ASPO Abstracts
Impact of interventions on diet and physical activity communication among Latina women in Chicago
Category: Behavioral Science & Health Communication, Cancer Health Disparities
Conference Year: 2018
Abstract Body:
Purpose: We examine in differences in talking to 1 new person about diet and physical activity (diet/PA) across different intervention approaches; and, describe these new individuals relative to other individuals in women’s networks. Methods: Eligible women were self-reported Latinas residing in Chicago, IL, ages 52-74 years old and whose last mammogram was >2 years prior. Women were recruited through community venues and participated in one of two, 3-week group interventions. The education intervention trained 30 women about diet/PA as breast cancer risk factors. The engagement intervention trained 27 women on how to engage and share health information. We compared intervention differences in diet/PA discussion with at least one new network member, using a Fisher’s exact test. Next, we compared characteristics of network members who were newly engaged vs. not, using logistic regression with GEE. Finally, we are collecting qualitative data from participants’ family and friends. Results: Among 57 participants, the average age was 60.85 (SD= 5.87); 89% had ‰¤high school education; 39% were uninsured; and, 46% were married. Approximately 32% (n=18) talked to 53 new people about diet/PA. The two intervention groups were similar (p=0.47): 37% of engagement participants talked to 33 new people and 33% of educational participants talked to 20 new people about diet/PA. Preliminary qualitative data suggest participants are communicating more about health, but do not provide intervention details (e.g., diet/PA as breast cancer risk factors). Non-family members were more likely to be engaged than family members (OR = 1.19, 95%CI (1.03,1.38), p=0.01). No other characteristics were associated with being newly contacted about diet/PA (p= 0.42-0.75). Conclusion: Engagement and education interventions appear to be equally effective for promoting diet/PA communication. This may be because engagement women seem to know they need to be healthy, but are not able to give details regarding how to be healthy in terms of diet/PA. Women were more likely to talking to non-relatives, potentially because will be more likely to change diet/PA behaviors with them (e.g., Zumba). Additional studies with a larger representative sample should confirm our findings and test these explanations.
Keywords: Diet, Physical Activity, Cancer Prevention, Health Disparities