suboptimal, especially among the poor, the uninsured, recent immigrants, and Hispanics. This article describes the development of a large community-based colorectal canc...
Article
To reduce the high incidence of cervical cancer among Latinas in the United States it is important to understand factors that predict screening behavior. The aim of this study was to test the utility of theory of planned behavior in predicting cervical cancer screening among a group of Latinas. A sample of Latinas (N = 614) completed a baseline sur...
Article
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second and third leading cause of cancer death for Hispanic men and women, respectively. CRC can be prevented if precursors are detected early and removed and can be successfully treated if discovered early. While one-on-one interventions for increasing CRC screening (CRCS) are recommended, few studies sp...
Conference Paper
Background: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the USA; screening is widely recommended. CRC screening rates remain suboptimal among Hispanics and low socioeconomic groups on the US-Mexico Border. Methods: With community partners, we developed an evidence-based CRC prevention/early detection program for uninsured Tex...
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Background: Hispanic women living along the US border with Mexico have one of the highest cervical cancer mortality rates in the nation, owing in part to lower rates of screening. The barriers to screening in this population include lack of access to care and fear of and embarrassment about the pelvic examination. Screening for oncogenic or high-r...
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Background Hispanic women have a higher incidence of cervical cancer than all other races and ethnicities. In Hispanic subgroups, Mexican American women were among the least likely to have received cervical cancer screening. In a recent RCT, Ayudando a las Mujeres con Información, Guia, y Amor para su Salud (AMIGAS) was shown to increase cervical c...
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Objective: To assess colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) prevalence and psychosocial correlates of CRCS among Latinos in South Texas. Method: Using multivariable analyses, we examined the association of perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, pros and cons, subjective norms, knowledge and fatalism on CRCS among 544 Latinos (50 years and older)....
Article
Growing recognition that active surveillance (AS) is a reasonable management option for many men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer led us to describe patients' conceptualizations of AS and reasons for their treatment decisions. Men were patients of a multidisciplinary prostate cancer clinic at a large tertiary cancer center where patients ar...
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Special events are common community-based strategies for health promotion. This paper presents findings from a systematic literature review on the impact of special events to promote breast, cervical or colorectal cancer education and screening. Articles in English that focused on special events involving breast, cervical, and/or colorectal cancer...
Article
Few decision aids emphasize active surveillance (AS) for localized prostate cancer. Concept mapping was used to produce a conceptual framework incorporating AS and treatment. Fifty-four statements about what men need to make a decision for localized prostate cancer were derived from focus groups with African American, Latino and white men previousl...
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Background: Many barriers to cervical cancer screening for Hispanic women have been documented, but few effective interventions exist. The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends increasing cervical cancer screening through various methods. Building on this evidence, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded the research an...
Article
Whereas dating violence among high school students has been linked with sexual risk-taking and substance use, this association has been understudied among early adolescents. We estimated the prevalence of physical and nonphysical dating violence in a sample of middle school students and examined associations between dating violence, sexual, and sub...
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Considerable efforts have been undertaken in the United States to reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality by increasing screening; however, disparities in screening rates continue to exist among certain racial and ethnic minority groups. The objective of the current study was to determine the effectiveness of a lay health worker-delivered in...
Conference Paper
Background: Latinas in the United States have higher rates of cervical cancer morbidity and mortality, and lower rates of cervical cancer screening than non-Latina whites. AMIGAS is a promotora-led intervention developed with the community to increase cervical cancer screening in Latinas. The study was to test the effectiveness of AMIGAS for increa...
Conference Paper
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Background: AMIGAS (Ayudando a Las Mujeres con Informacin, Gua y Amor para su Salud) is a culturally and linguistically relevant, theory-based intervention. It was developed with the participation of the priority community to support the goal that Latinas aged 18 and over will have a Pap test at least every three years. Methods: Formative research...
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In the US, Hispanic women have a higher incidence of, and mortality from, cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women. The reason for this disparity may be attributable to both low rates of screening and poor adherence to recommended diagnostic follow-up after an abnormal Pap test. The 'Cervical Cancer Screening and Adherence to Follow-up Among H...
Article
Investigate physicians' breast-feeding experiences and attitudes using a survey based on two behavioral theories: theory of reasoned action (TRA) and the health belief model (HBM). There were 73 participants included in the investigation. These participants were resident and faculty physicians from pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, and family medi...
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Cervical cancer is preventable with treatment of precancerous lesions and treatable at early stages. Hispanics have higher rates of cervical cancer and lower rates of screening. Ayndando a las Mujeres con Informaccion, Guia, y Amor para su Salud (AMIGAS) is an intervention to increase cervical cancer screening in U.S. women of Mexican origin. AMIGA...
Conference Paper
Hispanic women in the United States have higher rates of cervical cancer morbidity and mortality, and lower rates of cervical cancer screening than non-Hispanic whites. The AMIGAS intervention is a promotora-led intervention developed with the involvement of the community to increase cervical cancer screening in Hispanic women. The objective of our...
Article
We assessed the short-term effects of a community-based intervention for Hispanic men to encourage informed decision making (IDM) about prostate cancer screening with prostate specific antigen (PSA). All senior social and housing centers in El Paso, TX were randomized to intervention, a group-based Spanish language educational program facilitated b...
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The objectives of this study were: 1) to evaluate the acceptance, effectiveness, and sustainability of a promotora (community health worker) pilot program to improve hypertension control among medically underserved Mexican Americans of the El Paso, Texas area, and 2) to demonstrate improvements in clinical measures of blood pressure, BMI and waist...
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Key informant interviews and focus groups assist in eliciting qualitative data from the community in order to develop educational programs. This article describes how an additional methodology, illustrated story maps, are used to obtain context-specific information on what African American and Hispanic men need to know to make an informed decision...
Article
To determine what proportion of El Paso (Texas, United States of America) residents access health care services in Mexico, which services they use, and why they cross for care. A cross-sectional, telephone survey of El Paso County residents was conducted from October-November 2007 to determine use of health care services in Mexico. At total of 2 56...
Conference Paper
Background -- There has been interest in utilization of medical care across borders, especially the US-Mexico border. Few studies document utilization of health care services by border residents. Existing studies generally use convenience sampling methodology. Objective Determine the proportion of El Paso residents accessing medical services in M...
Conference Paper
Background-This CDC-funded project was designed to establish community-based participatory approaches for developing education and community-outreach to control blood pressure among Hispanics/Mexican-Americans. Method-Before intervention development, a community assessment investigated factors associated with awareness and perceived barriers to h...
Conference Paper
Illustrated Story Maps as Communication and Educational Tools Background: Illustrated story maps are a method that is widely used by businesses to improve the effectiveness of training. In this presentation we will share our community education and research experiences using this innovative interactive technique to: (1) structure context as a par...
Conference Paper
Background: Using qualitative data we developed an intervention to increase IDM about prostate cancer screening for Hispanic and African American men. For the formative research, we conducted 10 focus groups of Hispanics in Texasand 10 groups of African Americans in South Carolina, as well as 24 key-informant interviews. roups discussed knowledge,...
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Professional guidelines suggest that men should learn about risks and benefits of screening to make informed decisions consistent with their preferences. We used concept mapping to investigate views of informed decision making (IDM) of minority men. Statements about what men need for IDM about prostate cancer screening were sorted by similarity and...
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Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are comparatively low for U.S. Hispanics. To learn more about the factors influencing CRC screening among Hispanics living along the U.S.-Mexico border, 12 focus groups were conducted with Hispanic men and women aged 50 years and older in three Texas counties; Cameron County (Brownsville), Webb County (Laredo...
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The Clinic Health Education and Lifestyle Promotion (Clinic HELP) Initiative, funded by the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, was designed to extend health education services to medically indigent residents along the US-Mexico border. This paper reports finding of an evaluation that examined the integration of health education into community clinic...
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Objective: A support model consisting of a local health educators' network, a technical assistance team with academic and practice experts, and an evolving sequence of professional continuing education activities supported health educators transitioning from community or school health education sites to health care sites as part of the Clinic Healt...
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Commercial and residential use of pesticides is common in El Paso, Texas, especially in agricultural areas. Recently, concerns have arisen about the type of pesticides used by residents because of the ease with which methyl parathion can be obtained from the neighboring border city of Juarez in Chihuahua, Mexico. Survey data were collected regardin...
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Hispanic women are less likely than non-Hispanic white women to utilize Pap test screening. Additionally, Hispanic women have higher rates of cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women. To better understand the barriers and facilitators for Pap test screening, we conducted 13 focus groups with 84 Hispanic women aged 18-61 years. The moderator gu...
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To assess how English language use by Hispanic women affects their preferences for participating in decision making and information seeking regarding medical care. The study included 235 Hispanic women aged 35-61 years participating in a larger multicenter study, the Ethnicity, Needs, and Decisions of Women (ENDOW) Project. Participants were recrui...
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Pap smear testing continues to be the single most effective tool in reducing deaths due to cervical cancer (Watkins, Gabali, Winkleby, Gaona & Lebaron, 2002). Despite the creation of a national cervical cancer screening program, more than 4,000 women die every year in Mexico from this disease. This study explored the knowledge, attitudes, and behav...
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The purpose of this study is to conduct a cost analysis from an institutional perspective of translating an English-language survey instrument to Spanish. The authors conduct a process flow analysis of the steps required to create and validate a 30-page survey instrument with 211 items. The identified steps in the translation process cost $10,426....
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PurposeThe Purpose of this descriptive cross-sectional survey was to examine the health promotion attitudes and practices of Texas nurse practitioners (NPs).Data SourcesOriginal research utilizing the Health Promotion Practices of Nurse Practitioners Instrument developed by the researcher and completed 442 Texas NPs.Conclusions Overall, Texas NPs h...
Article
Knowledge of demographics, risk factors, and infection rates is essential to the design of effective HIV counseling and testing programs for incarcerated women. This study analyzed data from 19,057 females counseled and tested for HIV in the Harris County Sheriff's Office jail from 1992 through 2000. Important findings include the inmates' open-nes...
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The purpose of this descriptive cross-sectional survey was to examine the health promotion attitudes and practices of Texas nurse practitioners (NPs). Original research utilizing the Health Promotion Practices of Nurse Practitioners Instrument developed by the researcher and completed by 442 Texas NPs. Overall, Texas NPs have positive attitudes tow...
Article
This study examined beliefs, attitudes, and personal characteristics that correlated with self-reported cervical cancer screening history among Hispanic women aged 18 to 25 years old in El Paso, TX, a large metropolitan area on the U.S.-Mexico border. Data were collected through a cross-sectional, face-to-face survey. The study questionnaire was ba...
Article
Along the US-Mexico border, US residents have the option of crossing to Mexico in order to purchase hormonal contraception sold over-the-counter at very low prices in pharmacies. We investigated the prevalence of cross-border contraceptive procurement by way of a survey of 3134 women who delivered in a large public hospital in El Paso, Texas, betwe...
Article
Along the US-Mexico border, US residents have the option of crossing to Mexico in order to purchase hormonal contraception sold over-the-counter at very low prices in pharmacies. We investigated the prevalence of cross-border contraceptive procurement by way of a survey of 3134 women who delivered in a large public hospital in El Paso, Texas, betwe...
Article
Health care professionals do not always screen patients for domestic abuse. In the absence of screening, the likelihood of misdiagnoses and prescriptions contraindicated for symptoms of abuse survivors is increased. Several factors may contribute to the lack of routine and uniform screening, including a lack of educational preparedness. The qualita...
Article
Alcohol abuse is a serious problem for students on college campuses. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study to (1) compare measures of alcohol-risk behaviors among college students attending a university on the US-Mexico border with other students and (2) identify factors associated with risk behaviors among border students. They used a self...
Article
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is common in the United States, particularly among middle-aged women for symptoms commonly reported during perimenopause. The study examined the relationship between women's report of perimenopausal symptoms and the use of CAM and socioeconomic or cultural factors. The prevalence of CAM use was 33%;...
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A school-based, bilingual intervention was developed to increase seat belt use among families living along the Texas-Mexico border. The intervention sought to increase seat belt use by changing perceived norms within the community (i.e., making the nonuse of seat belts less socially acceptable). The intervention was implemented in more than 110 cla...
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To support program planning for a local health foundation whose mission is health promotion, a survey consistent with the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) was conducted in El Paso County, Texas. A total of 1,010 adult participants were interviewed in either English or Spanish. Age-adjusted prevalence estimates of several health in...
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Funding from a local conversion foundation was used to develop an initiative to extend health education services to medically indigent residents along the U.S.-Mexican border. The initiative included the direct funding of 10 clinic sites, the development of a technical assistance team, and the establishment of a health education network. Strengths,...
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The objective of this study was to determine if health care access is equitable and effective for Mexican Americans at the U.S.-Mexico border. The design was a cross-sectional telephone and door-to-door survey using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and the subjects were 1,409 El Paso County residents, ages 18 to 64 years. After contr...
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This article describes domestic violence education of health professionals and determines association between screening behavior and preparedness, outcome expectations, and beliefs about how and when to screen. A survey was mailed to all primary care physicians, dentists, and nurse practitioners in El Paso, Texas (n = 561). Return rate was 34.4%. U...
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Since communicating risk related to environmental hazards has consistently presented a challenge to government agencies and industries, our objective was to better understand the attitudes and beliefs of three communities, so as to help agencies and industries develop better risk communication interventions. We explored attitudes and beliefs about...
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The ENDOW study is a multisite, community-based project designed to improve decision-making and patient-physician communication skills for midlife African-American, white, and Hispanic women facing decisions about hysterectomy. Based on results of initial focus groups, a patient education video was developed in English and Spanish to serve as the c...
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Through thematic stories of patient and provider interactions on the U.S.-Mexico border, this article challenges the commonly understood definition of culture. It explores areas of concern related to cultural competency and medical ethics. Stories outline issues related to communication and comprehension, use of interpreters, gender and sexual orie...
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To explore the extent to which acculturation indicators predict both breast-feeding history and intentions among Mexican-American mothers having their first births, and among those having subsequent births. Cross-sectional survey in a hospital post-partum unit. 3,036 Hispanic women were interviewed post-partum in their hospital room. A survey was a...
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The validity of self-reported seatbelt use among low belt use populations has not been evaluated directly, despite the importance of such data for estimating the effectiveness of community-wide interventions and compliance with state laws. To address this gap in knowledge 612 drivers were recruited from convenience stores located in 12 randomly gen...
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Variations in hysterectomy rates have been associated with assorted physician and patient characteristics, and the disproportionate rate of hysterectomies in African American women has been attributed to a higher prevalence of leiomyomas. The role of women's beliefs and attitudes toward hysterectomy and participation in decision making for medical...
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In order to determine if fatalism is associated with seatbelt use, 312 drivers were recruited from convenience stores located within 12 randomly generated zip-code areas along the Texas–Mexico border. The seatbelt use of drivers was recorded unobtrusively; self-reported seatbelt use and belief in destiny (fatalism) were subsequently obtained by int...
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To understand why many Hispanic women begin prenatal care in the later stages of pregnancy. The authors compared the demographic profile, insurance status, and health beliefs--including the perceived benefits of and barriers to initiating prenatal care--of low-income Hispanic women who initiated prenatal care at different times during pregnancy or...
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Breast-feeding practices are important on the US-Mexico border because of the lack of potable water and inadequate sewage systems. Survey data were gathered to assess the prevalence of and attitudes toward breast-feeding; focus groups were used to expand the understanding of these data. A low level of initiation and a short duration of both exclusi...
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Because Hispanic women are even less likely than women of other ethnic groups to receive early prenatal care, the purpose of this study was to identify factors that may influence these women to initiate care. After giving consent, 300 Hispanic women (100 who initiated first trimester care, 100 who initiated second trimester care, and 100 who initia...
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The goal of this chapter is to describe the promotion of health from the viewpoint of public health practice. The chapter comprises four sections. The first section defines health promotion, highlighting the dangers of victim blaming. The second section describes the most widely accepted theories of behavior change and health promotion. The third s...
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Perceptions of environmental risk were explored in three communities of El Paso, Texas, through a series of focus groups and a door-to-door survey of 147 residents. Included in the survey were questions about a) knowledge of environmental risks and the perceived level of risk, b) sources of information and source credibility, and c) general attitud...
Article
Full-text available
A school-based, bilingual intervention was developed to increase seat belt use among families living along the Texas-Mexico border.The interven- tion sought to increase seat belt use by changing perceived norms within the community {i.e., making the nonuse of seat belts less socially acceptable). The intervention was implemented in more than 110 cl...

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