Recorded presentation

Youjie Huang, MD, MPH, DrPH, Marie A. Bailey, MA, MSW, Zhaohui Fan, MPH, and Curtis A. Miller, BS. Bureau of Epidemiology, Florida Department of Health, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #A-12, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1720, 850-245-4407, youjie_huang@doh.state.fl.us

Objectives: Prevalence of diabetes is rising along with the obesity epidemic. Studies show that minorities have a high prevalence of diabetes. In 2002, Florida conducted a large-scale BRFSS survey, which allows in-depth study of diabetes in Blacks and Hispanics. This study examines the prevalence of diabetes and risk factors among diabetic Blacks and Hispanics in Florida.

Methods: Florida 2002 County BRFSS data were analyzed for prevalence of diabetes and risk factors among non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics.

Results: Among 5,181 Blacks and Hispanics surveyed, 650 reported having diabetes. Prevalence of diabetes was 10.6% for Blacks and 7.1% for Hispanics. Among Blacks and Hispanics, diabetes prevalence was higher among men (9.5%) than among women (7.9%), highest among the elderly (21.9%), and highest among people with less than a high school education (14.5%). Among Blacks and Hispanics who had diabetes, 77% were overweight (25<=BMI<30), 53% were obese (BMI>=30), 70% were physically inactive, 79% consumed fruits and vegetables less than 5 servings a day, 64% had hypertension, 58% had high cholesterol, only 16% got a flu shot in the past year, and only 13% ever had a pneumonia vaccination. Data indicate that all these behavioral indicators are worse among diabetic Blacks and Hispanics than among their non-diabetic counterparts.

Conclusions: Hundreds of thousand of Blacks and Hispanics have diabetes in Florida. Blacks and Hispanics with diabetes have a poor profile of behavioral factors that may lead to poor control of diabetes and diabetes-related complications.

Learning Objectives: