1202. Chagas Disease Awareness in a Hispanic Community of the Greater New Orleans Area

Background Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease responsible for severe disease burden in Latin American countries (≥ 6 million cases). It is increasingly reported in the Southern United States, with an estimated 89,410 human cases (nationwide estimate: 300,000), many of them acquired in endemic zones in Latin America. Methods Cross-sectional study to assess the change in knowledge about Chagas disease and triatomine vectors among Hispanic immigrants living in the Greater New Orleans area. All consented participants answered the baseline questionnaire, then received a short video presentation, and completed a post-test to evaluate change in knowledge. Consents, online questionnaires and training were administered in Spanish and English, as needed. Frequencies were computed to describe differences in demographic variables and questions in the pre-posttest. Data was analyzed with R software. Results A total of 64 adults (66% women, median age 58 years) completed the pre-post tests and attended the educational intervention. Participants have been living in the US for an average of 23 years and represented 11 countries. Majority were born in Honduras (27%) followed by Nicaragua (16%), United States (13%), Colombia (11%), Ecuador (9%), Guatemala (6%), Mexico (6%) and other counties (12%). Most participants recalled exposure to Chagas disease vectors. Although in the pre-test about half reported ever seeing a Triatomine, less than 20% correctly identified one of three images of a Triatomine provided in the questionnaire. Knowledge about how the disease is transmitted to humans increased from pre to posttest. While higher percentages of men (80%) than women (69%) answered correctly at the pre-test, in the post-test higher percentages of women (97%) than men (95%) responded correctly. In addition, 98% of participants reported that the presentation was clear, 85% would like to learn more about Chagas Disease, and 100% would like to be screened. Conclusion Results indicate the positive impact that an educational intervention may have on the knowledge about the disease. Considering the high percentage of Hispanic immigrants in US, increasing awareness of Chagas disease may contribute in the prevention and early detection of the disease among this high-risk population. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Rejection-Identification: An Examination of Group-Level and Individual-Level Discrimination Among Hispanic Immigrants

This study investigates the Rejection-Identification Model (RIM) by examining impacts of group-level and personal experiences with discrimination on different measures of ethnic identity and cultural importance among Hispanic immigrants. The RIM is used to describe associations between discrimination and increased ethnic identity and the mediating role of ethnicity on negative outcomes of discrimination. Growing empirical support for the RIM has prompted inquiry into its application among different populations, including immigrants who face numerous types of discrimination. Using the Latino Immigrant National Election Survey, the study found that the perception of group-level discrimination was associated with a higher likelihood of reporting Hispanic identity importance, however, personal experiences with discrimination were not. Further, results showed that neither type of discrimination impacted cultural or Spanish language maintenance importance. This paper discusses the implications of these findings and how the protective factors presented by the RIM may vary among populations and when considering personal and group-level discrimination.

Evaluation of 2 Lateral Flow Rapid Tests in the Diagnosis of Chagas Disease in the Washington Metropolitan Area

We compared the accuracy of the Stat-Pak and Chagas Detect Plus with a latent class analysis. Sensitivity values of 89.7% and 91.9% and specificities of 97.1% and 80.3%, respectively, were seen in the serodiagnosis of Chagas disease in Hispanic immigrants, revealing the limitations of these tests in diverse populations.

Hispanic/Latino Immigrant Women's Social Stressors

The United States has seen a large influx of immigrants in recent years, with Latino/ Hispanic immigrants making up slightly more than half of immigrants. This chapter identifies the major social stressors of Hispanic immigrant women, including language barrier, housing, lack of social networks, and sexual exploitation. This chapter includes a section on best practices and strategies for working with Latino/Hispanic women and families.