Browsing by Author "Reitzel, Lorraine R."

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    Density and Proximity of Fast Food Restaurants and Body Mass Index Among African Americans
    (American Public Health Association, 2014) Reitzel, Lorraine R.; Regan, Seann D.; Nguyen, Nga; Cromley, Ellen K.; Strong, Larkin L.; Wetter, David W.; McNeill, Lorna H.
    Objectives. The purpose of this study was to address current gaps in the literature by examining the associations of fast food restaurant (FFR) density around the home and FFR proximity to the home, respectively, with body mass index (BMI) among a large sample of African American adults from Houston, Texas. Methods. We used generalized linear models with generalized estimating equations to examine associations of FFR density at 0.5-, 1-, 2-, and 5-mile road network buffers around the home with BMI and associations of the closest FFR to the home with BMI. All models were adjusted for a range of individual-level covariates and neighborhood socioeconomic status. We additionally investigated the moderating effects of household income on these relations. Data were collected from December 2008 to July 2009. Results. FFR density was not associated with BMI in the main analyses. However, FFR density at 0.5, 1, and 2 miles was positively associated with BMI among participants with lower incomes (P???.025). Closer FFR proximity was associated with higher BMI among all participants (P?
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    Discrimination, Affect, and Cancer Risk Factors among African Americans
    (PNG Publications, 2014) Cuevas, Adolfo G.; Reitzel, Lorraine R.; Adams, Claire E.; Cao, Yumei; Nguyen, Nga; Wetter, David W.; Watkins, Kellie L.; Regan, Seann D.; McNeill, Lorna H.
    Objectives: To examine whether stress or depressive symptoms mediated associations between perceived discrimination and multiple modifiable behavioral risk factors for cancer among 1363 African American adults. Methods: Nonparametric bootstrapping procedures, adjusted for sociodemographics, were used to assess mediation.ﾠResults: Stress and depressive symptoms each mediated associations between discrimination and current smoking, and discrimination and the total number of behavioral risk factors for cancer. Depressive symptoms also mediated the association between discrimination and overweight/obesity (p values < .05).Conclusions: Discrimination may influence certain behavioral risk factors for cancer through heightened levels of stress and depressive symptoms. Interventions to reduce cancer risk may need to address experiences of discrimination, as well as the stress and depression they engender.
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    Dispositional Mindfulness Predicts Enhanced Smoking Cessation and Smoking Lapse Recovery
    (Springer, 2016) Heppner, Whitney L.; Spears, Claire Adams; Correa-Fernández, Virmarie; Castro, Yessenia; Li, Yisheng; Guo, Beibei; Reitzel, Lorraine R.; Vidrine, Jennifer Irvin; Mazas, Carlos A.; Cofta-Woerpel, Ludmila; Cinciripini, Paul M.; Ahluwalia, Jasjit S.; Wetter, David W.
    Background: Although mindfulness has been hypothesized to promote health behaviors, no research has examined how dispositional mindfulness might influence the process of smoking cessation. Purpose: The current study investigated dispositional mindfulness, smoking abstinence, and recovery from a lapse among African American smokers. Methods: Participants were 399 African Americans seeking smoking cessation treatment (treatments did not include any components related to mindfulness). Dispositional mindfulness and other psychosocial measures were obtained pre-quit; smoking abstinence was assessed 3 days, 31 days, and 26 weeks post-quit. Results: Individuals higher in dispositional mindfulness were more likely to quit smoking both initially and over time. Moreover, among individuals who had lapsed at day 3, those higher in mindfulness were more likely to recover abstinence by the later time points. The mindfulness-early abstinence association was mediated by lower negative affect, lower expectancies to regulate affect via smoking, and higher perceived social support. Conclusions: Results suggest that mindfulness might enhance smoking cessation among African American smokers by operating on mechanisms posited by prominent models of addiction.
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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.
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    HPV Awareness, Knowledge and Attitudes among Older African-American Women
    (Ingenta Connect, 2015) Watkins, Kellie L.; Reitzel, Lorraine R.; Wetter, David W.; McNeill, Lorna
    Objective: To assess correlates of human papillomavirus (HPV) awareness, knowledge, and attitudes among older, church-going African-American women.ﾠMethods: Participants (N = 759), aged 40-80, answered survey questions about HPV awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward vaccination of adolescent daughters. Associations between participant characteristics and HPV items were assessed using chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses.ﾠResults: Younger age, higher education, a family history of cancer, and less spirituality were each associated with HPV awareness individually, and when considered jointly in a single model (p values <.038). Higher education was related to HPV knowledge (p = .006).ﾠConclusions: African-American women of older age, less education, no family history of cancer, and/or higher spirituality might benefit from targeted church-based HPV educational campaigns.
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    Psychosocial Mechanisms Linking the Social Environment to Mental Health in African Americans
    (Public Library of Science, 2016) Mama, Scherezade K.; Li, Yisheng; Basen-Engquist, Karen; Lee, Rebecca E.; Thompson, Deborah; Wetter, David W.; Nguyen, Nga T.; Reitzel, Lorraine R.; McNeill, Lorna H.
    Resource-poor social environments predict poor health, but the mechanisms and processes linking the social environment to psychological health and well-being remain unclear. This study explored psychosocial mediators of the association between the social environment and mental health in African American adults. African American men and women (n = 1467) completed questionnaires on the social environment, psychosocial factors (stress, depressive symptoms, and racial discrimination), and mental health. Multiple-mediator models were used to assess direct and indirect effects of the social environment on mental health. Low social status in the community (p < .001) and U.S. (p < .001) and low social support (p < .001) were associated with poor mental health. Psychosocial factors significantly jointly mediated the relationship between the social environment and mental health in multiple-mediator models. Low social status and social support were associated with greater perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and perceived racial discrimination, which were associated with poor mental health. Results suggest the relationship between the social environment and mental health is mediated by psychosocial factors and revealed potential mechanisms through which social status and social support influence the mental health of African American men and women. Findings from this study provide insight into the differential effects of stress, depression and discrimination on mental health. Ecological approaches that aim to improve the social environment and psychosocial mediators may enhance health-related quality of life and reduce health disparities in African Americans.
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    The influence of discrimination on smoking cessation among Latinos
    (Elsevier, 2014) Kendzor, Darla E.; Businelle, Michael S.; Reitzel, Lorraine R.; Castro, Yessenia; Vidrine, Jennifer I.; Mazas, Carlos A.; Cinciripini, Paul M.; Lam, Cho Y.; Adams, Claire E.; Correa-Fernández, Virmarie; Cano, Miguel Ángel; Wetter, David W.
    Background: Although studies have shown a cross-sectional link between discrimination and smoking, the prospective influence of discrimination on smoking cessation has yet to be evaluated. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to determine the influence of everyday and major discrimination on smoking cessation among Latinos making a quit attempt. Methods: Participants were 190 Spanish speaking smokers of Mexican Heritage recruited from the Houston, TX metropolitan area who participated in the study between 2009 and 2012. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the associations of everyday and major discrimination with smoking abstinence at 26 weeks post-quit. Results: Most participants reported at least some everyday discrimination (64.4%), and at least one major discrimination event (56%) in their lifetimes. Race/ethnicity/nationality was the most commonly perceived reason for both everyday and major discrimination. Everyday discrimination was not associated with post-quit smoking status. However, experiencing a greater number of major discrimination events was associated with a reduced likelihood of achieving 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence, OR = .51, p = .004, and continuous smoking abstinence, OR = .29, p = .018, at 26 weeks post-quit. Conclusions: Findings highlight the high frequency of exposure to discrimination among Latinos, and demonstrate the negative impact of major discrimination events on a smoking cessation attempt. Efforts are needed to attenuate the detrimental effects of major discrimination events on smoking cessation outcomes.