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

Abstract #103461

Maureen Sanderson, MPH, PhD¹, Maria E. Fernandez, PhD², Ronald J. (RJ) Dutton, PhD³, Arlette Ponder³, and Dina Sosa⁴. (1) Epidemiology, University of Texas- Houston School of Public Health at Brownsville, 80 Fort Brown, RAHC Building, Room 2.202A, Brownsville, TX 78520, 956-554-5162, msanderson@utb.edu, (2) Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas Houston, 7000 Fannin, School of Public Health UCT 2558, Houston, TX 77030, (3) Office of Border Health, Texas Department of State Health Services, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756, (4) Public Health Region 11, Texas Department of State Health Services, 601 West Sesame Drive, Harlingen, TX 78550

Objectives: To examine whether risk behaviors among non-Hispanic whites residing on the Texas-Mexico border were comparable with those of non-border non-Hispanic whites or with those of border Mexican Americans. Methods: We compared 1999-2003 data from the Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) among 15 Texas-Mexico border counties (n=2,243) with the BRFSS among the remaining 239 non-border counties (n=21,837). Results: Compared to non-border non-Hispanic white males, border non-Hispanic white and males were more likely to be overweight (odds ratio [OR] 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.59) and less likely to be physically inactive (OR 0.70; 95% CI 0.53-0.94). Although not significant, border non-Hispanic white females were less likely to engage in heavy drinking (OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.22-1.74) than non-border non-Hispanic white females. Conclusions: For the most part, risk behaviors appeared to be more similar among members of the same ethnic group than among residents of the same geographic area.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• List two risk behaviors whose prevalence appears to be similar among non-Hispanic white and Mexican American males living on the Texas-Mexico border.
• List two risk behaviors whose prevalence appears to be similar among non-Hispanic white and Mexican American females living on the Texas-Mexico border.

Keywords: Hispanic, Epidemiology

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.

Recorded presentation