Patterns and Predictors of Health Behaviors among Racially/Ethnically Diverse Residents of Low-Income Housing Developments

Abstract

Purpose.

To examine behavioral patterns and sociodemographic predictors of diet, inactivity, and tobacco use among a diverse sample of residents from low-income housing developments.

Design.

In this cross-sectional survey study, households and residents were randomly selected using multistage cluster sampling.

Setting.

The study was conducted in 20 low-income housing developments in the Boston, Massachusetts, metropolitan area.

Subjects.

Subjects were 828 residents who completed the survey (response rate = 49.3%). Forty-one percent of participants were Hispanic and 38% were non-Hispanic Black.

Measures.

Outcomes measured were diet, inactivity, and tobacco use. Predictors measured were age, race/ethnicity, gender, education, country in which the subject was born, language spoken, and financial hardship.

Analysis.

Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of three health behaviors with sociodemographic factors.

Results.

Age, gender, language spoken, and financial hardship showed significant relationships with all three behaviors. For example, those who reported less financial hardship (odds ratio [OR] = 1.75) were more likely to eat healthier. Residents who spoke no English, or at least one language in addition to English, were significantly more likely to report healthier eating (OR = 2.78 and 3.30, respectively) than those who spoke English only. Men were significantly more likely to report less healthy eating (OR = 0.65) than were women. Similar trends emerged for inactivity and tobacco use.

Conclusion.

Effective health promotion interventions in low-income housing developments that leverage protective factors while addressing risk factors have the potential to reduce income-related health disparities in these concentrated resource-deprived neighborhoods.

Keywords

Health Promotion Health Behavior Low-Income Population African Americans Immigrants Public Housing Prevention Research Manuscript format: research Research purpose: modeling/relationship testing Study design: nonexperimental Outcome measure: behavioral Setting: local community Health focus: fitness/physical activity nutrition and smoking control Target population age: adults Target population circumstances: education/income level geographic location and race/ethnicity

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