Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Education and Promotion

Advisor

Beverly Neville

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is a pressing public health issue for women in the Caribbean. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of prediabetes, overweight/obesity, and Type 2 diabetes and the predictive relationship of social determinants, weight status, physical activity, and race/ethnicity on Type 2 diabetes diagnosis of women in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Further research was needed to understand why Caribbean women are at such high risk for Type 2 diabetes and obesity. A quantitative, nonexperimental design, involving the analysis of secondary data published by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was used. The theoretical framework was the social-ecological model. Using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression in IBM SPSS 25, the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes was 11.2%, overweight/obesity 79%, and prediabetes 12.6% in the sample of 2,237 women. Women who had more than a high school attainment were less likely to have Type 2 diabetes than those who did not graduate high school (OR = 0.61; p = 0.035). Participants who were unemployed (OR = 1.81; p = .004), were homemakers (OR = 1.70; p = .011) or were retired (OR = 4.13; p = .001) were more likely to have Type 2 diabetes in comparison to those who were employed. Those who were overweight (OR = 2.02; p = .002) or obese (OR = 4.38; p = .001) were more likely to have Type 2 diabetes in comparison to those who were underweight or normal weight. Based on the findings in this study, the departments of health need to take action and address the modifiable risk factors of prediabetes, overweight, and obesity. To help prevent Type 2 diabetes gender specific interventions should be implemented to effect social change.

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