ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
    • 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
    • 2017 ACR/ARHP PRSYM
    • 2016-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • Register
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • Meeting Resource Center

Abstract Number: 2162

Associations Between Education and Health Status Among Hispanics with Self-Reported Arthritis and/or Joint Pain

Leigha Vilen1, Rebecca J. Cleveland2, Alfredo Rivadeneira1, Mary Altpeter3, Betsy Hackney4, Victoria Sepulveda2 and Leigh F. Callahan4, 1Thurston Arthritis Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 2University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 3Institute on Aging, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 4Thurston Arthritis Research Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

Meeting: 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Date of first publication: September 29, 2015

Keywords: Arthritis, Community programs, health disparities and physical activity, Hispanic patients

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Save to PDF
Session Information

Date: Monday, November 9, 2015

Session Title: ACR/ARHP Combined Abstract Session: Epidemiology and Pubic Health

Session Type: ACR/ARHP Combined Abstract Session

Session Time: 4:30PM-6:00PM

Background/Purpose: Understanding the
associations between education and health status among Hispanics with arthritis
and/or joint pain is crucial in adapting existing arthritis interventions for
this minority population. Nationwide, 35.3% of Hispanics lack a high school
diploma, (compared with 8.3% of non-Hispanic whites), indicating a need to
assess the differences in health status among higher and lower educated
Hispanics. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between education
and health status in Hispanics with self-reported joint pain.

Methods: Adult Hispanic participants (n=285)
were recruited from North Carolina clinics, churches, and a Mexican consulate
for a 6 week pre-post evaluation of a self-directed walking program.
Participants were recruited if they self-reported arthritis and/or joint pain
and were physically inactive. Descriptive characteristics of the population
include means and frequencies according to high school (HS) education level
(<HS diploma or ≥HS diploma). Multi-level logistic regression models
were used to explore associations between education and health status measures
at baseline. All models were adjusted for gender, age, obesity, marital status
and country of origin with study site adjusted for as a random effect.

Results: We found that 44% of participants had
less than a high school education. These participants were significantly more
likely to be born in Mexico (80.7%), be unmarried (14.4%), and speak only Spanish
(95.0%) compared with more educated participants (Table 1). Participants
lacking a high school diploma were also significantly more likely to have higher
levels of fatigue (OR=1.68; 95% CI=1.01-2.80) and stiffness (OR=1.69; 95%
CI=1.01-2.82), and poor general health (OR=3.11; 95% CI=1.78-5.42) (Table 2). Although
failing to reach statistical significance in multivariable regression models, less
educated participants also had a higher frequency of comorbidities, including heart
disease, circulation problems, and diabetes. 
They were also more likely to have multiple chronic comorbid conditions

Conclusion: Compared to their more educated
counterparts, Hispanics who self-reported arthritis and/or joint pain and were
less educated had more severe joint symptoms and poorer general health. In
addition, the lower educated group also showed higher rates of comorbidity and
were more likely to have multiple comorbidities, which might account for some
of the disparity in health status. These findings may help inform the selection
and adaptation of arthritis interventions for Hispanics.

Table 1. Baseline characteristics of according to education

 

Baseline Characteristic

Total Cohort

Education <HS

Education ≥HS

P-valueµ

No. of Subjects

285

126 (44.2%)

159 (55.8%)

Demographic characteristics

Age, mean (SD)

47.0 (11.1)

48.1 (17.5)

46.1 (14.7)

0.1445

Female, %

74.7

75.2

74.4

0.6289

Marital status

Single, %

13.4

14.0

12.9

<.0001

Married, %

68.6

69.5

67.8

Other, %

18.0

16.5

19.3

BMI, mean (SD)

30.0 (6.23)

29.9 (8.56)

30.2 (8.91)

0.6607

Obesity, %

45.4

41.2

48.8

<.0001

Acculturation variables

Born in Mexico, %

71.9

80.7

64.9

<.0001

Speak Spanish only, %

82.6

95.0

72.8

<.0001

Self-report Health Status

Fatigue VAS (>=60), %

41.3

47.3

36.5

<.0001

Pain VAS (>=60), %

51.3

56.1

47.6

<.0001

Stiffness VAS (>=60), %

40.1

46.3

35.2

<.0001

ASE score (<=7), %

40.4

43.2

38.1

0.006

HAQ score (>=0.5), %

36.3

39.9

33.5

0.0004

RAI score (>=2), %

30.7

34.4

27.8

0.0001

General health (fair/poor), %

47.3

62.0

35.7

<.0001

Comorbidities

Number comorbidities, mean (SD)

1.23 (1.55)

1.46 (2.63)

1.06 (1.88)

0.0371

High blood pressure, %

25.4

28.6

22.7

0.0004

Heart disease, %

5.0

5.9

4.3

0.0503

Circulation problems, %

23.7

29.2

19.4

<.0001

Stroke, %

1.8

1.6

1.9

0.5019

Diabetes, %

13.6

19.3

9.0

<.0001

Depression, %

17.9

20.5

15.9

0.0017

µChi-square p-value for categorical variables; T-test p-value for continuous variables

Table 2. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between <HS educationµ and health status measures at baseline

Health Status

<HS Education‡

Self-report Health Status

OR (95% CI)

Fatigue VAS (≥60)

1.62 (0.95-2.76)

Pain VAS (≥60)

1.68 (1.01-2.80)

Stiffness VAS (≥60)

1.69 (1.01-2.82)

ASE score (≤7)

1.45 (0.86-2.45)

HAQ score (≥0.5)

1.26 (0.73-2.18)

RAI score (≥2)

1.31 (0.76-2.28)

General health (fair/poor)

3.11 (1.78-5.42)

Comorbidities

Number of comorbidities (≥2)

1.18 (0.67-2.06)

High blood pressure

1.08 (0.59-1.99)

Heart disease

1.46 (0.40-5.38)

Circulation problems

1.59 (0.87-2.92)

Stroke

1.19 (0.56-2.54)

Diabetes

1.74 (0.81-3.73)

Depression

1.37 (0.69-2.71)

µCompared with education ≥HS;  used with multiply imputed data for missing covariates and predictors

‡Adjusted for gender, age, obesity, marital status and country of origin; study site adjusted for as a random effect


Disclosure: L. Vilen, None; R. J. Cleveland, None; A. Rivadeneira, None; M. Altpeter, None; B. Hackney, None; V. Sepulveda, None; L. F. Callahan, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Vilen L, Cleveland RJ, Rivadeneira A, Altpeter M, Hackney B, Sepulveda V, Callahan LF. Associations Between Education and Health Status Among Hispanics with Self-Reported Arthritis and/or Joint Pain [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2015; 67 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/associations-between-education-and-health-status-among-hispanics-with-self-reported-arthritis-andor-joint-pain/. Accessed January 26, 2021.
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Save to PDF

« Back to 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/associations-between-education-and-health-status-among-hispanics-with-self-reported-arthritis-andor-joint-pain/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

ACR Convergence: Where Rheumatology Meets. All Virtual. November 5-9.

ACR Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium 2020

© COPYRIGHT 2021 AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY

Wiley

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
  • Advanced Search
  • Meeting Resource Center
  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.