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This study aimed to examine ethnic differences in knowledge of personal and target levels of cardiovascular health indicators between non-Hispanic whites and African Americans. A secondary objective was to evaluate the associations between knowledge of cardiovascular health indicators and health promotion behaviors. Participants (66.7% female) consisted of 265 whites and 428 African Americans, ages 18 and older recruited from primary care clinics and churches. Respondents completed a brief survey on blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol, blood glucose, body mass index (BMI), diet, and physical activity. Whites were more likely than African Americans to report knowing their personal and target levels of cardiovascular health indicators. Knowledge of personal BP and/or BMI was positively associated with actual physical activity, and awareness of personal blood glucose was positively associated with healthy dietary practices for participants in both groups. Among whites, awareness of personal BP and knowledge of target levels for BP, total cholesterol, and BMI were also associated with healthy diet. Results suggest there are racial/ethnic disparities in knowledge of personal and ideal levels of cardiovascular health indicators, and that this knowledge is related to health promotion behaviors. Targeted educational efforts are warranted to enhance knowledge of personal risk indicators among African Americans.

Builders have long been cognizant of the importance of the siting of a house on a lot, whether to shelter from prevailing weather, allow better access to natural light, gain a scenic view, or more recently for optimal capture of solar energy. Using 2016–2017 sales data for the County of San Diego, we examine the market valuation of house orientation. San Diego provides a good research area as the topography does not lend itself to a grid-like pattern for the street system. Orientation is divided into eight directions (south, southeast, east, . . .) and hedonic price equations are estimated. In addition, the analysis includes proximity to a cul-de-sac and street intersection as explanatory variables. The results suggest that house orientation is a significant factor in determining house valuation. Houses oriented directly on an east-west axis command a premium over houses oriented on a north-south axis. After correcting for spatial autocorrelation, neither cul-de-sac nor intersection locations are significant factors in determining housing prices. Moreover, a robustness check using a small sample of 241 transactions provides inclusive results regarding a premium for solar panel installation.

Objective To examine the association of patient-provider racial and ethnic concordance on healthcare use within Hispanic ethnic subgroups. Methods We estimate multivariate probit models using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, the only national data source measuring how patients use and pay for medical care, health insurance, and out-of-pocket spending. We collect and utilize data on preventive care visits, visits for new health problems, and visits for ongoing health problems from survey years 2007–2017 to measure health outcomes. Additionally, we include data on race and ethnicity concordance, non-health-related socioeconomic and demographic factors, health-related characteristics, provider communication characteristics, and provider location characteristics in the analysis. The sample includes 59,158 observations: 74.3% identified as Mexican, 10.6% identified as Puerto Rican, 5.1% identified as Cuban, 4.8% identified as Dominican, and 5.2% classified in the survey as Other Hispanics. Foreign-born respondents comprised 56% of the sample. A total of 8% (4678) of cases in the sample involved Hispanic provider-patient concordance. Results Hispanic patient-provider concordance is statistically significant and positively associated with higher probabilities of seeking preventive care (coef=.211, P<.001), seeking care for a new problem (coef=.208, P<.001), and seeking care for an ongoing problem (coef=.208, P<.001). We also find that the association is not equal across the Hispanic subgroups. The association is lowest for Mexicans in preventive care (coef=.165, P<.001) and new problems (coef=.165, P<.001) and highest for Cubans in preventive care (coef=.256, P<.001) and ongoing problems (coef=.284, P<.001). Results are robust to the interaction of the Hispanic patient-provider concordance for the Hispanic patient categories and being foreign-born. Conclusions In summary, racial disparities were observed in health utilization within Hispanic subgroups. While Hispanic patient-provider concordance is statistically significant in associating with healthcare utilization, the findings indicate that this association varies across Hispanic subpopulations. The observations suggest the importance of disaggregating Hispanic racial and ethnic categories into more similar cultural or origin groups. Linked with the existence of significant differences in mortality and other health outcomes across Hispanic subgroups, our results have implications for the design of community health promotion activities which should take these differences into account. Studies or community health programs which utilize generalized findings about Hispanic populations overlook differences across subgroups which may be crucial in promoting healthcare utilization.