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

Abstract #103297

Katherine L. Tucker, PhD, USDA/Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, 711 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111, 617-556-3351, katherine.tucker@tufts.edu

We identified significant health disparities, particulary among Puerto Rican women relative to non-Hispanic white women, in a representative survey of Hispanic adults, aged 60+ y, in the state of Massachusetts. Puerto Rican women were more than twice as likely to have type 2 diabetes and depressive symptomatology relative to non-Hispanic white women. They were also significantly more likely to have difficulty with activities of daily living and to show evidence of cognitive decline. Nutritional evaluation showed greater prevalence of low plasma vitamin B12 and serum ferritin, and dietary intakes high in refined carbohydrate with low diversity and nutrient density. Poverty and language isolation were prevalent in this mainly island born group of Puerto Rican women. In response to these observations, we developed the Boston Puerto Rican Center on Population Health and Health Disparities, with the hypothesis that continual stress leads to high "allostatic load" or wear and tear on the body that, along with poor nutrition, leads to the earlier appearance of chronic conditions. This will be examined in a longitudinal cohort of more than 1000 Puerto Rican adults, aged 50-75 years at baseline. Genetic analyses are included to examine diet-gene interactions in relation to health risk. An ethnographic component will aid interpretation of quantitative data, and pilot nutrition interventions, with multivitamins and with fruit and vegetables, will be completed on subgroups. We expect the results of this research to contribute to programs to reduce health disparities for this high risk group.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the presentation, the participant will be able to (
• describe differences in prevalence of several chronic conditions between Puerto Rican and non-Hispanic white women living in the northeastern US; and (
• describe hypothesized causal factors, including nutrition and stress, under investigation.

Keywords: Hispanic, Health Disparities

Related Web page: hnrcwww.hnrc.tufts.edu/departments/labs/prchd/index.html

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.