Leading health indicators: a comparison of Hispanics with non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks, United States 2003.

OBJECTIVE: One of the goals of Healthy People 2010 is to eliminate health disparities among racial/ethnic groups. This study compared Hispanics with non-Hispanic Whites and non-Hispanic Blacks on six leading health indicators (LHIs) by demographics characteristics, access to medical care, and general health status.

SETTING: Data were gathered from 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a state based random-digit-dialed telephone survey.

PARTICIPANTS: Respondents were non-institutionalized adults age > or = 18 years.

METHODS: Respondents were compared by physical activity, smoking, binge drinking, obesity, health insurance coverage, specific source of ongoing care, influenza vaccination within last 12 months, and any pneumococcal vaccination. Logistic regression models were constructed to evaluate racial/ethnic differences in LHIs after adjusting for confounding variables.

RESULTS: Responses from 235,784 participants were analyzed (Hispanic = 18,929, non-Hispanic White = 202,035, non-Hispanic Black = 14,820). Hispanics did not meet the target of any LHIs. Regardless of educational attainment, and after adjusting for confounders, Hispanics were less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to be moderately physically active, to have healthcare coverage or a specific source of ongoing care, and to have received a pneumococcal vaccination. They were less likely to smoke but equally as likely to have received a flu shot. Hispanics with more than a high school education were equally likely to binge drink but more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic Whites after adjusting for confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONS: To eliminate the health disparities of Hispanics by 2010, culturally appropriate health education and accessible preventive services are needed.