Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 16, Issue 5, 2014, Pages 874-881

Parental Perception of Child Bodyweight and Health Among Mexican-American Children with Acanthosis Nigricans (Article)

Su D.* , Huang T.T.-K. , Anthony R. , Ramos A. , Toure D. , Wang H.
  • a Department of Health Promotion, Social and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984340 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-4340, United States, Center for Reducing Health Disparities, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
  • b Department of Health Promotion, Social and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984340 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-4340, United States
  • c Department of Health Promotion, Social and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984340 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-4340, United States, Center for Reducing Health Disparities, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
  • d Center for Reducing Health Disparities, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
  • e Center for Reducing Health Disparities, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
  • f Department of Health Services Research and Administration, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States

Abstract

Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is a cutaneous marker associated with elevated risk of type 2 diabetes. This study assesses mother–father differences in perception of child’s bodyweight and health by Mexican-American parents with AN-positive children. The study used medical records in conjunction with survey data collected between 2011 and 2012 for 309 Mexican-American children with AN in South Texas. Multivariate logit models were estimated to assess mother–father differences in perception of child bodyweight and health controlling for selected child- and parent-level covariates. About 91 % of the children in the sample were obese and 6.5 % were overweight. One fifth of mothers and 38.5 % of fathers in the sample expressed no concern of their children’s bodyweight. After adjusting for selected explanatory variables at both the child and parent level, the odds for fathers, relative to mothers, to be concerned about child’s bodyweight were 82 % lower (OR = 0.18, p < 0.05). Similar findings also hold for parental awareness of child’s AN (OR = 0.19, p < 0.05). Among Mexican-American families with AN-positive children, the lack of concern over child’s bodyweight, unawareness of AN, and misconception of child’s health on the part of many parents, especially of fathers, constitutes a challenge to diabetes prevention. Health education programs targeting Mexican-American families with AN-positive children might be more cost effective to consider mother–father differences in perception of child health and bodyweight. © 2013, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Obesity Acanthosis nigricans Mexican-American children parents diabetes

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84879854758&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-013-9869-6&partnerID=40&md5=00ca35674a4bf8ff4995af89ae3dde6b
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-013-9869-6
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English