Sociodemographic factors and self-management practices related to type 2 diabetes among Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites in a rural setting

Abstract

Context: Hispanics in the United States have a higher prevalence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes) and experience more complications for the disease than non-Hispanic whites. Differences in medical management or self-management practices may, in part, explain the relative high risk for diabetes complications among Hispanics.

Purpose: Using data from a community-randomized intervention study on cancer prevention, we examined the medical management and self-management practices of Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites who have diabetes.

Methods: Locally hired bilingual personnel conducted in-person interviews of a random selection of 1,863 adults in 20 communities in the Yakima Valley of eastern Washington State.

Findings: A total of 70 Hispanics (11% age-adjusted prevalence) and 87 non-Hispanic whites (7.3% age-adjusted prevalence) reported having type 2 diabetes. Hispanics with a high level of acculturation were slightly more likely to have diabetes, compared to those with a low level of acculturation, though the association was nonsignificant. Hispanics were significantly less likely than non-Hispanic whites to treat their diabetes with diet and exercise (36% vs 61.3%; P < or = .001). Annual eye examinations were less commonly reported among Hispanics (48.9%) than among non-Hispanic whites (72.7%).

Conclusions: Our data indicate that Hispanics engage less frequently in self-management practices to control diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.