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

Abstract #108029

Ziya Gizlice, PhD, NC- Division of Public Health, 1908 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1908, Sara Huston, PhD, NC Division of Public Health, 1908 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1908, and C. Annette DuBard, MD, Preventive Medicine Residency Program/ School of Public Health Dept. of Health Policy and Administration, University of North Carolina, 1621 Spring Lily Lane, Hillsborough, NC 27278, 919-643-1674, annettedubard@hotmail.com.

Objectives: American Indians have relatively high death rates from several diseases and North Carolina (NC) has the eighth largest American Indian population among all states. However, no statewide information regarding NC American Indian health risks has existed. We examined health risks among adult NC American Indians compared to whites and African Americans. Methods: We used 2002-2003 NC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data to calculate age-adjusted percentages and adjusted odds ratios for 20 health indicators. Results: Seventeen of 20 age-adjusted indicators showed significant disparity between American Indians and whites: diabetes (14.1% vs. 6.8%), high blood pressure (40.2% vs. 26.6%), asthma (16.4% vs. 11.1%), arthritis (36.3% vs. 29.1%), obesity (33.2% vs. 20.9%), physical activity less than the recommended level (71.0% vs. 59.0%), no leisure-time physical activity (32.4% vs. 23.7%), eating less than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables/day (80.3% vs.74.8%), no flu shot in past year (73.0% vs. 66.1%), no current health insurance (19.2% vs. 13.4%), unable to see a doctor due to cost (29.4% vs. 12.4%), no personal doctor (21.8% vs. 16.4%), fair or poor health (25.9% vs. 17.5%), disability (38.5% vs. 24.9%), 14+ poor mental health days/month (13.9% vs. 8.8%), 14+ poor physical health days/month (14.2% vs. 9.7%), 14+ activity-limited days/month (11.6% vs. 5.7%). Differences persisted after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics.

Conclusions: NC American Indian adults have significantly higher rates of chronic conditions and risk factors, less access to health care, and lower quality of life compared to whites, and similar rates to those of African Americans.

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