Chronic Disease Risk Factors Among American Indian/Alaska Native Women of Reproductive Age || Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice and Policy

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BEST PRACTICES FOR SCREENING REPRODUCTIVE AGED WOMEN FOR CHRONIC DISEASE AND RELATED RISK FACTORS

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  A118: Chronic Disease Risk Factors Among American Indian/Alaska Native Women of Reproductive Age
  Pamela Amparo, Sherry L. Farr, Patricia M. Dietz
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Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice and Policy

Chronic Disease Risk Factors Among American Indian/Alaska Native Women of Reproductive Age

Pamela Amparo, MPH, Sherry L. Farr, PhD, Patricia M. Dietz, DrPH

Suggested citation for this article: Amparo P, Farr SL, Dietz PM. Chronic disease risk factors among American Indian/Alaska Native women of reproductive age. Prev Chronic Dis 2011;8(6):A118. http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2011/nov/10_0268.htm. Accessed [date].

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Abstract

Introduction
The magnitude of chronic conditions and risk factors among American Indian/Alaska Native women of reproductive age is unknown. The objective of our study was to estimate this magnitude.

Methods
We analyzed data for 2,821 American Indian/Alaska Native women and 105,664 non-Hispanic white women aged 18 to 44 years from the 2005 and 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We examined prevalence of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, body mass index (kg/m²) ≥25.0, physical inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and frequent mental distress, and the cumulative number of these chronic conditions and risk factors (≥3, 2, 1, or 0). In a multivariable, multinomial logistic regression model, we examined whether American Indian/Alaska Native race was associated with the cumulative number of chronic conditions and risk factors.

Results
American Indian/Alaska Native women, compared with white women, had significantly higher rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, and frequent mental distress. Of American Indian/Alaska Native women, 41% had 3 or more chronic conditions or risk factors compared with 27% of white women (χ², P < .001). After adjustment for income, education, and other demographic variables, American Indian/Alaska Native race was not associated with having either 1, 2, or 3 or more chronic conditions or risk factors.

Conclusion
Three out of every 5 American Indian/Alaska Native women aged 18 to 44 years have 3 or more chronic conditions or risk factors. Improving economic status and education for AI/AN women could help eliminate disparities in health status.

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Preventing Chronic Disease: November 2011: 10_0268