Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Public Health

Advisor

Richard Jimenez

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine possible risk factors that predict asthma among adult, foreign-born African Americans in California. A total of 794 foreign-born African Americans (87 asthma cases) were included from the 2017-2018 California Health Interview Survey database. Data analysis included both descriptive and inferential statistical methods including chi-square analysis and multiple logistic regression techniques. The socioeclogical model was used to help understand and interpret the findings. The dependent variable was asthma status and the independent variables were the risk factors (tobacco smoking, alcohol use, health insurance, income level, and education level). Confounders included in the analysis were age, gender, and marital status. Findings yielded no statistically significant relationship between asthma status and tobacco smoking (p = 0.19, x2 = 1.74, OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.27-1.30), alcohol use (p = 0.92, x2 = 0.01, OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.61-1.58), health insurance (p = 0.63, x2 = 0.23, OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.44-1.65), income level (p = 0.99, x2 = 0.00, OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.44-2.24), or education level (p = 0.47, x2 = 0.52, OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 0.49-4.59). Although this study did not find significant associations between asthma and study variables, study limitations, mainly the small sample size, may have prevented the detection of small associations. Future research should involve a larger sample size to investigate whether the findings reported remain true. This study is a step in the exploration of the problem and has the potential to promote positive social change by increasing asthma awareness among foreign-born African Americans in California and among public health policy makers.

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