School of Social Sciences

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Browsing School of Social Sciences by Author "Advani, Pragati S."

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    Financial strain and cancer risk behaviors among African Americans
    (American Association for Cancer Research, 2014) Advani, Pragati S.; Reitzel, Lorraine R.; Nguyen, Nga T.; Fisher, Felicia D.; Savoy, Elaine J.; Cuevas, Adolfo G.; Wetter, David W.; McNeill, Lorna H.
    BACKGROUND: African Americans suffer disproportionately from the adverse consequences of behavioral risk factors for cancer relative to other ethnic groups. Recent studies have assessed how financial strain might uniquely contribute to engagement in modifiable behavioral risk factors for cancer, but not among African Americans. The current study examined associations between financial strain and modifiable cancer risk factors (smoking, at-risk alcohol use, overweight/obesity, insufficient physical activity, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, and multiple risk factors) among 1,278 African American adults (age, 46.5 ± 12.6 years; 77% female) and explored potential mediators (stress and depressive symptoms) of those associations. METHODS: Logistic regression models were used to examine associations between financial strain and cancer risk factors. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, partner status, income, educational level, and employment status. Analyses involving overweight/obesity status additionally controlled for fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity. Nonparametric bootstrapping procedures were used to assess mediation. RESULTS: Greater financial strain was associated with greater odds of insufficient physical activity (P < 0.003) and smoking (P = 0.005) and was positively associated with the total number of cancer risk factors (P < 0.0001). There was a significant indirect effect of both stress and depressive symptoms on the relations of financial strain with physical inactivity and multiple risk factors, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Future interventions aimed at reducing cancer disparities should focus on African Americans experiencing higher financial strain while addressing their stress and depressive symptoms. IMPACT: Longitudinal studies are needed to assess the temporal and causal relations between financial strain and modifiable behavioral cancer risk factors among African Americans.
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    Financial Strain and Self-rated Health among Black Adults
    (PNG Publications, 2014) Savoy, Elaine J.; Reitzel, Lorraine R.; Nguyen, Nga; Advani, Pragati S.; Fisher, Felicia D.; Wetter, David W.; Cuevas, Adolfo G.; McNeill, Lorna H.
    Objectives: To explore associations between financial strain and self-rated health among 1341 black adults. Methods: Associations were investigated using a covariate-adjusted linear regression model. Mediation (via stress and/or depressive symptoms) was explored in additional models using a nonparametric bootstrapping procedure. Results: Higher financial strain was associated with poorer self-rated health (p < .001). Stress and depressive symptoms were each significant mediators of this relation in both single and multiple mediator models (p values < .05). Conclusions: Financial strain may contribute to poorer health among black adults, partially via greater stress and depressive symptoms. Potential theoretical, intervention, and policy implications are discussed. Future studies with longitudinal designs are needed to confirm these results.