Policy as a Structural Barrier and Facilitator of Latinx Youth Mental Health
Project Number5K01MD018452-03
Contact PI/Project LeaderVILLAMIL GREST, CAROLINA
Awardee OrganizationTEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH
Description
Abstract Text
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Latinx adolescents experience higher rates of behavioral health risks compared to their non-Latinx Black and
White peers, particularly for marijuana, alcohol, and cocaine use, depression, and suicidality. Poor mental
health and substance use have been attributed to experiences of adversity, stress, and perceived interpersonal
discrimination. Advances in the field of Latinx youth mental health research has been largely focused on
individual and interpersonal determinants. Few studies examine the impact of social and environmental
contexts, such as those related to immigration status, on Latinx youth mental health. Laws and policies at
federal, state, and local levels, or the absence of such laws, also affect Latinx immigrant stress and access to
resources, increasing mental health risk for Latinx adolescents. These policies shape anti-immigrant
environments and prejudice toward Latinx youth, amplifying experiences of stress and mental health issues.
Inclusive immigration policies increase access to health and social resources. Research examining pathways
between state and local and the mental health of Latinx youth is needed. The proposed study will fill gaps by
applying a transdisciplinary approach to understand and intervene a health disparity and equity issue. The
objectives of this research are to: (1) construct a state-level dataset on interrelated policies that structure
access for Latinx youth; (2) use quasi-experimental methods to quantitatively estimate the effects of state-level
policies on Latinx youth mental health and qualitatively explore how policies shape the social lives of Latinx
youth; and (3) develop community-informed recommendations for prevention and intervention solutions. With a
focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, Temple University offers early career scholars the intellectual and
practical resources to develop into successful independent investigators. The overarching training plan for this
K01 application serves to consider the effects of macrolevel policies that either promote health or produce
inequities related to mental health. The training plan is designed to develop the candidate’s skills in public
health law research and legal epidemiology, quasi-experimental design methods and community-engaged
research to develop ground-level recommendations for prevention and intervention. By engaging in
coursework, trainings, applied experiences, and national conferences, complemented by a transdisciplinary
team of mentors from law, public health, health behavior and translational research fields, Dr. Villamil Grest’s
training and career development plan provides an opportunity to advance her interdisciplinary skills to
understand the upstream, structural level factors that affect the health and well-being of Latinx youth. To
achieve success as an independent scholar and researcher, this K01 will provide skills for the PI to become a
multimethod investigator, examining the social and structural factors that contribute to Latinx youth mental
health disparities, and to inform community-engaged prevention programs and policies.
Public Health Relevance Statement
PROJECT NARRATIVE
Latinx adolescents are disproportionately at risk for poor depression and suicidality and are exposed to
adversity, stress, and discrimination experiences. There remains a need for research understanding the effect
of laws and policies on Latinx youth mental health to broaden the scope of prevention and intervention focused
on upstream factors. The proposed study fills this gap by using rigorous methodology to examine the influence
of macrolevel policies on Latinx youth mental health and to inform effective community-engaged strategies.
NIH Spending Category
No NIH Spending Category available.
Project Terms
AcademyAdolescenceAdolescentAffectAlcohol consumptionApplications GrantsAreaBehavioralBlack raceChildhoodCommunitiesData SetDevelopmentDevelopment PlansDimensionsDiscriminationEnvironmentEpidemiologyExposure toFamilyFeeling suicidalGoalsHealthHealth PromotionHealth behaviorImmigrantImmigrationIndividualInequityInstitutionInterventionLatinxLatinx populationLawsLegalMapsMedicineMental DepressionMental HealthMental health promotionMentorsMethodologyMethodsParentsPathway interactionsPersonal SatisfactionPersonsPoliciesPopulationPrejudicePreventionPrevention programPrevention strategyPublic HealthPublic PolicyQuasi-experimentRecommendationReduce health disparitiesResearchResearch PersonnelResourcesRiskRisk BehaviorsRoleShapesSocial EnvironmentStressStructureTestingTrainingTranslational ResearchUnited States National Institutes of HealthUniversitiesYouthbehavioral healthcareercareer developmentcocaine usecommunity based participatory approachcommunity engaged approachcommunity engaged interventioncommunity engaged researchcommunity engagementcritical developmental perioddepressive symptomsdesigndissemination strategyeffective interventionexperiencehealth disparityhealth equityinterdisciplinary collaborationmarijuana usepeerperceived discriminationprogramsprotective factorsskillssocialsocial culturesocial factorssocial health determinantsstructural determinantssubstance usesuccesssuicidalsymposiumtherapy design
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
CFDA Code
307
DUNS Number
057123192
UEI
QD4MGHFDJKU1
Project Start Date
15-July-2023
Project End Date
31-December-2027
Budget Start Date
01-January-2025
Budget End Date
31-December-2025
Project Funding Information for 2025
Total Funding
$118,196
Direct Costs
$109,441
Indirect Costs
$8,755
Year
Funding IC
FY Total Cost by IC
2025
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
$118,196
Year
Funding IC
FY Total Cost by IC
Sub Projects
No Sub Projects information available for 5K01MD018452-03
Publications
Publications are associated with projects, but cannot be identified with any particular year of the project or fiscal year of funding. This is due to the continuous and cumulative nature of knowledge generation across the life of a project and the sometimes long and variable publishing timeline. Similarly, for multi-component projects, publications are associated with the parent core project and not with individual sub-projects.
No Publications available for 5K01MD018452-03
Patents
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Outcomes
The Project Outcomes shown here are displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Institutes of Health. NIH has not endorsed the content below.
No Outcomes available for 5K01MD018452-03
Clinical Studies
No Clinical Studies information available for 5K01MD018452-03
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History
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Similar Projects
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