Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 17, Issue 4, 2015, Pages 1169-1176

Chronic Disease Burden Among Bhutanese Refugee Women Aged 18–65 Years Resettled in Northeast Ohio, United States, 2008–2011 (Article)

Bhatta M.P.* , Shakya S. , Assad L. , Zullo M.D.
  • a Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Kent State University, P. O. Box 5190, Kent, OH 44242, United States
  • b Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Kent State University, P. O. Box 5190, Kent, OH 44242, United States
  • c Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Kent State University, P. O. Box 5190, Kent, OH 44242, United States
  • d Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Kent State University, P. O. Box 5190, Kent, OH 44242, United States

Abstract

The purpose of this community-based study was to assess the prevalence of chronic diseases among 18–65 year old Bhutanese refugee women resettled in Northeast Ohio, United States (US). A Nepali-language questionnaire was administered in a face-to-face mode. Anthropometric measurements included height, weight, and hip and waist circumferences. The overall prevalence (95 % confidence interval) of self-reported hypertension, diabetes, asthma, heart disease, and cancer were 15.3 % (9.2–23.4), 6.4 % (2.3–10.9), 5.5 % (2.0–11.5), 2.7 % (0.6–7.8), and 1.8 % (0.2–6.4), respectively. Overweight/obesity was observed in 64.8 % of the women; 69.5 and 74.1 % had waist circumference >80 cm and waist-to-hip ratio ≥85, respectively. Length of time in the US was not associated with the prevalence of the chronic conditions. This study suggests chronic conditions may be significant health issues among US resettled Bhutanese refugees and a larger population-based study to confirm the findings is warranted. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

United States Resettled Bhutanese refugees Community-based study Socio-demographic profile Prevalence Chronic diseases

Index Keywords

Ohio refugee Waist-Hip Ratio Waist Circumference Neoplasms human Refugees middle aged waist hip ratio statistics and numerical data obesity Aged hypertension chronic disease ethnology Bhutan Surveys and Questionnaires Young Adult Humans Adolescent asthma female questionnaire Heart Diseases prevalence adult
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84937525378&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-014-0040-9&partnerID=40&md5=de258cd93ace57056f09f0df2c730d7e
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-014-0040-9
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 10
Original Language: English