Health Behavioral Practices Among the Population with Diabetes
in Virginia
Valentina Petkov
Advisor: Elizabeth Turf, Ph.D.
Preceptor: Jim Ellis, Ph.D.
Objectives: Prevalence of diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate. It is associated with the aging of population, rise of the prevalence of obesity, and sedentary lifestyle. Preventive practices are important not only for prevention or delay of the development of diabetes but play a crucial role for optimal control of already existing diabetes. The purpose of this study is to compare behavioral risk factors (obesity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and chronic drinking) and preventive behavioral practices (physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, and hypertension and cholesterol awareness) among adults with and without diabetes in the state of Virginia and by region. Of interest was what is the association between diabetes and the above risk factors.
Methods: Virginia Risk Behavioral Factor Surveillance System data for 1997, 1998 and 1999 were used. Responses from a total of 10,532 subjects were analyzed. People with diabetes were identified by answer "yes" to the question: "Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have diabetes". Health behavioral practices were defined by answers to specific questions or by calculated variables. Basic descriptive analyses (frequency distribution, prevalence, Chi-square test, and ANOVA) were employed. Logistic regression was used to identify association between risk behavioral practices and diabetes.
Results: The prevalence of diabetes in Virginia for the three years was 6.0 [5.6, 6.5], ranging from 3.3 [2.5, 4.3] in Northern VA to 7.5 [6.6, 8.5] in Southwest VA. From the eight studied health behavioral practices, only obesity and sedentary lifestyle showed differences among people with diabetes across the five regions. Logistic regression analysis indicated an association with being overweight or obese (Adjusted POR 1.6, 95%CI [1.2, 2.2] and 3.3, 95%CI [2.5, 4.5] respectively). Living in the Southwest region was associated with 1.9, 95%CI [1.2, 3.0] times increased risk of having diabetes.
Conclusion: Further studies are needed to explain the excess burden of diabetes in the Southwest VA. The prevalence of risk behavioral factors among people with and without diabetes considerably exceeds the objectives of Healthy People 2010. The results of this report can be used for policy formulation, target interventions, and to evaluate the progress in preventing and controlling the disease.
