Risk Factors Associated with Diabetes among Mexican-Origin Adults in Southern Arizona

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jun 14;20(12):6126. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20126126.

Abstract

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, and it is particularly problematic among the Latine population. This study employed multivariable logistic regression models to examine how hypertension, depression, and sociodemographics were associated with diabetes in a cross-sectional sample of Mexican-origin adults living in three counties of Southern Arizona. The overall prevalence of diabetes from this primary care sample was 39.4%. Holding covariates at fixed values, individuals having hypertension were 2.36 (95% CI: 1.15, 4.83) times more likely to have diabetes, when compared to individuals not having hypertension. The odds of having diabetes for individuals with ≥12 years of educational attainment were 0.29 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.61) times the corresponding odds of individuals with <12 years of educational attainment. For individuals with depression, the odds of having diabetes for those who were born in Mexico and had <30 years living in the US were 0.04 (95% CI: 0, 0.42) times the corresponding odds of individuals without depression and who were born in the US. Findings suggest clinical and public health systems should be aware of the potential increased risk of diabetes among Mexican-origin adults with hypertension and lower educational attainment.

Keywords: Mexican-origin adults; US–Mexico border; diabetes; social determinants of health.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Arizona / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / complications
  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Diabetes Mellitus* / epidemiology
  • Diabetes Mellitus* / ethnology
  • Diabetes Mellitus* / etiology
  • Educational Status
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Hypertension / epidemiology
  • Mexican Americans / statistics & numerical data
  • Mexico / ethnology
  • Risk Factors
  • United States / epidemiology