Although human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers are preventable and treatable at early stages, health disparities in HPV-associated cancer outcomes continue to exist among Hispanic populations. Hispanics residing along the U.S.–Mexico border face barriers distinct from other geographically dispersed populations within the United States. The current research aimed to explore perspectives and lived experiences of survivors and caregivers of HPV-associated cancers in El Paso, Texas, to inform intervention development and health practices to increase preventive services among populations residing on the U.S.–Mexico border region. A mixed-method approach was employed using a semi-structured interview guide with Quality of Life (QOL) scales with ( N = 29) survivors and caregivers of HPV-associated cancers. Content analysis was used to extract themes and descriptive statistics were reported for quality of life. Five major themes were identified: (1) barriers to preventive services and treatment; (2) role of health care providers in diagnosis and care; (3) treatment challenges, support systems, and challenges associated with caregiving; and (4) HPV prevention and health recommendations from survivors and caregivers. Finally, given the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, an additional theme was explored on accessibility to health and human services. QOL scales suggested better overall physical health and spiritual well-being in survivors and fear of reoccurrence among caregivers and survivors. The current research highlights the role of health care providers and human service professionals in the promotion of health practices of at-risk populations by increasing health literacy among cancer patients and caregivers, and exploring experiences, challenges, and messages caregivers and survivors had regarding HPV prevention.
People with serious mental illness often internalize society's negative attitudes toward mental illness via self-stigma. Although stigma is a culturally defined construct, little is known about how stigma manifests among cultural subgroups in the United States. Negative consequences of self-stigma, such as reluctance to seek mental health treatment, may be particularly deleterious for members of certain ethnic groups, such as Latino people, who are already disproportionately at risk for not receiving mental health treatment. The goal of the present study was to examine how facets of culture explain variance in self-stigma among Latino people, and whether culture explained variance in self-stigma beyond sociocultural and mental health variables identified by prior research. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a sample of 343 Mexican and Mexican American people who self-identified as having a mental health concern living in the U.S.-México border region. The survey assessed self-stigma, culture, mental health, and sociodemographics. We found that multiple facets of culture, namely collectivism, power distance, and long-term orientation, were significant predictors of variance in self-stigma even after controlling for mental health and sociodemographic factors. Although some factors identified by prior research can be used to understand self-stigma among Latino people, facets of culture appear important to consider. Cultural factors should be incorporated into antistigma interventions targeting the Latino community.
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