267032 Diabetes Risk and Health Literacy among African American and Hispanic/Latino Women

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 5:10 PM - 5:30 PM

Debra Wallace, PhD, RN, FAAN , School of Nursing, University of North Carolina - Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
Luba Louise Ivanov, RN, PhD , School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
Christina Hernandez, RN, PhD , School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
Yolanda Wall, RN, PhD , School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
Background: This research examined diabetes risk and the relationship to health literacy among African Americans (AA) and Latino women. The National Healthcare Quality Report and the National Health Disparities Report identify health literacy as a health access indicator. Diabetes affects 18.7% of AAs over the age of 20 and they are three times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites. Latinos are 1.7 times more likely to develop diabetes as non-Hispanic whites. Method(s): Cox's Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior guided the cross sectional study. Seventy five women who were 25 years and older and AA or Hispanic/Latino were recruited. Socioeconomic and demographic factors, biomarkers (BMI, BP, HbA1c) and health history were measured. Consumer Assessment Item Set for Addressing Health Literacy (AHRQ 2009) English and Spanish versions were used. T-test and chi-square examined racial/ethnic group differences. Linear regression examined the combined relationships of socioeconomic and demographic factors to health literacy and diabetes risk. Results: Forty three percent were AA and 57% Latino. Mean age was 49.6 years. Thirty nine percent were self- identified as having high BP, 27% had diabetes, and 90% were overweight or obese. More than half of the women had 2 or more diabetes risks. AA women had higher diabetes risk (t=5.5318, p<.000). Health literacy was not different between the groups. Marital status, difficulty paying bills, and health literacy were predictors of diabetic risk. Conclusions: Minority women have differences in diabetes risk, but not health literacy. Culture specific interventions are needed to prevent diabetes risk.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe risk factors for diabetes among African Americans and Latinos. 2. Analyze health literacy between African Americans and Latinos. 3. Identify culture specific interventions to prevent diabetes risk.

Keywords: Health Disparities, Diabetes

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract Author on the content I am responsible for because I was involved in collecting the data for this study and analyzing it.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.