Date of Conferral
8-1-2024
Date of Award
August 2024
Degree
Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
School
Public Health
Advisor
Srikanta Banerjee,
Abstract
Recent evidence demonstrates that African immigrants are healthier than African immigrants born in the United States. After individuals have stayed in the United States for a duration of 4–5 years, the health gap starts to narrow significantly as health conditions worsen. Acculturation and body mass likely play a role; physical inactivity and psychological distress may arbitrate the association. T2DM is an expanding global health problem that is closely linked to the epidemic of obesity. Individuals with T2DM are at risk of other complications that include retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and microvascular complications. The purpose of the study was to assess the association between lifestyle behaviors (smoking, alcohol use, and physical inactivity) and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among African immigrants. Social cognitive theory served as the theoretical framework. This quantitative cross-sectional study using secondary analysis of National Health Interview Survey 2011-2018 data included 213,191 African immigrants. Results of logistic regression analyses indicated that when controlling for other factors, alcohol use (OR = 2.81, p = .04) and food insecurity (OR = 3.89, p = 0.02) were significant predictors of diabetes. The positive social change implications include the use of findings by clinicians, dieticians, physical activity community centers, and other healthcare professionals to develop diabetes prevention and control strategies that specifically serve African immigrants to prevent diabetes and associated deadly complications.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Momo Joemah, "Association Between Lifestyle Behaviors and Type 2 Diabetes Among African Immigrants in the United States" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 16390.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/16390
