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Culture Dicho del mes Health Immigration Safety Technology Multilingual poll uncovers tensions among the largest ethnic groups in America The nation’s first multilingual poll of Black, Hispanic and Asian Americans indicates there are serious tensions among ethnic groups, including mistrust and significant stereotyping, but a majority of each group also said they should put aside differences and work together to better their communities. The poll of 1,105 African-American, Asian-American and Hispanic adults found that the predominantly immigrant populations - Hispanics and Asians - expressed far greater optimism about their lives in America, concluding that hard work is rewarded in this society. By contrast, more than 60 percent of the African Americans polled do not believe the American Dream works for them. Blacks also described themselves as more segregated from the rest of America than the other groups. The poll found that friction between ethnic and racial groups is clearly rooted in the mistrust that the groups harbor towards each other, as well as the sentiment that other groups are mistreating them or are detrimental to their own future. The three groups seem more trusting of whites than of each other. The poll found that 61 percent of Hispanics, 54 percent of Asians and 47 percent of African Americans would rather do business with whites than members of the other two groups. Among other findings:
The poll was sponsored by New America Media (NAM) and nine ethnic media outlets
Dicho del mes Adonde el corazón se inclina, el pie camina. (Wherever our heart leans, there our feet will take us).
Breast cancer gene mutation more common in Hispanic, young black women One of the largest multiracial studies of a gene mutation linked to breast and ovarian cancer, already known to be more common in Ashkenazi Jewish women, has found the mutation to be more prevalent in Hispanic and young African-American women as well. Researchers at the Northern California Cancer Center and the Stanford Cancer Center reported the finding from a study of 3,181 breast cancer patients in Northern California. It revealed that although Ashkenazi Jewish women with breast cancer had the highest rate of the BRCA1 mutation at 8.3 percent, Hispanic women with breast cancer were next most likely, with a rate of 3.5 percent. Non-Hispanic whites with breast cancer showed a 2.2 percent rate, followed by 1.3 percent of African-American women of all ages and 0.5 percent in Asian-American women. Of the African-American breast cancer patients under age 35, 16.7 percent had the mutation. The researchers hope the information will prompts genetic counselors to develop materials for discussing breast cancer risk in a culturally sensitive way and in languages other than English. The risk of a woman developing breast cancer sometime during her life is about one in eight. Although death rates from the disease are dropping, the American Cancer Society estimates that 40,000 women will die from the disease this year. All people have the BRCA1 gene, which makes a protein that helps the cell repair its DNA. Women who inherit a mutation in that gene from either parent are less able to fix DNA damage and tend to accumulate mutations that lead to cancer. They have a roughly 65 percent risk of developing breast cancer and 39 percent risk of ovarian cancer. If one family member tests positive for a mutation, it can alert other women in the family to also get tested and to take preventive measures. Source: Northern California Cancer Center, "Breast cancer gene mutation more common in Hispanic, young black women, Northern California Cancer Center/Stanford study finds", December 25, 2007, http://www.nccc.org
Fewer illegal migrants appear to be crossing the border Employment of foreign-born Hispanics increased at a markedly slower pace in the first quarter of 2007 than during the same period in the previous three years, according to Pew Hispanic Center. The slowdown was particularly noticeable in the bellwether construction industry. A recent survey by Mexican authorities shows that fewer Mexicans say they are planning to seek work outside the country. In the third quarter of 2007, about 47,000 said they would be packing their bags. That is down nearly one-third from the same quarter a year earlier. What is behind the apparent decline? Some say it is primarily the slump in U.S. construction, which has been a magnet for undocumented workers over the last few years -- one in five Latino immigrants works in the building trades. As the bust in the U.S. housing market eliminates construction jobs, Mexico's economy is proving surprisingly resilient, giving Mexicans added incentive to stay home. Job creation has been solid over the last two years, with nearly 2 million positions added in the formal economy. Although most jobs here pay a fraction of what they would in the United States, some Mexicans may be deciding that poorly paid work is better than none, given the uncertainty over the border. Immigration experts say tougher enforcement is but one of several explanations. The border buildup has encouraged more illegal immigrants to employ professional smugglers, whose success rate is higher than that of individuals, according to Wayne Cornelius, director of the Center for Comparative Immigration Studies at UC San Diego. He said tougher enforcement had also discouraged many undocumented workers from returning to their homelands for occasional visits for fear of getting caught reentering the U.S. The growth in remittances sent to Mexico has dwindled to a trickle. Through October of this year, Mexicans living abroad sent $20.4 billion home to their families, a 1.3% increase over the same period in 2006, according to Mexico's central bank. Those sums were growing in excess of 20% annually just a few years ago.
Lack of seat belt use and Hispanic traffic fatalities A lack of seat-belt-safety education, an absence of restraints and often a large number of occupants is a deadly combination for Hispanic drivers. National, state and local law-enforcement officials, traffic-safety experts and seat-belt-advocacy groups say cultural and economic differences unique to Hispanics -- foreign-born and native -- keep them from buckling up and using child-safety seats. On a national level, motor-vehicle crashes kill Hispanics at a higher rate than whites, blacks or Asians, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Overall, 1.8 percent of deaths in 2002 -- the most recent year for which such demographic data are available -- were attributed to motor-vehicle crashes. For Hispanics, it was 4.73 percent, which is three times as high as the percentage of whites killed that way and more than twice as high as blacks. Some Latin American countries are just starting to address and enforce seat-belt safety. Costa Rica in 2003 passed its second seat-belt-safety law after record traffic fatalities involving unrestrained motorists. Financial issues also affect seat-belt safety among Hispanics. Many drive older-model cars with defective seat belts or no seat belts at all. Many Hispanics and other immigrants tend to bring their driving habits from their home countries, and lack of seat-belt use is one of them. Source: The Orlando Sentinel, " Lack of seat belt use major factor in Hispanic traffic fatalities", by Walter Pacheco,December 26, 2007, http://www.orlandosentinel.com/
Hispanics and technology When it comes to owning portable MP3 players or handheld video game devices, Hispanics outpace their non-Hispanic counterparts, a recent technology report found. But at the same time, they lag in purchasing desktop and laptop computers. The Rorrester report found that, overall, 33 percent of Hispanic consumers own handheld video game devices, compared with 30 percent of non-Hispanic consumers, and that 37 percent owned a portable MP3 player, compared with 34 percent for non-Hispanic consumers. Meanwhile, 77 percent of Hispanic consumers own a mobile phone, compared with 91 percent of non Hispanic consumers, and 58 percent of Hispanic consumers owned a desktop computer, compared with 77 percent of non-Hispanic consumers. On the Internet, Hispanics outpace non Hispanics in downloading music and videos and using social networking sites, but aren't as likely to research products for purchase. Source: The Tech Chronicles, " Hispanics and technology", Nov 26, 2007,http://www.sfgate.com
Language speaks volumes to Latinos online When it comes to targeting Latinos online, the language marketers use can mean the difference between success and failure, according to a survey by Forrester Research. English-speaking Hispanics embrace technology at higher rates than those who prefer Spanish—and even non-Hispanics, surpassing their brethren when it comes to downloading music and video, surfing the Internet and using social networking sites, Forrester’s research found. The survey "The State of Hispanic Consumers and Technology 2007" explores the way in which language influences Hispanics’ online preferences and their acceptance of both offline and online technology. The study looked at mobile phones and devices; home computers; and online via the Internet and social networking sites, entertainment, and retail and banking portals, among others. Though a number of studies and surveys in recent years have highlighted Latinos’ penchant for mobile phones and online social networking sites, the Forrester survey of 3,000 U.S. Hispanics identifies the real disparity between Spanish-speaking and English-speaking Hispanics and how much Latinos who prefer English are either very much on par, or even ahead of non-Hispanics, when it comes to technology adoption. Yet among Spanish-preferring Hispanics, which account for about 60% of the U.S. Latino population, their receptiveness and acceptance of technology tends to be “aspirational” mainly because of income limitations. For many Latinos, it’s the primary obstacle to obtaining technology, followed by accessibility issues regarding language and cultural relevance. Source: Brandweek, "Language Speaks Volumes to Latinos Online", by Della de Lafuente, November 28, 2007, http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003678345
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