Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #101697

Sarah E. Boslaugh, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8208, McDonnell Pediatric Research Building, St. Louis, MO 63110, 214-286-1022, boslaugh_s@kids.wustl.edu

Indicators of health and health behaviors frequently differ by race and ethnic group, and most public health surveys include questions whose purpose is to classify people into racial or ethnic categories. For instance the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) has been collecting information separately on race and Hispanic origin since 1984. In analysis, sometimes ‘Hispanic' is treated as a quasi-racial category, which is problematic since it ignores potential differences between, for instance, Black and White Hispanics. We analyzed the 2003 BRFSS data for Hispanics who indicated their race as White (n=10,077) Black (n=1,110) or Other Race (n=6,910) to see if race was a significant predictor of health risk factors and behaviors among Hispanics, after controlling for age, sex, income and education. We found that Black, as compared to White, Hispanics, were significantly more likely to have high blood pressure (OR=1.4), to be overweight or obese (OR=1.4), to be physically inactive (OR=1.2) and those over 65 were less likely to have had a flu shot in the last year (OR=1.8) or to have ever received a pneumonia shot (OR=1.9). Hispanics who classified themselves as ‘Other Race', compared to White Hispanics, were significantly more likely to lack health insurance (OR=1.3), less likely to have been diagnosed with high blood pressure (OR=0.88), and more likely to be overweight or obese (OR=1.1). These results suggest that ‘Hispanic' should not be treated as a quasi-racial category but should be used in conjunction with race to understand the health risks of the Hispanic population.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the distinction between racial and ethnic classifications
• Understand the costs of treating 'Hispanic' as a quasi-racial category when studying health risks and behaviors

Keywords: Hispanic, Health Disparities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.