Online Program

326413
How Do Asian Indians with Family History of Diabetes Perceive their Risk?


Monday, November 2, 2015

Ranjita Misra, PhD, CHES, FASHA, Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, West Virginia University, School of Public Health, Morgantown, WV
Thakor Patel, MD, Nephrology, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
Objective: South Asians are at higher risk for diabetes due to family history of diabetes, higher percent body fat, insulin resistance and westernized lifestyle. This study used the validated 7-item diabetes risk assessment survey developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2) glycosylated A1c test, and (3) participant’s self-perceptions of diabetes risk to assess if perceptions are accurately based on risk scores. Research Design and Methods: This analysis comprised of 886 Asian Indians without diabetes from the Diabetes among Asian Indians (DIA) study sites in seven US sites (mean age and residency in the US was 48.16 and 12 years respectively). Results: Having a family history of diabetes was weakly associated with risk perceptions for getting diabetes (r=0.188, P<0.001). Family history of diabetes showed 10% reported diabetes in one or more sibling; 34% among one parent and 6% with both parents. Fifty-four percent had higher risk due to sedentary lifestyle and 51.6% for older age. Based on the 7-item risk score, Logistic regression showed that controlling for known risk factors (obesity, age, hypertension, physical activity, acculturation), individuals with family history of diabetes perceived higher risk for developing diabetes (OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.23– 2.46). Males, age, hypertension and English proficiency were significantly associated in the model. Conclusion: These results suggest screening for immigrants Asian Indians with family history of diabetes using non-invasive tested risk tools.  Research needs to evaluate how to best integrate family history information into prevention and management efforts.

Learning Areas:

Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Diversity and culture
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the association between Family Health History of diabetes and risk perception List the predictors of family history of diabetes. Discuss how to integrate family history information into prevention and management efforts.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Dr. Misra is a Professor and Director of the Online MPH program at West Virginia University School of Public Health. She is a well-known international health disparities and diabetes researcher with a terminal degree in Health Services. She has also implemented several community- and clinic-based diabetes and nutrition education programs.
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.