Importance of Family Health History as a Risk Factor and Prevention Strategy for Type 2 Diabetes among African Americans and Latinos

Background: In 2002, the CDC Office of Public Health Genomics and Surgeon General proposed an initiative to increase awareness of family history as a major risk for common chronic diseases such as diabetes. Family history may be associated with risk awareness and risk-reducing behaviors; however, few local studies involve African Americans (AA) and Latinos. Purpose: Highlight the importance of family health history as risk factor, confirming the use of findings of a local community survey conducted among AA and Latinos with type 2 diabetes in southeast Chicago communities. Methods: A randomized bilingual English-Spanish telephone survey was conducted by the Center. A sample of 961 out of 7,700 telephone numbers was selected from southeast Chicago neighborhoods. Respondents were asked if they had Type 2 diabetes, their family history of diabetes, other risk factors and lifestyle practices, and self-management strategies. The survey was analyzed using SPSS. Results: 57.0% of respondents were AA and 27.7% Latino. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 13% for AA and 10.9% for Latinos. AAs and Latinos with combined high and moderate familial risk of diabetes were more likely to report a diagnosis of diabetes (Odds Ratio (OR): 4.5, 95% CI: 2.7, 7.3; OR: 3.2, 95% CI: 1.6, 6.6, respectively) then those with average risk. Implications: Sharing local assessment findings with local community coalitions may help to develop public health initiatives to identify persons with diabetes risk and promote family history as a prevention behavior change strategies for and with African Americans and Latinos with diabetes.