Maria E Fernandez
Biographic Data
| ID | 126155 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Maria E Fernandez |
| GIVEN NAMES | Maria E |
| FAMILY NAME | Fernandez |
| SIGNATURE | FERNANDEZ M E |
| AFFILIATIONS | The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-4820-821X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 63 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 59 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 63 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1990 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
A qualitative examination of human papillomavirus vaccine access, beliefs, and behaviors among adult males aged 18–35
Background Males, who disproportionately account for 83% of oropharyngeal cancer cases, are underrepresented in health promotion research, including human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination studies. The initial exclusion of males in HPV vaccine research, policies, and interventions has negatively affected male vaccine uptake. Furthermore, stigma, a well-documented barrier to healthcare engagement, has been overlooked in HPV vaccination behaviors. T…
Adapting a school readiness intervention for children with sickle cell disease
Background Preschool children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at high risk for early and progressive neurocognitive deficits that negatively affect academic outcomes. Preschoolers with SCD are more likely to display deficits in school readiness skills such as early literacy, numeracy, and self-regulation. Previous behavioral interventions for children with SCD have displayed highly variable feasibility and adherence. The goal of this study was…
Demographic and Mental Health Predictors of HIV Care Outcomes Among Women Veterans
Understanding HIV care experiences of women veterans is essential for identifying gaps in an understudied population with unique care needs. Much of what is known relies on inferences from civilian women or combines women and men veterans, obscuring important sex-related differences. Mental health conditions are highly prevalent among women veterans and present a critical barrier to HIV care, as nearly half of Veterans Health Administration (VHA)…
Factors influencing implementation of a self-measured blood pressure program in community health centers
Objectives: Uncontrolled hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, particularly among adults aged 45 years and older. Self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) is an evidence-based intervention that can help patients manage hypertension outside of the clinical setting. We conducted a needs and assets assessment to identify (1) health center adopters and implementers and (2) barriers and facilitators to SMBP adoption and implementation …
More stressful than cancer’
Stressors directly linked with the disaster were most challenging to cope with. Our data highlights the impending need to address cancer patients in future emergency plans to minimize the delay in continuing cancer care
Feasibility and acceptability of an implementation strategy to enhance use of classroom-based physical activity approaches in elementary schools
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05048433, registered 9/8/2021, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05048433
Implementation mapping to co-create protocols supporting psychosocial paediatric screenings in a system of community health centers in the United States
Background: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events occurring before age 18, such as maltreatment or exposure to community or school violence. ACEs screenings are recommended in primary care settings to identify psychosocial needs and address ACEs-associated physical and mental health conditions early on. To promote its uptake, the State of California, United States, issued the 2020 “ACEs Aware” policy that reimburse…
Using social network analysis to identify influential community organizations
Using the R = MC2 heuristic to understand barriers to and facilitators of implementing school-based physical activity opportunities
Not applicable
Using Implementation Mapping to increase uptake and use of Salud en Mis Manos
Background: , is a community health worker- (CHW-) delivered evidence-based intervention (EBI), shown to increase breast and cervical cancer screening. Methods: We used Implementation Mapping to create SEMM-Dissemination and Implementation Assistance (SEMM-DIA), a set of implementation strategies designed to support implementation and maintenance of SEMM in clinic settings. Specifically, we used Implementation Mapping's five iterative tasks to gu…
Application of implementation mapping to develop strategies for integrating the National Diabetes Prevention Program into primary care clinics
Background: Diabetes is considered one of the most prevalent and preventable chronic health conditions in the United States. Research has shown that evidence-based prevention measures and lifestyle changes can help lower the risk of developing diabetes. The National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) is an evidence-based program recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; it is designed to reduce diabetes risk through in…
Examining readiness for implementing practice changes in federally qualified health centers
Implementing evidence‐based interventions remains slow in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). The purpose of this study is to qualitatively examine the R = MC 2 ( R eadiness = m otivation × innovation specific c apacity × general c apacity) heuristic subcomponents in the context of implementing general and colorectal cancer screening (CRCS)‐related practice changes in FQHCs. We conducted 17 interviews with FQHC employees to examine (1) ex…
A Novel Bayesian Spatial–Temporal Approach to Quantify Sars-CoV-2 Testing Disparities for Small Area Estimation
Objectives. To propose a novel Bayesian spatial–temporal approach to identify and quantify severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing disparities for small area estimation. Methods. In step 1, we used a Bayesian inseparable space–time model framework to estimate the testing positivity rate (TPR) at geographically granular areas of the census block groups (CBGs). In step 2, we adopted a rank-based approach to compare the …
Implementing a Dutch Physical Therapy Intervention Into a U.S. Health System
Background: Coach2Move is a person-centered physical therapy intervention that has demonstrated success in changing physical activity behaviors among older adults in the Netherlands. In this manuscript, we describe how we developed an implementation plan for Coach2move in a U.S. population and healthcare system using Implementation Mapping. Methods: We established an implementation planning team of researchers, patients, and clinicians. The Conso…
Using Implementation Mapping to develop protocols supporting the implementation of a state policy on screening children for Adverse Childhood Experiences in a system of health centers in inland Southe…
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are defined as traumatic events occurring before age 18, such as maltreatment, life-threatening accidents, harsh migration experiences, or violence. Screening for ACEs includes asking questions about an individual's early exposure to these types of events. ACEs screenings have potential value in identifying children exposed to chronic and significant stress that produces elevated cortisol levels (i.e., toxic s…
Using implementation mapping for the adoption and implementation of Target
Background Despite the availability of multilevel evidence-based interventions for blood pressure management, poor hypertension control is common among community health center patient populations across the state of Texas and the United States. Target:BP TM is a national initiative from the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association to assist healthcare organizations and care teams in improving blood pressure control rates us…
Using Implementation Mapping to Build Organizational Readiness
Organizational readiness is essential for high-quality implementation of innovations (programs, policies, practices, or processes). The R = MC 2 heuristic describes three readiness components necessary for implementation—the general functioning of the organization (general capacities), the ability to deliver a particular innovation (innovation-specific capacities), and the motivation to implement the innovation. In this article, we describe how w…
Understanding implementation strategies to support classroom-based physical activity approaches in elementary schools
Human papillomavirus vaccine initiation and up-to-date vaccine coverage for adolescents after the implementation of school-entry policy in Puerto Rico
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been proven effective in the prevention of infection with high-risk HPV types, which can lead to the development of six HPV-related cancers. Puerto Rico (PR) adopted a mandatory HPV vaccination school-entry policy that took effect in August 2018. While school-entry requirements are generally accepted as an effective approach for increasing vaccination rates, there are few studies that have documented the…
Evidence-Based Intervention (EBI) Mapping
EBI Mapping helps program planners understand the components and logic of an EBI. This information is important for selecting, adapting, and scaling-up EBIs. Accelerating and improving the use of existing EBIs can reduce the research-to-practice gap and improve population health
Associations between perceived racial discrimination, racial residential segregation, and cancer screening adherence among low-income African Americans
Racism has a nuanced association with cancer screening among low-income, medically underserved African Americans. Specifically, discrimination appears to be associated with lower odds of screening, while segregation may be associated with higher odds of screening in certain situations. Future research is needed to better explicate relations between indicators of racism and cancer screening among African Americans
Never Screened
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in Puerto Rico (PR). The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with never screened status among a sample of women nonadherent to the 2013 American Cancer Society guidelines. The inclusion criteria for this study were being a woman (1) aged ≥40 years old and (2) nonadherent to breast cancer screening guidelines. We used …
Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Status and Parental Endorsement Intentions among Undergraduate Student Nurses
We identified factors associated with student nurses' Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) vaccination status and their intention to counsel parents on HPV vaccination. Undergraduate student nurses ( N = 153) from a large university in the south participated. Descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests, and independent t-tests ( p ≤ 0.05) were used to characterize the students' vaccination status. Logistic regression was used to identify factors asso…
Understanding parents’ views toward the newly enacted HPV vaccine school entry policy in Puerto Rico
Most barriers mentioned by study participants are modifiable. Information about the HPV vaccine mandate's implementation and educational materials regarding HPV vaccine safety need to be provided to address parents' concerns related to the vaccine's side effects. Schools (teachers, principal directors, and administrative staff), the government, and parent organizations need to be part of these efforts. This multilevel approach will help to improv…
Racism and Cancer Screening among Low-Income, African American Women
Although racism is increasingly being studied as an important contributor to racial health disparities, its relation to cancer-related outcomes among African Americans remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to help clarify the relation between two indicators of racism-perceived racial discrimination and racial residential segregation-and cancer screening. We conducted a multilevel, longitudinal study among a medically underserved populati…
Identifying the Core Elements of Effective Community Health Worker Programs
Community health workers (CHWs) are increasingly being incorporated into health programs because they are assumed to effectively deliver health messages in a culturally relevant manner to disenfranchised communities. Nevertheless, the role of CHWs—who they are, what they do, and how they do it—is tremendously varied. This variability presents a number of challenges for conducting research to determine the effectiveness of CHW programs, and transl…
Effectiveness of Cultivando La Salud
Objectives. We tested the effectiveness of a lay health worker intervention to increase breast and cervical cancer screening among low-income Hispanic women. Methods. Participants were women 50 years and older who were nonadherent to mammography (n = 464) or Papanicolaou (Pap) test (n = 243) screening guidelines. After the collection of baseline data, lay health workers implemented the Cultivando la Salud (CLS; Cultivating Health) intervention. D…
Social Support, Depression, and Recovery of Walking Ability Following Hip Fracture Surgery
The importance of social support and depression to recovery from illness is examined with reference to hip fracture. Subjects were community-dwelling, ambulatory White females 59 years of age and over who were recovering from hip fracture surgery. The respondents were interviewed at baseline and clinically interviewed 2 and 6 months postsurgery. Inadequacy of social support and depression resulted in less improvement in walking ability at 2 month…
HPV knowledge, attitudes, and cultural beliefs among Hispanic men and women living on the Texas–Mexico border
Results suggest that understanding Hispanics' cultural norms and values concerning disease, sexuality, and gender is essential to the design and implementation of interventions to prevent and treat HPV and cervical cancer
A Framework for Enhancing the Value of Research for Dissemination and Implementation
A comprehensive guide that identifies critical evaluation and reporting elements necessary to move research into practice is needed. We propose a framework that highlights the domains required to enhance the value of dissemination and implementation research for end users. We emphasize the importance of transparent reporting on the planning phase of research in addition to delivery, evaluation, and long-term outcomes. We highlight key topics for …
Preretirement Influences on Postretirement Self-Esteem
Data derived from in-depth telephone interviews with 300 retired workers from the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina, metropolitan area are used to investigate whether preretirement self-investments in the roles of worker and spouse have positive or negative consequences for postretirement self-esteem. We find evidence that suggests that: (a) self-esteem does not decline in the transition into retirement; (b) commitment to the role of wor…
Renegotiating Identities
Along with major changes in mood, people living with bipolar disorder (BD) often experience recurrent hospital admissions, feelings of failure and hopelessness, social stigma, underemployment, and a loss of independence. In this study we explored the experiences of loss, coping, and recovery in a community sample of women living with BD. Ten women each participated in a semistructured interview. We used the constant comparative method to analyze …
Cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV), and HPV vaccination
Conclusion: Results suggest gendered differences in risk beliefs concerning HPV among Hispanics living along the Texas-Mexico border. Researchers can use these findings to address barriers to HPV vaccination, as well as to create culturally appropriate prevention messages that may help reduce disparities in HPV among Hispanic women
The influence of time perspective on cervical cancer screening among Latinas in the United States
To develop effective interventions to increase cervical cancer screening among Latinas, we should understand the role of cultural factors, such as time perspective, in the decision to be screened. We examined the relation between present time orientation, future time orientation, and self-reported cervical cancer screening among Latinas. A group of 206 Latinas completed a survey measuring factors associated with screening. Logistic regression ana…
Associations between perceived racial discrimination, racial residential segregation, and cancer screening adherence among low-income African Americans
Racism has a nuanced association with cancer screening among low-income, medically underserved African Americans. Specifically, discrimination appears to be associated with lower odds of screening, while segregation may be associated with higher odds of screening in certain situations. Future research is needed to better explicate relations between indicators of racism and cancer screening among African Americans
Racism and Cancer Screening among Low-Income, African American Women
Although racism is increasingly being studied as an important contributor to racial health disparities, its relation to cancer-related outcomes among African Americans remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to help clarify the relation between two indicators of racism-perceived racial discrimination and racial residential segregation-and cancer screening. We conducted a multilevel, longitudinal study among a medically underserved populati…
Communication about sex and HPV among Puerto Rican mothers and daughters
Although daughters in this study struggled with feelings of embarrassment, invasion of privacy, encouragement of abstinence, and the fear of parents' reaction to them being sexually active prior to marriage, they also recognized the need to increase the parent-daughter communication about sex-related topics including HPV and the HPV vaccine. Educational efforts should target both daughters and parents to increase communication skills and self-eff…
Mammography and Pap test screening among low-income foreign-born Hispanic women in the USA
Little is known about the factors influencing screening among low-income Hispanic women particularly among recent immigrants. A sample of 148 low-income, low-literate, foreign-born Hispanic women residing in the Washington DC metropolitan area participated in the study. The mean age of the sample was 46.2 (SD = 11.5), 84% reported annual household incomes<=$15,000. All women were Spanish speakers and had low acculturation levels. Ninety six perce…
Self-Esteem and Subjective Responses to Work among Mature Workers
This study addressed three questions that underlie the experiences of middle-aged working individuals: (1) What factors influence workers' quality of time spent at work, their feelings of competence as a worker, and their satisfaction with work? (2) What is the impact of subjective responses to work on self-esteem? and (3) What effect does gender have on subjective responses and self-esteem? These data are derived from an ongoing study of full-ti…
Infant formula promotion and the health sector in the Philippines
We use data collected in 1984, 1986, and 1988 from public and private health facilities in the Metropolitan Cebu area of the Philippines to assess effects of World Health Organization and Government of the Philippines Codes of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes on distribution of formula supplies. Distribution of free and low-cost infant formula declined drastically between 1986 and 1988. Industry compliance was almost complete
Infant formula promotion and the health sector in the Philippines
We use data collected in 1984, 1986, and 1988 from public and private health facilities in the Metropolitan Cebu area of the Philippines to assess effects of World Health Organization and Government of the Philippines Codes of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes on distribution of formula supplies. Distribution of free and low-cost infant formula declined drastically between 1986 and 1988. Industry compliance was almost complete
Breast-feeding patterns in the Philippines
Data from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey have been used to examine breast-feeding patterns in the Metropolitan Cebu region of the Philippines. The results show that there is extensive and early use of non-nutritive liquids, resulting in low levels of exclusive breast-feeding. The use of cross-sectional versus longitudinal data, the definition of exclusive breast-feeding, and movements in and out of the exclusively breast-fed ca…
Social Support, Depression, and Recovery of Walking Ability Following Hip Fracture Surgery
The importance of social support and depression to recovery from illness is examined with reference to hip fracture. Subjects were community-dwelling, ambulatory White females 59 years of age and over who were recovering from hip fracture surgery. The respondents were interviewed at baseline and clinically interviewed 2 and 6 months postsurgery. Inadequacy of social support and depression resulted in less improvement in walking ability at 2 month…
Preretirement Influences on Postretirement Self-Esteem
Data derived from in-depth telephone interviews with 300 retired workers from the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina, metropolitan area are used to investigate whether preretirement self-investments in the roles of worker and spouse have positive or negative consequences for postretirement self-esteem. We find evidence that suggests that: (a) self-esteem does not decline in the transition into retirement; (b) commitment to the role of wor…
Self-Esteem and Subjective Responses to Work among Mature Workers
This study addressed three questions that underlie the experiences of middle-aged working individuals: (1) What factors influence workers' quality of time spent at work, their feelings of competence as a worker, and their satisfaction with work? (2) What is the impact of subjective responses to work on self-esteem? and (3) What effect does gender have on subjective responses and self-esteem? These data are derived from an ongoing study of full-ti…
Mammography and Pap test screening among low-income foreign-born Hispanic women in the USA
Little is known about the factors influencing screening among low-income Hispanic women particularly among recent immigrants. A sample of 148 low-income, low-literate, foreign-born Hispanic women residing in the Washington DC metropolitan area participated in the study. The mean age of the sample was 46.2 (SD = 11.5), 84% reported annual household incomes<=$15,000. All women were Spanish speakers and had low acculturation levels. Ninety six perce…
Correlates of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women in Taiwan
In this study we examine several theory-based psychosocial factors on cervical cancer screening among Chinese women in Taiwan (N = 125). The reliabilities of the scales showed good internal consistence (Chronbach alpha ranged from 0.68 to 0.88). We found that 30% of the women had never received a Papanicolaou (Pap) test, and only 58% reported a screening in the past 3 years (adherent). Intention to have a Pap test in the coming year was higher am…
Correlates of Breast Cancer Screening Among Asian Americans Enrolled in Encoreplus
How We Design Feasibility Studies
Physical Activity Participation by Parental Language Use in 4th, 8th, and 11th Grade Students in Texas, USA
HPV knowledge, attitudes, and cultural beliefs among Hispanic men and women living on the Texas–Mexico border
Results suggest that understanding Hispanics' cultural norms and values concerning disease, sexuality, and gender is essential to the design and implementation of interventions to prevent and treat HPV and cervical cancer
Effectiveness of Cultivando La Salud
Objectives. We tested the effectiveness of a lay health worker intervention to increase breast and cervical cancer screening among low-income Hispanic women. Methods. Participants were women 50 years and older who were nonadherent to mammography (n = 464) or Papanicolaou (Pap) test (n = 243) screening guidelines. After the collection of baseline data, lay health workers implemented the Cultivando la Salud (CLS; Cultivating Health) intervention. D…
Gender and Indigenous Knowledge
Socio-ecological Influences on Health-Care Access and Navigation Among Persons of Mexican Descent Living on the U.S./Mexico Border
Increasing Information-Seeking About Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Through Community Partnerships in African American and Hispanic Communities
This study tested the feasibility of promoting 1-800-4-CANCER through partnerships with organizations serving African American and Hispanic communities. Small-media and client reminders about human papillomavirus vaccination were made available through local agents to 28 community organizations. Organizations ordered 79 932 resources and distributed them to young women and parents of girls-;African Americans in St Louis, Missouri, and Hispanics i…
Identifying the Core Elements of Effective Community Health Worker Programs
Community health workers (CHWs) are increasingly being incorporated into health programs because they are assumed to effectively deliver health messages in a culturally relevant manner to disenfranchised communities. Nevertheless, the role of CHWs—who they are, what they do, and how they do it—is tremendously varied. This variability presents a number of challenges for conducting research to determine the effectiveness of CHW programs, and transl…
Evidence for Long-Term Impact of Pasos Adelante
Effective community-level chronic disease prevention is critical to population health within developed and developing nations. Pasos Adelante is a preventive intervention that aims to reduce chronic disease risk with evidence of effectiveness in US-Mexico residing, Mexican origin, participants. This intervention and related ones also implemented with community health workers have been shown to improve clinical, behavioral and quality of life indi…
Exploring the Role of Ethnic Identity on the Attitudes Towards HPV Vaccine Advertising Among Puerto Ricans
Design of a randomized controlled trial for multiple cancer risk behaviors among Spanish-speaking Mexican-origin smokers
National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Registry # NCT01504919
Understanding Cervical Cancer Screening Intentions among Latinas Using An Expanded Theory of Planned Behavior Model
We examined the utility of an expanded theory of planned behavior (TPB) model in predicting cervical cancer screening intentions among Latinas. The model included acculturation and past cervical cancer screening behavior along with attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. This cross-sectional study included a sample of 206 Latinas who responded to a self-administered survey. Structural equation modeling was employed to test t…
Effect of Acculturation and Access to Care on Colorectal Cancer Screening in Low-Income Latinos
Understanding HPV Vaccination Among Latino Adolescent Girls in Three U.S. Regions
Promoting Tobacco Cessation Through Community Outreach Partnerships
Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action - Volume 8, Issue 2, Summer 2014
Seema Arora-Jonsson
Renegotiating Identities
Along with major changes in mood, people living with bipolar disorder (BD) often experience recurrent hospital admissions, feelings of failure and hopelessness, social stigma, underemployment, and a loss of independence. In this study we explored the experiences of loss, coping, and recovery in a community sample of women living with BD. Ten women each participated in a semistructured interview. We used the constant comparative method to analyze …
Medicine (50 works) · Nursing (29 works) · Public health (26 works) · Gerontology (22 works) · Health Policy Implementation Science (21 works) · Psychology (19 works) · Demography (18 works) · Psychological intervention (17 works) · Sociology (17 works) · Cervical Cancer and HPV Research (16 works)