No description available.

No description available.

Non-insulin diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is a major health problem affecting U.S. Mexicans. A population of Southwestern Arizona, near the U.S.-Mexico border, was studied to assess the biocultural environment in which disease develops, and to determine risk factors affecting the population. This geographic area is home to a high percentage of farmworkers of Mexican origin or ancestry. A global overview of macro- and micro-level issues was used to provide the context in which the population lives, and where the disease emerges and is maintained. The discussion of historical, economic, demographic, and social issues provide the background for the understanding of the natural and the social environments. Anthropological methods and techniques were used to assess and analyze numerous factors to determine the most useful for the identification of NIDDM risk. Methods used for data gathering included anthropometric measurements, survey instruments, ethnographic interviews, life history, and participant observation. Fifty-seven households participated in the study. A total of 212 subjects were measured; a sub-sample of 79 adults was also interviewed. The study identified 17 diabetics (12 females, 5 males). Prevalence of NIDDM for the sampled population was calculated at 8.2 percent. The rate was higher among females than among males. Diabetics were older than 45 years of age, were in poor health, had more than one source of income, and depended on social safety net assistance; high parity was characteristic of diabetic females. Diabetics' blood glucose (B.G.) levels were higher than those of non-diabetics, regardless of the variables tested. Known risk factors for NIDDM were not found to be significantly strong in the determination of diabetic status nor of B.G. levels. However, the ethnographic and quantitative data suggested that physiological variables may be affected by work and occupational related risks, diluting the prediction strength of known NIDDM risk factors. The yearly cycles of farm work and the physiological demands of the tasks involved are probably the most salient risk factors in farmworkers' lives. Recommendations are provided for the incorporation of anthropological theory, methods and techniques to the study of disease processes, and for the design of public health strategies.

No description available.

No description available.

This final report documents the theoretical development and preliminary empirical testing of a model that predicts the conditions under which Hispanics will seek preventive health care. Research shows that Hispanics delay preventive care, resulting in higher morbidity and mortality rates for serious diseases such as cancer. Since many serious diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer can be prevented or treated more effectively if detected early, it is crucial to understand the motivating forces behind Hispanics’ preventive health behavior. The Hispanic model, which is an extension of the Health Behavior in Cancer Prevention Model developed by Atwood, et al. (1986), includes as core variables environmental barriers to access and English-language proficiency, as well as social support, health beliefs, self-efficacy (or perceived skill), health locus of control, and health values. This correlational descriptive study employed snowballing sampling methods and consisted of 199 Hispanics between 49 and 94 years of age. Measures consist of multi-item scales whose content follows that of the Parent Project. The final instruments showed reliability (Alphas between .69 and .95), although the model testing was limited by the exclusion of some constructs that did not demonstrate reliability. The outcome of predisposition to self-care was predicted by utilization barriers to care, Chance Health Locus of Control, and General Health threat, resulting in an R-square of .07. The findings dealing with dietary preferences and preferred dietary modifications also have great implications for interventions aimed at preventing colon cancer among Hispanics. The practical health policy applications of the model are also discussed.

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The problem with which this investigation was concerned was that of determining the relationship between the variables of acculturation, imagery, self-concept, anxiety, stress, and seriousness of disease in Mexican-Americans. The purposes of this study were 1) to determine the statistical predictive efficiency of stress and its relation to disease, 2) to determine if a combination of anxiety, acculturation, self-concept, imagery, along with stress, would increase the statistical predictive efficiency concerning seriousness of disease, and 3) to provide information that may help to develope a theoretical base concerning the above variables and disease in Mexican-Americans.

In order to better tailor treatment to specific populations, factors which contribute to health disparities among different racial/ethnic groups must be examined. Among Mexican American individuals, the high rate of diabetes represents a significant contributor to overall health. The present study focuses on factors affecting diabetes status among Mexican Americans born in either Mexico or the United States using the 2007 – 2008 NHANES data set. Comparisons were made between diabetes status based on self-report and clinical classification using HbA1c. Results indicated that within the diabetic subsample, Mexican Americans born in Mexico were twice as likely to be incorrectly classified as non-diabetic, when they actually were diabetic, when using a self-report method. In contrast, nativity did not result in differences in diabetes incidence using the HbA1c clinical cut-score diagnostic classification. Age, BMI, gender, nativity, and health insurance coverage were found to have varying relationships to diabetes prevalence and HbA1c levels, but time in the U.S. for Mexico-born individuals was not found to uniquely predict diabetes incidence. Analyses also demonstrated that Mexico-born males, as compared to the other groups, had significantly higher HbA1c levels. Further research is necessary to better understand the relationships among these factors. However, findings do demonstrate a need for more objective disease classification, particularly when examining immigration status and diabetes. Additionally, the complexity of these interactions establishes a need for specific health intervention for foreign-born populations which might be missed by self-report screening asking about presence of disease and exacerbated by an oversimplification of the “healthy immigrant effect”.