Results of a free spay/neuter program in a Hispanic colonia on the Texas-Mexico border.

The purpose of this study, conducted in a small, impoverished Hispanic community on the Texas-Mexico border, was to evaluate the level of participation in a bilingual spay/neuter program offered free of charge to residents with companion animals. Prior to the sterilization project, approximately 11% of dogs and about 27% of cats with guardians underwent surgical sterilization. Over an 8-month period, the spay/neuter program sterilized about 47% of dogs and 38% of cats who had guardians in the community. In spite of residents' early reluctance to neuter their dogs, the project sterilized nearly equal numbers of male and female dogs (200 male; 201 female).

Early detection of autism spectrum disorders: screening between 12 and 24 months of age.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to present nurse practitioners (NPs) with information on screening for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in children between 12 and 24 months of age. Recommendations are also provided for appropriate referrals and initiation of early intervention (EI). DATA SOURCES: Review of published literature about ASD. CONCLUSIONS: Children with ASD exhibit impaired social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication deficits, and repetitive, restricted, and stereotyped patterns of behavior or interests. Studies show that these children benefit from beginning intensive EI as soon as possible. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Early detection enables children with suspected ASD to be evaluated by specialists and entered into treatment programs at the earliest possible opportunity. Because of the importance of early diagnosis of ASD, it is critical that NPs use established screening instruments to maximize time and increase the reliability of the assessment.

Attitudes toward companion animals among Hispanic residents of a Texas border community.

The researchers surveyed 206 residents of a Hispanic community on the Texas-Mexico border about their behaviors and attitudes toward companion animals. Selected members of the community administered a telephone survey to a systematic random sample of 206 individuals. The majority of participants believed that free-roaming dogs were a problem in their community, and nearly 81% responded that these dogs sometimes prevented them from walking outdoors. About 24% of dog guardians sometimes let their nonhuman animals roam free in the streets. Most study participants believed it was a good idea to sterilize both male and female dogs and cats, but only 11% of respondents' dogs and 27% of cats were sterilized. About 62% of households chained dogs outdoors; persons with an elementary-level education were 7 times more likely to chain their dogs than those who had completed some high school. The Hispanic population of the United States is growing rapidly; to guide officials charged with protecting animal welfare and the public health, it will become increasingly important to understand Hispanics' attitudes and behaviors toward companion animals.

Impact of a bilingual mobile spay/neuter clinic in a U.S./Mexico border city.

There are between 4 and 10 million dogs and cats killed annually in the United States. Although there are no accurate national estimates of the number of companion animals who are sterilized surgically. Approximately 26,000 companion animals are euthanized annually in El Paso County, Texas, located on the U.S./Mexico border. In an effort to determine if a readily available spay/neuter program would be cost effective and eventually help to lower the county's euthanasia rate, a mobile spay/neuter clinic began operation for a 5-month period in 2004, using a volunteer veterinarian and paid staff. Sterilizations performed totaled 1,108: 959 dogs (372 males and 587 females) and 149 cats (50 males and 99 females). The per companion animal sterilization cost of 15.13 dollars (27.83 dollars had the veterinarian been paid) was considerably cheaper than the rate of 57 dollars per companion animal achieved by a local voucher program contracting with private veterinarians to perform reduced-cost sterilizations.

Herbal remedies used by selected migrant farmworkers in El Paso, Texas.

CONTEXT: Little is known about the use of complementary and alternative medicine among the approximately 1.6 million migrant farmworkers in the United States. PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of medicinal plants and natural remedies among a convenience sample of 100 migrant farmworkers living temporarily in a migrant worker center in El Paso, Texas. METHODS: A structured interview instrument was designed to elicit information about reasons for medicinal herb use, form in which herbs were ingested, serious side effects experienced, location of purchase, effectiveness of treatment, and use of allopathic medications. FINDINGS: The majority of workers used herbal remedies or other natural products because they believed them to be more effective than pharmaceuticals and because of tradition. Most learned about herbal remedies from a relative, primarily from their mother, and the majority who used herbal remedies believed them to be very helpful in treating specific illnesses. No adverse reactions to any herbal remedy were reported. The majority of participants did not inform their physician about their use of herbal remedies. According to the literature, potential adverse interactions between herbal remedies used and allopathic medications included gastrointestinal irritation, renal toxicity, and hypoglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: Health care providers must be knowledgeable about the use of herbal remedies among migrant farmworkers. By showing an understanding of and sensitivity to the use of these remedies, health care providers will be able to conduct more comprehensive health assessments of migrant workers and their families and provide them with more culturally competent care.

Home remedies for type 2 diabetes used by Mexican Americans in El Paso, Texas.

The purpose of this article is to examine the use of herbal remedies to treat Type 2 diabetes among Mexican Americans in El Paso County, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border. Interviews were conducted in Spanish with 22 Mexican American adults diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Open-ended questions were used to elicit theparticipants' beliefs about the appropriate treatment of Type 2 diabetes, including both Western biomedical and herbal therapy. Kleinman's explanatory model of illness served as the framework, and the grounded theory method was used for data analysis. A majority of participants were taking prescribed Western medications in conjunction with traditional Mexican folk remedies. Participants relied on the advice of family, friends, and neighbors to provide them with guidance, and some herbs used by participants were not indicated for the treatment of diabetes. Health care providers should be aware that Mexican American clients may make choices about herbal remedies without expert guidance and advice.

Mexican Americans' explanatory model of type 2 diabetes.

The purpose of this study was to develop a culturally specific explanatory model (EM) of diabetes mellitus from the perspective of Mexican Americans living along the United States-Mexican bonier Kleinman's concept of EMs of illness was used as the theoretical orientation, and the grounded theory method was used to sample, collect, and analyze data. The Mexican Americans in this study described their perceptions of type 2 diabetes using the following constructs: causes, symptom, treatment, and social significance. Each of the components of Mexican Americans' EM contained elements of both the folk and the biomedical perspective. Susto (a fright or scare) was perceived to be the primary cause of diabetes, although participants also incorporated biomedical causes. Treatment included the use of both herbal and biomedical modalities. The use of herbal remedies was not well understood by the participants despite the fact that some used herbal therapies to control their diabetes.

The role and meaning of susto in Mexican Americans' explanatory model of type 2 diabetes.

This article examines the role and meaning of susto (fright) in Mexican Americans' explanatory model (EM) of type 2 diabetes. This analysis is based on a study of the health beliefs about type 2 diabetes mellitus among Mexican Americans living in El Paso County, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border. Susto was described as an event that could change the bodily state, causing a susceptible person to be more vulnerable to the onset of type 2 diabetes after some unspecified time. The study results illustrate the integration of multiple etiologies into Mexican Americans' EMs of diabetes and illustrate how the environment affects the way in which these explanations are manifested. Acculturation of biomedical system beliefs into the traditional Mexican health belief system has resulted in a synthesis of both systems and a blending of the participants' explanation of type 2 diabetes.