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

Abstract #107116

Guadalupe X. Ayala, PhD, MPH¹, Barbara A. Laraia, PhD, MPH, RD², Deanna Kepka¹, and India Ornelas, MPH¹. (1) Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, CB #7440, Rosenau Hall 315, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440, 919-843-8043, gxayala@email.unc.edu, (2) Department of Nutrition, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carolina Population Center, CB #8120, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8120

With the rise of obesity and diabetes, especially among disadvantaged populations, health promotion researchers continually seek new settings for implementing community-based interventions. We will report the results of a qualitative study of local tiendas (Mexican grocery stores) that investigated their potential to serve as intervention venues.

Using several data sources (e.g., USDA, ReferenceUSA database, Spanish-language newspapers) and windshield tours, we identified 41 tiendas serving the Latino population in three North Carolina counties. Within each identified tienda, we collected data from three sources using the following methods: tienda manager in-depth interviews (tape recorded and transcribed); tienda customer intercept interviews; and tienda observations including a food shelf inventory.

Most of the tiendas were open 7 days/week and offered a variety of goods and services. Some of the tiendas had fresh fruits (58%) and vegetables (68%), an onsite butcher (21%), and/or hot ready-to-eat foods (26%). However, few tiendas offered low-fat or low calories options (e.g., milk, mayonnaise, tuna, soda). The managers' mean age was 35.88 (SD=8.3), 47% had less than a high school education, and 88% were from Mexico, Central or South America. The managers reported owning the tienda a median of 2 years (Range: 6 months to 20 years) and having contact with customers 83% of their day (SD=17%). The managers were very receptive to proposed intervention activities, in particular those that promoted more customer traffic, improved business practices (e.g., employee training), and increased their visibility in the community. Tiendas are a potentially viable setting for delivering a multi-level health promotion intervention.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess tiendas as a site for a health promotion intervention.
• List intervention activities that tienda managers were most receptive to carrying out in their stores.

Keywords: Hispanic, Community-Based Health Promotion

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