The effects of age, ethnicity, sexual dysfunction, urinary incontinence, masculinity, and relationship with the partner on the quality of life of men with prostate cancer

Prostate cancer, the leading cause of cancer in men, has positive survival rates and constitutes a challenge to men with its side effects. Studies have addressed the bivaritate relationships between prostate cancer treatment side effects masculinity, partner relationship, and quality of life (QOL). However, few studies have highlighted the relationships among prostate cancer treatment side effects (i.e., sexual dysfunction, urinary incontinence), masculinity, and relationship with the partner together on QOL in men. Most studies were conducted with predominately Caucasian sample of men. Miami is a unique multiethnic setting that hosts Cuban, Columbian, Venezuelan, Haitian, other Latin American and Caribbean communities that were not represented in previous literature. The purpose of this study was to examine relative contributions of age, ethnicity, sexual dysfunction, urinary incontinence, masculinity, and perception of the relationship with the partner on the quality of life in men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Data were collected using self administered questionnaires measuring demographic variables, sexual and urinary functioning (UCLA PCI), masculinity (CMNI), partner relationship (DAS), and QOL (SF-36). A total of 117 partnered heterosexual men diagnosed with prostate cancer were recruited from four urology clinics in Miami, Florida. Men were 67.47 (SD = 8.42) years old and identified themselves to be of Hispanic origin (54.3 %, n = 63). Findings demonstrated that there was a significant moderate negative relationship between urinary and sexual functioning of men. There was a significant strong negative association between men's perceived relationship with partner and masculinity. There was a weak negative relationship between the partner relationship and QOL. Hierarchal multiple regression showed that the partner relationship (β = -.25, t (91) = -2.28, p = .03) significantly contributed overall to QOL. These findings highlight the importance of the relationship satisfaction in the QOL of men with prostate cancer. Nursing interventions to enhance QOL for these men should consider strengthening the relationship and involving the female partner as an active participant.^

Italianità on Tour: From the Mediterranean to Southeast Florida, 1896-1939

Italianità on Tour is a cultural history of Italian consciousness in Italy and Southeast Florida from 1896 to 1939. This dissertation examines literary works, folktales, folksongs, artworks, buildings and urban planning as imprints and cultural constructions of Italianità on both sides of the Atlantic, with a special emphasis on the transformations experienced on that journey. The real and/or imagined geo-cultural similarities between the Mediterranean and the Caribbean encouraged pioneers in Southeast Florida to conjure in their new setting an idea of Italianità , regardless of the presence of Italians in the area. Therefore, assessing Italianità, constitutes an important feature in understanding cultural constructions of identities in Miami and neighboring areas. This study, seeks to add Southeast Florida's Caribbean-Italian identity to the existing scholarship on several Italian diaspora representations, whether from a cultural ethnic perspective or from a sense of national belonging. More generally, it will show that there was no quintessential Italian national culture, but only representations of it that élites in Italy and South Florida manufactured, and on the other hand, immigrants imagined and performed upon arrival to America.

The African Roots of Cuban Culture : Artistic and Religious Expressions, A Symposium

This flyer promotes the event "The African Roots of Cuban Culture: Artistic and Religious Expressions, A Symposium", cosponsored by the Frost Art Museum and the African & African Diaspora Studies Program at FlU.

African Musical Thought in Cuba , Lecture by Eurydice Losada

This flyer promotes the event "African Musical Thought in Cuba Lecture by Eurydice Losada" Cosponsored by African and African Diaspora Studies (AADS) at FlU.

Ninth Conference on Cuban and Cuban-American Studies "Dispersed Peoples: The Cuban and Other Diasporas"

This flyer promotes the Ninth Conference on Cuban and Cuban-American Studies "Dispersed Peoples: The Cuban and Other Diasporas" , cosponsored by FlU's Cuban Research Institute, FlU African and African Diaspora Studies Program, Center for the Humanities in an Urban Environment, Exile Studies Program, and WPBT2. This event was held May 23, 2013 - May 25, 2013.

The Role of Family/Friend Social Support in Diabetes Self-Management for Minorities with Type 2 Diabetes

This study investigated how ethnicity, perceived family/friend social support (FSS), and health behaviors are associated with diabetes self-management (DSM) in minorities. The participants were recruited by community outreach methods and included 174 Cuban-, 121 Haitian- and 110 African-Americans with type 2 diabetes. The results indicated that ethnicity and FSS were associated with DSM. Higher FSS scores were associated with higher DSM scores, independent of ethnicity. There were ethnic differences in several elements of FSS. DSM was highest in Haitian- as compared to African-Americans; yet Haitian Americans had poorer glycemic control. The findings suggest FSS together with ethnicity may influence critical health practices. Studies are needed that further investigate the relationships among minorities with diabetes, their intimate network (family and friends) and the diabetes care process.

Dietary Intake Of Flavonoids And HDL- And LDL- Cholesterol In Two Black Ethnicities With And Without Type 2 Diabetes

Flavonoids are a class of over 6,500 plant metabolites that have been associated with reduced mortality from cardiovascular disease. A cross-sectional analysis of dietary flavonoids and serum cholesterol in 507 Blacks with and without type 2 diabetes (258 Haitian-Americans and 249 African-Americans) showed differences by ethnicity and diabetes status. Haitian-Americans consumed more of most flavonoids as compared to African-Americans. Individuals with type 2 diabetes consumed less of most flavonoids as compared to those without diabetes. Flavonoids were differentially associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) by diabetes status. Flavanones were associated with lower LDL for participants without diabetes and higher LDL for those with diabetes, independent of ethnicity and adjusted for age, gender, cholesterol medications, daily energy, dietary fat, body mass index (BMI), and smoking. Flavan-3-ols were positively related to LDL while polyflavonoids (theaflavin and polymers, proanthocyanidins) were inversely related to LDL for the group without diabetes only. Higher anthocyanidins and flavan-3-ols and lower polyflavonoids were associated with higher HDL (same adjustments) for those without diabetes, whereas no flavonoids were associated with HDL for individuals with type 2 diabetes.

The Spoken Word with Dorothea Smartt

British Caribbean internationally renowned poet Dorothea Smartt leads a poetry workshop at Florida International University's Biscayne Bay Campus. Event held on October 25, 2013, sponsored by the African &African Diaspora Studies Program and co-sponsored by the Department of English, the Center for Humanities in an Urban Environment, and the Center for Women's and Gender Studies.