2024
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Age-Specific All-Cause Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Faust J, Renton B, Bongiovanni T, Chen A, Sheares K, Du C, Essien U, Fuentes-Afflick E, Haywood T, Khera R, King T, Li S, Lin Z, Lu Y, Marshall A, Ndumele C, Opara I, Loarte-Rodriguez T, Sawano M, Taparra K, Taylor H, Watson K, Yancy C, Krumholz H. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Age-Specific All-Cause Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Network Open 2024, 7: e2438918. PMID: 39392630, PMCID: PMC11581672, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.38918.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCOVID-19 public health emergencyNon-HispanicPublic health emergencyOther Pacific IslanderExcess mortalityAlaska NativesUS populationExcess deathsRates of excess mortalityCross-sectional study analyzed dataYears of potential lifeMortality relative riskNon-Hispanic whitesCross-sectional studyPacific IslandersStudy analyzed dataAll-cause mortalityEthnic groupsMortality disparitiesMortality ratioTotal populationDeath certificatesEthnic disparitiesMain OutcomesDecedent age
2023
Racial/ethnic disparities in PM2.5-attributable cardiovascular mortality burden in the United States
Ma Y, Zang E, Opara I, Lu Y, Krumholz H, Chen K. Racial/ethnic disparities in PM2.5-attributable cardiovascular mortality burden in the United States. Nature Human Behaviour 2023, 7: 2074-2083. PMID: 37653149, PMCID: PMC10901568, DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01694-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNon-Hispanic White peopleCVD deathMortality burdenNon-Hispanic black peopleCardiovascular disease mortality ratesDisease mortality ratesNon-Hispanic blacksRace/ethnicityMortality rateLong-term exposureWhite peopleEthnic disparitiesHealth benefitsHispanic peopleSignificant differencesBurdenDeathUS countiesEthnic groupsAbsolute disparityAssociationExposureEthnic minoritiesDisparitiesAmbient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations
2021
A latent profile analysis of psychological sense of community and ethnic identity among racial–ethnic minority young adults from the southwestern United States
Lardier D, Opara I, Roach E. A latent profile analysis of psychological sense of community and ethnic identity among racial–ethnic minority young adults from the southwestern United States. Journal Of Community Psychology 2021, 50: 857-875. PMID: 34402065, PMCID: PMC8831427, DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22686.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLatent profile analysisIntrapersonal psychological empowermentPsychological sensePsychological empowermentEthnic identityYoung adultsDepression symptomsEthnic group identityMinority young adultsProfile analysisGroup differencesGroup identityEmpirical supportIdentity constructsCommunity belongingnessProfile groupsReported levelsSense of communityHuman developmentCurrent studySample participantsCivic engagementAdultsAdditional researchEngagementEthnic Identity as a Moderator Between HIV Knowledge, Viral Hepatitis Knowledge, and Psychological Antecedents Among Racial-Ethnic Minority Youth Living in an Urban Community
Opara I, Lardier D, Durkee M, Garcia-Reid P, Reid R. Ethnic Identity as a Moderator Between HIV Knowledge, Viral Hepatitis Knowledge, and Psychological Antecedents Among Racial-Ethnic Minority Youth Living in an Urban Community. Journal Of Racial And Ethnic Health Disparities 2021, 9: 1298-1307. PMID: 34041704, PMCID: PMC8617072, DOI: 10.1007/s40615-021-01069-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPsychological antecedentsViral hepatitis knowledgeEthnic identityMinority youthGender-specific prevention programsRisk-taking behaviorRisk behaviorsSexual negotiation skillsIdentity developmentAntecedent variablesFemale adolescentsHIV risk behaviorsLower perceptionsHepatitis knowledgeProtective factorsNegotiation skillsHIV knowledgeAntecedentsYouthUS urban communitiesLimited researchYouth LivingHIV prevention education programPrevention programsStudents of colorThe brief sense of community scale: Testing dimensionality and measurement invariance by gender among Hispanic/Latinx youth
Lardier D, Opara I, Cantu I, Garcia‐Reid P, Reid R. The brief sense of community scale: Testing dimensionality and measurement invariance by gender among Hispanic/Latinx youth. Journal Of Community Psychology 2021, 50: 409-425. PMID: 33938003, PMCID: PMC8563485, DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22585.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIntrapersonal psychological empowermentHispanic/Latinx youthPsychological sensePsychological empowermentBrief SenseLatinx youthSecond-order factor structureMultigroup confirmatory factor analysisSecond-order factor modelEthnic identityFeelings of belongingnessFour-factor modelConfirmatory factor analysisLatinx adolescentsMeasurement invarianceFactor structureEmotional connectionFactor analysisFactor modelYouthSenseBelongingnessEmpowermentAdolescentsTheoretical discussion
2020
Intrapersonal psychological empowerment profiles on ethnic identity, social support, and lifetime drug use among Hispanic adolescent girls
Opara I, Lardier D, Fernandez Y, Garcia-Reid P, Reid R. Intrapersonal psychological empowerment profiles on ethnic identity, social support, and lifetime drug use among Hispanic adolescent girls. Journal Of Ethnicity In Substance Abuse 2020, 21: 886-913. PMID: 32787746, PMCID: PMC8191478, DOI: 10.1080/15332640.2020.1803780.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHispanic adolescent girlsIntrapersonal psychological empowermentPsychological empowermentAdolescent girlsSocial supportSociopolitical Control ScaleEthnic identityTwo-factor structureConfirmatory factor analysisHigh social supportDrug useControl ScaleFactor structureLatent class analysisLifetime drug useFactor analysisDistinct cluster groupsRelated variablesClass analysisGirlsPrevention researchCluster groupsEmpowermentHigh levelsSupport
2019
Increasing Viral Hepatitis Knowledge Among Urban Ethnic Minority Youth: Findings from a Community Based Prevention Intervention
Opara I, Lardier D, Herrera A, Garcia-Reid P, Reid R. Increasing Viral Hepatitis Knowledge Among Urban Ethnic Minority Youth: Findings from a Community Based Prevention Intervention. Journal Of Community Health 2019, 45: 269-277. PMID: 31515664, PMCID: PMC7065932, DOI: 10.1007/s10900-019-00740-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEthnic minority youthMinority youthUrban communitiesUrban ethnic minority youthNortheastern urban communityHepatitis knowledgeViral hepatitis knowledgeLogistic regression analysisHIV/AIDSYouthUnited StatesKnowledge interventionOpioid epidemicPrevention interventionsVH casesSubstance abuseEducation interventionBaseline surveyCommunityInterventionU.S.Significant increaseRegression analysisInfectionInnovative approach