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

Abstract #109066

Janine Jurkowski, MPH, PhD, Health Policy, Management, & Behavior, University at Albany School of Public Health, 1 University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144, 518-402-0420, jjurkowski@albany.edu and Yesenia Rivera, MS, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1919 W. Taylor St, 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60608.

The number of Latinos living in the United States is growing rapidly. Health research on Latinos in general has become widespread. Most of which has been conducted in the Southwest and California, but less is known about culture-bound health beliefs of Latinas, especially aging Latina caregivers of adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) living in northern urban areas like Chicago. This study was guided by the Ecological Model. Caregivers, agency staff, community leaders, and Latinos with ID participated in the study to obtain a multilevel view of culturally bound beliefs. This abstract focuses on the caregivers. Focus groups guided by the Health Belief Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior were conducted to understand health beliefs in the words of aging Latina caregivers. Groups were conducted in the evening in Spanish and English at a community agency serving Latinos with ID. Aging Latina caregivers described health mentally and socially in addition to physical health. Previous public health literature on Latino cultural beliefs indicated Latinos were fatalistic, but this study identified more complexity in beliefs. Faith in God and praying to God for help were important, but they also felt that they could control their own health behaviorally. Latina caregivers reported chronic diseases such as osteoporosis and hypertension. They had knowledge of the importance of healthy behaviors such as physical activity and obtaining screenings for chronic disease risk factors, however, competing demands of family and caregiving roles, work and negative views about going to the doctor influenced healthy choices.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the presentation, the participant will be able to (
• identify culturally based beliefs about health of aging Latina caregivers; (
• understand social and family priorities that affect the healthy choices of aging Latina caregivers; and (
• describe how community collaboration improves research to address health disparities among aging Latina caregivers.

Keywords: Latinas, 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.