Mexican American women are at particular risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer at a later stage. Risk factors include genetics, limited screening practices, and delayed treatment. Evidence has shown culture to be an important factor influencing screening beliefs, health care behaviors, and breast cancer knowledge. A culturally and linguistically appropriate educational video about breast cancer and breast cancer screening recommendations was created, in both the English and Spanish languages, to engage Mexican American women and explore their perceptions and feedback about the culturally tailored intervention. Qualitative descriptive methodology was used to explore Mexican American women’s perceptions of a culturally and linguistically appropriate educational video about breast cancer and the importance of breast cancer screenings. Using snowball recruitment from a Spanish language breast cancer support group, eight Mexican origin women participated in a focus group interview. The interview was conducted in the Spanish language. The video production integrated Mexican cultural values and used them as instruments to present information about breast cancer and breast cancer screening recommendations. An extensive literature review and a theoretical underpinning helped guide the project purpose and intervention. The findings supported the importance of production of a culturally and linguistically appropriate education video to educate Mexican American women about breast cancer and the importance of breast cancer screenings. Analysis of the focus group discussion identified an overarching theme of “Language, Identity, Values” which supports the underlying premise that the information needed to be presented in the language spoken by the population of focus, in ways they could identify with, using cultural values to under pin the messages presented in the video. The implications for nurse practitioners, centers on the importance of employing Mexican cultural values when imparting knowledge. More studies like this one can help further identify the impact of Mexican cultural values on health care.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Baylor University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 70-74).

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions and meanings of type II diabetes among Mexican American farmworking women working in California’s Northern San Joaquin Valley. Perceptions of type II diabetes play a major role in how Mexican American farmworking women feel about diabetes and these perceptions influence diabetes treatment strategies and health care decisions. Yet, little is known about the perceptions and meanings that farmworking women attribute to type II diabetes. A qualitative interdisciplinary research methodology (integrating knowledge from social work and nursing) involving open-ended, in-depth interviews with a nonprobabilistic sample of 17 Mexican American farmworking women was used to gain an understanding of how farmworking women make meaning of type II diabetes. Based on Kleinman’s (1980) explanatory model, salient themes in the areas of illness, causation, treatment and perceptions were identified. The study showed that farmworking women have a predominantly cultural perspective of diabetes. A large majority of women applied cultural beliefs and traditional home remedies to the treatment of diabetes; although many were not opposed to incorporating western medicine into cultural treatment strategies. Causation of diabetes was attributed to a transformation of blood and destabilization of the pancreas as a result of Susto (fright), an ethno-specific illness. Home remedy and dosing strategies were categorized and farmworking women revealed subjective definitions of high blood glucose and heredity that are dissimilar to western biomedicine. Understanding how farmworking women conceptualize and make meaning of type II diabetes and including these important culturally influenced beliefs and treatment strategies into interdisciplinary health care practices and service delivery systems can serve as a basis for modifying current medical theoretical orientations about diabetes education, treatment and maintenance strategies and service provision for this particularly vulnerable population. Additionally, the inclusion of cultural beliefs and treatment strategies can engender trust and facilitate meaningful, reciprocal relationships between patients and health care providers, which are considered essential for developing culturally meaningful, effective treatment, and competent and responsible service provision. / text

The central research question of this exploratory study is to determine if college educated, ethnically identified and preferred endogamous Chicanas experience significantly more psychological distress due to a conflict between their educational achievements and beliefs that Chicano males are threatened by high achieving women. The specific perceptions are: that Mexican American males feel threatened by their educational accomplishments, tend to exclude them from political and organizational activities, and that college attainment will cause them to be seen as elitist by the larger Chicano community. This study uses descriptive and correlational analysis to explore the relationship between ethnic identification, preferred endogamy and perceptions that Chicanas high achievements pose a threat to Chicano males as predictive factors for higher psychological distress. The sample consists of 508 randomly selected Chicanas at five colleges, varying in selectivity from a private university to a community college. The majority of respondents are single and under thirty. A sample of 160 Chicano males were also randomly selected from three of the same five college campuses and were used to make comparisons on the threat dimension. The instrument is a mail questionnaire.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 242-253). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 358-375).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1991. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 208-222). Also available via the Internet

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 195-225). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Berkeley, 1986. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 264-282).

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