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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Lindsay Lombard, BS and Ranjita Misra, PhD. Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, 4243 TAMU, 158P Read Building, College Station, TX 77843, 979-845-8756, misra@hlkn.tamu.edu

Asian Indians, the 3rd largest Asian subgroup in the US, have a genetic predisposition to diabetes. Westernized lifestyle may compound risk factors as well as prevalence of the disease. Unlike other immigrants, there is extreme heterogeneity with recent immigrants comprised of both highly educated professionals as well as individuals who lack education and job skills. This paper presents health promotion behaviors from the first randomized population-based (national) study of Asian Indian immigrants in seven US sites (n=1855). The revised Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II was used to measure participants' health-promoting behaviors. This instrument measured 6 dimensions: interpersonal relationships, nutrition, health responsibility, physical activity, stress management, and spiritual growth. A total score as well as individual subscores were computed. In general, individuals responded "sometimes" to "often" for the lifestyle behaviors. Health promotion behaviors were especially low for physical activity and health responsibility as compared to other dimensions of health behaviors. Bivariate analysis showed significant differences between the normal (0-99mg/dl), pre-diabetic (100-125mg/dl), and diabetic („d126mg/dl) individuals in total score and four of the six subscales. However, controlling for the respondent's age, education, gender, BMI, years of residency in the US, family history of diabetes, and knowledge of diabetes risk factors, the groups only differed in the total health promotion score, health responsibility, physical activity, and stress management. Pre-diabetics exhibited a healthier lifestyle behavior compared to the other two groups. Conclusion: Lack of health promotion behaviors may contribute to an already increased risk for diabetes and requires culturally oriented health education for this high-risk population.

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