Molly L McClelland1, Carmon V N Weekes2, Hussein Bazzi3, Joshua Warwinsky4, Wassim Abouarabi5, Felicia Snell6, Tarick Salamey7. 1. University of Detroit Mercy, College of Health Professions, 4001 W. McNichols Rd., Detroit, MI, 48221, USA. mcclelml@udmercy.edu. 2. University of Detroit Mercy, College of Health Professions, 4001 W. McNichols Rd., Detroit, MI, 48221, USA. 3. Beaumont Health Hospital (Medical ICU), Wayne MI & Part-Time Lecturer (Clinical Instructor) Eastern Michigan University, 33155 Venoy Rd., Ypsilanti, MI, USA. 4. St. John Hospital & Medical Center, 22101 Moross Rd., Detroit, MI, 48236, USA. 5. Oakland University, 2200 North Squirrel Road, Rochester, MI, 48309, USA. 6. DaVita Kresge Dialysis Center, 4145 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI, 48301-1707, USA. 7. CPR Home Care, 7511 Orchard Ave., Dearborn, MI, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Effectiveness of health education programs and interventions, designed to improve obesity rates, may vary according to perceptions of health within cultural groups. METHOD: A qualitative approach was used. Two minority cultural groups (Arab-American and African-American) living in the same county were studied to compare perceptions of health, nutrition, and obesity and subsequent health behaviors. RESULTS: Control, expectations, bias, acceptance, and access were the five themes identified. Arab-Americans that had lower weights, lower prevalence of chronic diseases, expected healthy weights, reported age and gender bias related to being overweight were not as accepting of being overweight and did not report difficulties in accessing healthy food choices compared to their African-American counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Health interventions aimed at reducing obesity rates and related chronic diseases should be culturally specific and aimed at changing expected and accepted cultural norms. Cultural group's void of certain disease states should be studied and used as models to ameliorate the problem in other cultures. Changing health behaviors within a certain cultural group may produce better outcomes when initiated from a member of that same group. The impact of economic and environmental factors on health behaviors must also be considered.
BACKGROUND: Effectiveness of health education programs and interventions, designed to improve obesity rates, may vary according to perceptions of health within cultural groups. METHOD: A qualitative approach was used. Two minority cultural groups (Arab-American and African-American) living in the same county were studied to compare perceptions of health, nutrition, and obesity and subsequent health behaviors. RESULTS: Control, expectations, bias, acceptance, and access were the five themes identified. Arab-Americans that had lower weights, lower prevalence of chronic diseases, expected healthy weights, reported age and gender bias related to being overweight were not as accepting of being overweight and did not report difficulties in accessing healthy food choices compared to their African-American counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Health interventions aimed at reducing obesity rates and related chronic diseases should be culturally specific and aimed at changing expected and accepted cultural norms. Cultural group's void of certain disease states should be studied and used as models to ameliorate the problem in other cultures. Changing health behaviors within a certain cultural group may produce better outcomes when initiated from a member of that same group. The impact of economic and environmental factors on health behaviors must also be considered.
Entities:
Keywords:
African-American; Arab-American; Health behaviors; Health perceptions; Obesity
Authors: Shannon N Zenk; Amy J Schulz; Teretha Hollis-Neely; Richard T Campbell; Nellie Holmes; Gloria Watkins; Robin Nwankwo; Angela Odoms-Young Journal: Am J Prev Med Date: 2005-07 Impact factor: 5.043
Authors: David S Freedman; Laura Kettel Khan; Mary K Serdula; William H Dietz; Sathanur R Srinivasan; Gerald S Berenson Journal: Obes Res Date: 2005-05