Sociodemographic characteristics as predictors of successful smoking cessation among a group of Hispanic Spanish speaking smokers

Few studies have examined predictors of smoking abstinence among Hispanic groups. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the relations of sociodemographic characteristics and smoking related factors with smoking abstinence among a group of Hispanic Spanish speaking smokers. This study utilized previously collected data from Hispanic Spanish-speaking smokers (N = 246) who participated in a study entitled Smoking Cessation Services for Hispanic Smokers in Texas. ^ The first study examined sociodemographic characteristics and smoking related mechanisms that predicted smoking abstinence among this group. Two of the characteristics were related to smoking abstinence, marital status and acculturation level. Being unmarried increased the likelihood of being abstinent at the 12 week assessment (OR = 1.80). Those in the high acculturation group were twice as likely to be abstinent (OR = 2.24). Of the smoking related mechanisms, those with higher positive reinforcement expectancies were less likely to be abstinent (OR = .86), as were those with a higher level of affiliative attachment (OR = .86), a higher level of craving (OR = .78) and a higher tolerance to the effect of smoking (OR = .74). The second study was to examine the relationship of objective measures of socioeconomic status (SES) (income, education, or employment) with smoking abstinence among this group. This study also compared the relationship of a subjective measure of SES (Social Status Ladder) to smoking abstinence. None of the objective measures of SES were related to smoking abstinence at the 12 week assessment. The subjective measure of SES did predict smoking abstinence (OR = 1.9) indicting that those that rated themselves ≤4 on the SES scale were more likely to be abstinent. ^ Although this group was recruited using various methods across the state of Texas, the fact that they preferred to interact with the counselor in Spanish may limit the study findings. The results of this study highlight the need for research to examine specific subgroups of people and understand the special circumstances that influence their health behaviors. Furthering our knowledge of the relations between sociodemographic characteristics and smoking cessation could lead to interventions that reduce disparities in smoking cessation. ^

Factors influencing time to HIV disease progression in Romanian children

The purpose of this research was two-fold; to investigate the effect of institutionalization on death and CD4 decline in a cohort of 325 HIV-infected Romanian children, and to investigate the effect of disclosure of the child's own HIV status in this cohort. All children were treated with Kaletra-based highly active antiretroviral therapy, and were followed from November, 2001 through October, 2004. The mean age of the children included in the cohort is 13. The study found that children in biological families were more likely to experience disease progression through either death or CD4 decline than children in institutions (p=0.04). The family home-style institution may prove to be a replicable model for the safe and appropriate care of HIV-infected orphaned and abandoned children and teens. The study also found that children who do not know their own HIV infection status were more likely to experience disease progression through either death or CD4 decline than children who know their HIV diagnosis (p=0.03). This evidence suggests that, in the context of highly active anti retroviral therapy, knowledge of one's own HIV infection status is associated with delayed HIV disease progression. ^

The global initiative to eradicate polio- A review of Nigeria's situation

Poliomyelitis is one of the worlds remaining vaccine preventable infectious diseases. In 1988 the World Health Assembly in its general assembly resolved to eradicate polio in the year 2000 and the Global Initiative to Eradicate Polio was launched. ^ This initiative sprang from the successful eradication of smallpox from the world in the year 1979, and the World Health Organization sought to eradicate polio from the world's populations by the year 2000. ^ Several years have passed since this objective was launched, and while some advances have been made, the goal of global eradication remains elusive. At this present time (2007), only four countries are considered polio endemic regions (areas in which the transmission of wild poliovirus has never been truncated). These countries are Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. ^ This descriptive study seeks to examine the process and progress of polio eradication worldwide, with particular emphasis on the polio eradication efforts in Nigeria, problems encountered and progress that has been made towards attaining this goal. ^ The methodology of this study is an extensive examination of documentation and data from the Global Initiative to Eradicate Poliomyelitis (GPEI), the World Health Organization through the World Health Organization Library Information Service (WHOLIS), UNICEF, the Centers for Disease Control and related peer reviewed journals. ^

Demographics of having a gun in the home in Columbia, SC as reported by women primary care patients

Objectives. To determine demographic correlates of having one or more guns in the household of women primary care patients in the southern USA. ^ Methods. All participants in this cross-sectional study were women aged 18-65 who were insured by either Medicaid or a managed care provider and had ever had an intimate sexual relationship with a male partner that lasted at least three months. Prevalence rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using stratified analyses for having a gun in the home and the following demographic factors: age, race, educational attainment, marital status, employment status, and alcohol/drug use. ^ Results. Twenty six percent of households had at least one gun and 6.5% had 3 or more guns. The following demographic characteristics of women were associated with having a gun in the household: age (>40) (prevalence rate ratio [PRR] = 1.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1–1.8); White race (PRR = 1.89; 95% CI = 1.61–2.27); currently being employed (PRR = 1.72; 95% CI = 1.22–2.44); higher education; and being insured by an HMO (PRR = 1.92; 95% CI = 1.47–2.50). Neither the partner's unemployment nor his substance use was associated with having a gun. While White households were more likely to have a gun, the same correlates of gun ownership held for both White and African-American households; being married or living as married and higher socio-economic status (i.e. HMO insurance and being employed) were strongly correlated with gun in the household. The following were correlated with having multiple guns in the household: White race (p < 0.0001); increased age (p = 0.005); being currently married or living as married (p < 0.0001); and HMO insured status (p < 0.0001). Among those households with at least one gun, White race and married or currently living as married were associated with having 2 or more guns relative to one gun in the household. ^ Conclusions. Currently living with a man and being of higher socio-economic status were strong correlates of household gun ownership among both Whites and African-Americans. Substance use was not associated with household gun ownership. ^

Patterns of homicide Houston: Texas, 1987

The situational and interpersonal characteristics of homicides occurring in Houston, Texas, during 1987 were investigated. A total of 328 cases were ascertained from the linking of police computer data, medical examiner's records, and death certificate information. The medical examiner's records contained all of the ascertained cases. The comparability ratio between the medical examiner's records and police and vital statistic data was 1.03 and 0.966, respectively. Data inconsistencies were found between the three information sources on Spanish surname, age, race/ethnicity, external cause of death coding, alcohol and drug involvement, weapon/method used, and Hispanic immigration status. Recommendations for improving the quality of homicide information gathered and for linking homicide surveillance systems were made.^ Males constituted 82% of all victims. The age-adjusted homicide rate for Blacks was 31.1 per 100,000 population, for Hispanics 19.2, and for Anglos 5.4. Among males, Blacks had an age-adjusted rate of 54.5, Hispanics, 31.0, and Anglos 7.5. Among females, Blacks had an age-adjusted rate of 9.3, Hispanics 6.1, and Anglos 3.1. Black males, ages 25-34, had the highest homicide rate, at 96.5.^ Half of all homicides occurred in a residence. Among Hispanic males, homicides occurred most often in the street. Firearms were used to commit 64% of the homicides. Arguments preceded 58% of all cases. Nearly two-thirds of the victims knew their assailant. Only 15% of males compared to 62% of females were killed by a spouse, an intimate acquaintance, or a family member. Blacks (93%) and Hispanics (88%) were more likely than Anglos (70%) to have been killed by persons of the same race/ethnicity. Nearly three-fourths of all Houston Hispanic homicide victims were foreign born.^ Alcohol was detected in 47% of the victims tested. Nearly one-third of those tested had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) greater than 100 mg%. Males (53%) were more likely than females (20%) to have positive BACs. Hispanic males (64%) were more likely to have detectable BACs than either Black (51%) or Anglo (44%) males.^ Illegal drugs were detected in 20% of the victims tested. One-fourth of the victims who tested positive for drugs had more than one drug in their system at death. The stimulant cocaine was the most commonly detected drug, comprising 53% of all illegal drugs identified.^ Recommendations for the primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of homicide and for future homicide research are made. ^

Satisfaction with medical care among Mexican-Americans (Hispanic HANES, 1982--1984)

This research focussed on the extent to which the characteristics of a sample of 8,554 Mexican-Americans affected their satisfaction with medical care by: (1) describing satisfaction with medical care among the population, (2) examining the relationships between satisfaction with health services and personal characteristics of the population, and (3) comparing the results of the research with the results of studies of personal health services in other times, places, and populations.^ The distribution of sex among this population was close to even with men representing 50.4%, however respondents over age 50 years represent 11.3% of the sample. The highest grade attended was found in the Elementary (37.9%), and 70% responded they have a good health. Ninety-three percent of the sample were attended to within thirty minutes they arrived at their clinic/health center. Eighty-two percent of the sample were "Very Satisfied" with the care they received during their last visit.^ Ten hypotheses were tested in this research. Females tend to be more satisfied than males; age was found to correlate with satisfaction with respondents over 40 years reporting more satisfaction levels; there was no correlation between education and satisfaction with the educated expressing more skepticism about medical care; respondents covered by Medicare or Medicaid were more satisfied; perceived health status rating was highly correlated with satisfaction; respondents who spent less than 30 minutes traveling to the clinic/health center were more satisfied while 82% of respondents who had less than 30 minutes waiting time expressed more satisfaction.^ As remarked by Hulka and Aday that responses to client satisfaction questionnaire often provided socially acceptable answers, the results found in this sample was therefore not surprising. The author recommends that instruments for the collection of information on client satisfaction should be studied and modified where applicable to reduce what John Ware termed Acquiescent Response Set (ARS)--a tendency to agree with statement of opinion regardless of content. ^

Information sources influencing urban Mexican-American women's cancer screening participation

Breast and cervical cancer, though less common in Mexican-American than in Anglo women, are more likely to go undetected in Mexican-American women, leaving them more vulnerable to advanced disease and death. Although highly effective screening tests--the Pap smear and the mammogram--can detect these cancers early, many Mexican-American women do not regularly undergo these preventive screening tests.^ To explore the differential influence of encouraging sources of health information, this investigation examined the relationship between encouragement from a "peer"--husband or partner, child or children, other family members, or close friends--and a "health professional"--a doctor, a nurse, or another health professional--on Mexican-American women's cancer screening intentions and behaviors. Furthermore, this research explored whether the sources' influence on cancer screening intentions and behaviors differed depending on level of acculturation.^ One thousand seven hundred eleven surveys of Mexican-American women were analyzed to identify the source that most effectively encourages these women to participate in cancer screening. The data provided evidence that health professionals strongly influenced this population's cancer screening intentions and behaviors. Evidence for peer influence was also found; however, it was usually weaker, and, in some cases, negligible. Peer encouragement was related to Pap test behaviors and mammogram intentions, but not to Pap test intentions or mammogram behaviors. Consistently, women reported greater intentions and screening behaviors when encouraged from a health professional than from a peer. Acculturation was not found to be a modifying variable related to the relationship between sources of information and Pap test or mammogram intentions and behaviors.^ Because health professionals were identified as strongly influencing both intentions and behaviors for Pap tests and mammograms, further efforts should be undertaken to urge them to encourage their clients to obtain cancer screening. Failure to provide this encouragement leads to missed opportunities. Enlisting support from peers also may help to increase cancer screening participation in urban Mexican-American women; however, the consistently greater intentions and behaviors related to a health professional's encouragement indicated the greater power of the latter. ^

Risk factors for diabetic retinopathy in Mexican Americans in Starr County, Texas

The prevalence of diabetes in Mexican Americans is disproportionately higher than in non-Hispanic whites. The rate of diabetic retinopathy resulting from prolonged diabetes is also greater in Mexican Americans than in non-Hispanic whites. A longitudinal study was carried out on data collected from Mexican Americans in Starr County, Texas to assess the association between socioeconomic and acculturation factors with diabetic retinopathy prevalence, incidence, and progression in those free of diabetic retinopathy or who had only early non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. A multivariable analysis was done. ^ The incidence rate was 12.78 cases per year and the progression rate was 8.55 cases per year. The baseline characteristics of the population revealed that more people with occupations synonymous with lower income jobs like trade workers and machine operators had early non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. A multivariable analysis revealed that those with early non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy were more likely to have been born in Mexico as compared to those free of diabetic retinopathy. Surprisingly, a multivariable analysis also showed that those that progressed in diabetic retinopathy disease status were more likely to have been employed as compared to those that did not. ^ This analysis reveals that Mexican Americans are heterogeneous in socioeconomic and acculturation factors that may be used to deter the incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy severity. These findings could be targeted to create culturally sensitive intervention programs that will improve the detection and treatment of diabetic retinopathy in the work arena in addition to programs that will impact those that do not work. Workplace preventative health screenings and dissemination of language-specific informational brochures is warranted to curb the rates of progression in those employed. ^ A limitation of this study is the narrow surrogates used for assessing socioeconomic and acculturation status. To fully evaluate these variables, a study using a questionnaire with a multitude of surrogates for socioeconomic and acculturation factors should be employed.^

Evaluation of memory B cells among perinatally HIV infected children from Houston Texas

Background: HIV associated B cell exhaustion is a notable characteristic of HIV viremic adults. However, it is not known if such alterations are present in perinatal HIV infected children, whose viral dynamics differs from those seen in adults. In the present study we perform an analysis of B cells subsets and measure antigen-specific memory B cells (MBC) in a pediatric HIV infected cohort. ^ Methods: Peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) of perinatal HIV infected individuals are characterized into naïve (CD21hi/CD27−), classic (CD27+), tissue like (CD21lo/CD27 −) and activated MBC (CD27+CD21− ) by FACS. A memory ELISPOT assay is used to detect antibody secreting cells. We measure total IgG and antibodies specific for influenza, HBV, mumps, measles, rubella and VZV. Memory was expressed as spot forming cells (SPC) /million of PBMC. Wilcoxon rank-sum was used to compare unpaired groups and linear regression analysis was used to determine predictors of B cell dysfunction ^ Results: 41 HIV perinatal infected children are included (51.2% females and 65.9% Black). Age at study is median (range) 8.78 years (4.39-11.57). At the time of testing they have a CD4% of 30.9 (23.2-39.4), a viral load (VL) of 1.95 log10 copies/ml (1.68-3.29) and a cumulative VL of 3.4 log10 copy × days (2.7-4.0). Ninety two percent of the children are on cARV for > 6 months. Overall, HIV+ children compared with controls have a significant lower number of IgG and antigen specific SFC. In addition, they have a lower proportion of classical MBC 12.9 (8.09-19.85) vs 29.4 (18.7-39.05); 0.01, but a significant higher proportion of tissue like memory MBC 6.01 (2.79-12.7) vs 0.99 (0.87-1.38); 0.003, compared with controls. Patients are parsed on VL (<400 and ≥ 400 copies/ml) with the objective to evaluate the effect of VL on B cell status. Patients with a VL ≥ 400 copies/ml have a significantly lower IgG, HBV, measles, rubella and VZV SPC compared with those with a VL < 400 copies/ml. There are no significant differences in B cell subpopulations between the groups. A moderate negative correlation was observed between the time of cARV initiation and the frequency of IgG memory B cells, suggesting that early initiation of cARV appears to lead to a better functionality of the IgG memory B cells (P=0.05). A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between the total number of IgG memory cells and the number of antigen-specific memory B cells/SPCs. Suggesting that the progressive recovery of the IgG memory B cell pull goes along with a progressive increase in the number of antigen-specific SPCs. ^ Conclusion: A pediatric cohort in overall good status with respect to HIV infection and on ART has defects in B cell function and numbers (reduced total and antigen specific MBC and increased tissue like and reduced classical MBC).^

Study on the effect of metformin in patients of metastatic renal cell cancer with diabetes receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy

Objective: The primary objective of our study was to study the effect of metformin in patients of metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC) and diabetes who are on treatment with frontline therapy of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The effect of therapy was described in terms of overall survival and progression free survival. Comparisons were made between group of patients receiving metformin versus group of patients receiving insulin in diabetic patients of metastatic renal cancer on frontline therapy. Exploratory analyses were also done comparing non-diabetic patients of metastatic renal cell cancer receiving frontline therapy compared to diabetic patients of metastatic renal cell cancer receiving metformin therapy. ^ Methods: The study design is a retrospective case series to elaborate the response rate of frontline therapy in combination with metformin for mRCC patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The cohort was selected from a database, which was generated for assessing the effect of tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy associated hypertension in metastatic renal cell cancer at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Patients who had been started on frontline therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma from all ethnic and racial backgrounds were selected for the study. The exclusion criteria would be of patients who took frontline therapy for less than 3 months or were lost to follow-up. Our exposure variable was treatment with metformin, which comprised of patients who took metformin for the treatment of type 2 diabetes at any time of diagnosis of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The outcomes assessed were last available follow-up or date of death for the overall survival and date of progression of disease from their radiological reports for time to progression. The response rates were compared by covariates that are known to be strongly associated with renal cell cancer. ^ Results: For our primary analyses between the insulin and metformin group, there were 82 patients, out of which 50 took insulin therapy and 32 took metformin therapy for type 2 diabetes. For our exploratory analysis, we compared 32 diabetic patients on metformin to 146 non-diabetic patients, not on metformin. Baseline characteristics were compared among the population. The time from the start of treatment until the date of progression of renal cell cancer and date of death or last follow-up were estimated for survival analysis. ^ In our primary analyses, there was a significant difference in the time to progression of patients receiving metformin therapy vs insulin therapy, which was also seen in our exploratory analyses. The median time to progression in primary analyses was 1259 days (95% CI: 659-1832 days) in patients on metformin therapy compared to 540 days (95% CI: 350-894) in patients who were receiving insulin therapy (p=0.024). The median time to progression in exploratory analyses was 1259 days (95% CI: 659-1832 days) in patients on metformin therapy compared to 279 days (95% CI: 202-372 days) in non-diabetic group (p-value <0.0001). ^ The median overall survival was 1004 days in metformin group (95% CI: 761-1212 days) compared to 816 days (95%CI: 558-1405 days) in insulin group (p-value<0.91). For the exploratory analyses, the median overall survival was 1004 days in metformin group (95% CI: 761-1212 days) compared to 766 days (95%CI: 649-965 days) in the non-diabetic group (p-value<0.78). Metformin was observed to increase the progression free survival in both the primary and exploratory analyses (HR=0.52 in metformin Vs insulin group and HR=0.36 in metformin Vs non-diabetic group, respectively). ^ Conclusion: In laboratory studies and a few clinical studies metformin has been proven to have dual benefits in patients suffering from cancer and type 2-diabetes via its action on the mammalian target of Rapamycin pathway and effect in decreasing blood sugar by increasing the sensitivity of the insulin receptors to insulin. Several studies in breast cancer patients have documented a beneficial effect (quantified by pathological remission of cancer) of metformin use in patients taking treatment for breast cancer therapy. Combination of metformin therapy in patients taking frontline therapy for renal cell cancer may provide a significant benefit in prolonging the overall survival in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer and diabetes. ^

Correlates of prenatal care initiation among low -income Hispanic women

Because Hispanic women are even less likely than women of other ethnic groups to receive early prenatal care, the purpose of this study was to identify factors that may influence these women to initiate care. After giving consent, 300 Hispanic women (100 who initiated first trimester care, 100 who initiated second trimester care, and 100 who initiated third trimester care or received no care) were interviewed in the post partum unit of a local public hospital. The interview included recollection of events leading to the first prenatal appointment, including first physical indicators of pregnancy, confirmation of pregnancy, feelings about the pregnancy, appointment making behavior, and system barriers encountered. The Health Belief Model was used as the theoretical framework for determining psychosocial variables. Using this model, perceived susceptibility to problems during pregnancy, perceived seriousness of possible problems, perceived benefits of prenatal care, perceived barriers to care, and cues to action were assessed. Time of entry into prenatal care was assessed by interview.^ In this sample of low-income Hispanic women, a higher perception of barriers to care was associated with later initiation of care and non-use of care, higher perceived benefits of care for the baby were associated with earlier care, especially in women without a card to access hospital district services, and having a card to access hospital district services was associated with earlier care. Several barriers to care were mentioned by women on open-ended questioning including long waiting times, embarrassment, and lack of transportation.^ Recommendations for practice included decreasing the number of visits for low-risk women while increasing the time spent with the provider, decreasing the number of vaginal exams for low-risk women, increasing the use of midwives, training lay workers to do risk assessment, giving specific messages about benefits of care to baby, and increasing general health motivation through community intervention methods. More research on the psychosocial and cultural factors associated with initiation of care is needed. In the meantime, the recommendations for practice can be implemented now to increase the use of prenatal care by low-income Hispanic women. ^

Visión inusual de la violencia : la perspectiva infantil en la novela contemporánea de Colombia y de la República Dominicana

La violencia en todas sus dimensiones ha ocupado tarde o temprano la pluma de los escritores del Caribe y de América Latina, quienes con estilos disímiles y diversas estrategias discursivas encontraron en la labor literaria la libertad expresiva negada, en la mayoría de los casos, por su contexto social. La relativa distancia temporal de estos acontecimientos no significa que los intelectuales de los ’90 hasta el presente hayan dado una vuelta de página a la historia de tales sucesos cuyas consecuencias aún hoy se advierten y padecen. La literatura de Colombia y de la República Dominicana no son una excepción. Señorita del escritor colombiano Gonzalo España (1996) filtra la violencia de los años cincuenta de su país a través de la memoria de un niño, voz narrativa que actúa como un catalizador positivo del pasado. Mudanza de los sentidos de Ángela Hernández (2001) se distingue por la inocente perspectiva de una niña quien, al relatar el mundo de la tiranía de Rafael Leonidas Trujillo en la República Dominicana, cuenta su propia historia. Los distintos ritmos narrativos, el particular lenguaje y las diversas estrategias literarias permitirán analizar la importancia de elegir una perspectiva infantil para relatar los hechos de la violencia. La ruptura con los tradicionales personajes colectivos de las novelas que ficcionalizan hechos y personajes históricos amplía las posibilidades críticas y reflexivas que la expresión literaria ofrece sobre los hechos sociales y sobre el mismo arte de escribir.

Telurismo, Vanguardia y Tiempo Literario en Doña Bárbara

Para legitimar su propia modernidad, los escritores y críticos asociados al Boom solían describir a Rómulo Gallegos como un autor arcaico, neonaturalista o neorromántico, todavía activo en el siglo XX. Este artículo se propone reconstruir el horizonte de expectativas que cimentó el prestigio inicial de Doña Bárbara. Se argumenta que su éxito se debió al menos parcialmente a la proximidad —que después dejaría de percibirse con claridad— entre el regionalismo o mundonovismo y la estética de vanguardia. La comprensión del interés de Gallegos en la cinematografía resulta esencial para entender dichas afinidades.

High-resolution multi-proxy record of the last glacial period from Lake Van, eastern Anatolian high plateau, Turkey

Detailed analyses of the Lake Van pollen, Ca/K ratio and stable oxygen isotope record allow the identification of millennial-scale vegetation and environmental changes in eastern Anatolia throughout the last glacial (~75-15 ka BP). The climate within the last glacial was cold and dry, with low arboreal pollen (AP) levels. The driest and coldest period corresponds to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 (~28-14.5 ka BP) dominated by the highest values of xerophytic steppe vegetation. Our high-resolution multi proxy record shows rapid expansions and contractions of tree populations that reflects variability in temperature and moisture availability. This rapid vegetation and environmental changes can be linked to the stadial-interstadial pattern of the Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) events as recorded in the Greenland ice cores. Periods of reduced moisture availability were characterized by enhanced xerophytic species and high terrigenous input from the Lake Van catchment area. Furthermore, comparison with the marine realm reveals that the complex atmosphere-ocean interaction can be explained by the strength and position of the westerlies, which is responsible for the supply of humidity in eastern Anatolia. Influenced by diverse topography of the Lake Van catchment, larger DO interstadials (e.g. DO 19, 17-16, 14, 12 and 8) show the highest expansion of temperate species within the last glacial. However, Heinrich events (HE), characterized by highest concentrations of ice-rafted debris (IRD) in marine sediments, are identified in eastern Anatolia by AP values not lower and high steppe components not more abundant than during DO stadials. In addition, this work is a first attempt to establish a continuous microscopic charcoal record over the last glacial in the Near East, which documents an initial immediate response to millennial-scale climate and environmental variability and enables us to shed light on the history of fire activity during the last glacial.

Textos y contextos en narraciones orales de migrantes provincianos

La tesis se centra en el estudio de las narraciones orales de migrantes provincianos, afincados en el conurbano platense, desde 1940. Las narraciones orales se denominan, en esta tesis, de retroalimentación ya que narradores y receptores recrean su origen, sus estrategias de reinserción en una nueva comunidad y de supervivencia de sus tradiciones. Estos textos han sido considerados de acuerdo con su problemática genérica (Bajtin; 1979) como narraciones de ficción (cuentos, chistes, fábulas) y de no-ficción (crónicas personales, anécdotas) y, asimismo, observar procesos de entextualización, cuando una misma narración presenta caracteres de ambas clasificaciones. De este modo, cada texto delimita su género en la situación de narración (Bauman y Briggs: 2003) Dichas narraciones deben ser analizadas por sus contextos de enunciación (Bausinger: 1988, 8-28). Los contextos de enunciación, según Hermann Bausinger, son textual, la conversación en sí misma, situacional, las circunstancias de emisores y receptores, social, del grupo de narración, de su grupo de pertenencia y de los grupos con los que interactúa, y societal, en cuanto a las relaciones con la sociedad mayoritaria son fundamentales al punto de que dos versiones de una misma narración se analizan de acuerdo con contextos de enunciación diferentes, con significaciones sociales disímiles. Dentro de los contextos de enunciación, la tesis propone el análisis del contexto ideológico (Coto: 2008), como signo de la intersubjetividad entre narradores y receptores. El contexto ideológico se analiza a partir de la selección de lexemas relevantes con sus definiciones contextuales, para constituir redes de enunciados, que revelan la ideología de narradores y receptores. La tesis propone establecer una matriz ideológica individual y grupal, observando los lexemas recurrentes en versiones de una misma narración, sus adiciones, supresiones y cambios de significación. Además, los textos puede compararse de acuerdo con sus relaciones intratextuales, intertextuales y extratextuales, en el marco de la genética textual (Palleiro: 2004). Finalmente, la tesis propone una metodología de análisis de las narrativas orales, en el marco de la cultura popular, tradicional y folklórica, con la observación de estrategias narrativas y macrorreglas (Van Dijk: 1983), estilo y (Kerbrat-Orecchioni: 1983) y representatividad sociolingüística. (Van Dijk: 1999 y Magariños: 1993). Estas consideraciones prueban la importancia de esta tesis para los intelectuales dedicados al análisis del discurso y a la interpretación de discursos sociales de grupos minoritarios, es decir, docentes, narradores orales, sociólogos y antropólogos. Asimismo, puede ser muy útil para animadores culturales y comunicadores sociales. La tesis postula continuar estos estudios, observando las relaciones entre narrativas de ficción y de no ficción, como el rumor, la leyenda urbana y la crónica periodística