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

Abstract #110111

Ruby Godina¹, Gloria Coronado, PhD¹, Beti Thompson, PhD², and Silvia Tejeda, MPH¹. (1) Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, 206/667-7911, rgodina@fhcrc.org, (2) Cancer Prevention Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess differences in type 2 diabetes prevalence, risk factors, and self-management practices among Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Whites living in a rural setting.

Research Design and Methods: Data are from a community randomized intervention study on cancer prevention. This study conducted in-person interviews in 20 communities in the Lower Yakima Valley, of Washington State. A total of 1,863 participants completed an interview that included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, cancer screening practices, lifestyle behaviors, and diabetes self-management and treatment practices.

Results: A total of 70 Hispanics, (11% age-adjusted prevalence) and 89 non-Hispanic Whites, (7.3% age-adjusted prevalence) had type 2 diabetes. Older Hispanics and those with Medicare were more likely to report type 2 diabetes than those who were younger or did not have health insurance. These socioeconomic factors were not associated with diabetes prevalence among non-Hispanic Whites. Among Hispanics, those having a high level of acculturation were slightly more likely to have diabetes, compared to those with a low level of acculturation. Hispanics were significantly less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to treat their diabetes with diet and exercise 36% compared to 61.3% (p value =.001). Annual eye examinations were less commonly reported among Hispanics (48.9%) than among non-Hispanic Whites (72.7%).

Conclusions: Our data indicate that Hispanics engage less frequently in self-management practices to control diabetes than non-Hispanic Whites. Differences in self-management practices may, in part, explain the relative high risk for diabetes complications among Hispanics.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify differences in self-management of type 2 diabetes among Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites.
• Recognize obstacles to proper management of type 2 diabetes among Hispanics living in a rural setting.

Keywords: Hispanic, Diabetes

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.