Disparities in Diabetes: The Nexus of Race, Poverty, and Place

American Journal of Public Health: Apr 24, 2013

Objectives. We sought to determine the role of neighborhood poverty and racial composition on race disparities in diabetes prevalence.

Methods. We used data from the 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and 2000 US Census to estimate the impact of individual race and poverty and neighborhood racial composition and poverty concentration on the odds of having diabetes.

Results. We found a race–poverty–place gradient for diabetes prevalence for Blacks and poor Whites. The odds of having diabetes were higher for Blacks than for Whites. Individual poverty increased the odds of having diabetes for both Whites and Blacks. Living in a poor neighborhood increased the odds of having diabetes for Blacks and poor Whites. Read More

Concerns About Professional Chinese Medicine Among Chinese Immigrants With Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes Spectrum: November 2013

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine Chinese Americans’ beliefs regarding professional Chinese medicine (CM) in diabetes management. Previous research showed substantial variations in Chinese Americans’ beliefs about the role of professional CM, such as acupuncture and herbal medicine, in diabetes management. To provide culturally sensitive care, health care providers (HCPs) need a nuanced understanding of patients’ beliefs about professional CM.

Methods. An interpretive phenomenological study was conducted. The sample included 20 informant couples (40 paired individuals) who were Chinese-American immigrants living with type 2 diabetes. Nineteen additional individuals were enrolled as respondents for member-checking. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in couple, group, and individual formats with informants and in groups only with respondents. Interviews were recorded, translated, transcribed, and coded for narrative and thematic analyses. Respondent responses validated informant findings. Read More

American Indians & Alaska Natives: You Have the Power to Prevent Diabetes; The Research Says So!

Ndep: 10/23

“Diabetes is a major threat to our American Indian and Alaska Native communities,” says Charlene Avery, M.D., chair of the American Indian and Alaska Native Work Group for the National Diabetes Education Program. “But it doesn’t have to be. As a community, we have the power to change this by taking a few small steps to prevent type 2 diabetes – for ourselves and generations to come.” Read more

Brown adipose tissue volume in healthy lean south Asian adults compared with white Caucasians: a prospective, case-controlled observational study

The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology: 11/12/13

Mortality from Diabetes by Hispanic Groups: Evidence from the US National Longitudinal Mortality Study

September 12, 2013 International Journal of Population Research

Diabetes is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, especially in minority communities. In mortality research, Hispanics are frequently studied as a homogeneous group. The present study was undertaken to compare diabetes deaths among persons of Hispanic origin by disaggregating groups in order to determine whether the components in the Hispanic label have differential mortality. Data utilized were from the US National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Cox proportional hazards regression models were fitted to the data. Findings showed that individuals in the broader Hispanic label were 28% more likely to die from diabetes mellitus than non-Hispanic whites (ARR = 1.28, CI = 1.05, 1.55). When groups were broken down, it was observed that Mexicans were 50% more likely to die of diabetes than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. No other Hispanic origin group was significantly associated with diabetes mortality risk. Education and family income were strong predictors of mortality, regardless of Hispanic origin grouping. It was concluded from the analysis that future behavioral and social science research would be more informative if the broader Hispanic label was broken down into subcategories. Failure to do so might lead to drawing false inferences as a finding may well hold for one group within the Hispanic label, but not for others. Read More

Assessment of a Short Diabetes Knowledge Instrument for Older and Minority Adults

The Diabetes Educator: October 25, 2013

Implementation of the Power to Prevent Diabetes Prevention Educational Curriculum Into Rural African American Communities A Feasibility Study

The Diabetes Educator: October 15, 2013