Self-reported health, a widely used measure of general health status in population studies, can be affected by certain demographic variables such as gender, race/ethnicity and education. This cross-sectional assessment of the current health status of older adult residents was conducted in an inner-city Houston neighborhood in May, 2007. A survey instrument, with questions on chronic disease prevalence, health limitations/functional status, self-reported subjective health status in addition to demographic data on households was administered to a systematic random sample of residents. Older adults (>60 years of age) were interviewed (weighted N = 127) at their homes by trained interviewers. The results indicated that these residents, with low literacy levels, low household income and a high prevalence of frequently reported chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes and arthritis) also reported non-participation in community activities, volunteerism and activities centered on organized religion, thus, potentially placing them at risk for social isolation. Women reported poorer self-reported health and appeared to fare worse in all health limitation indicators and reported greater structural barriers in involvement with their community. Blacks reported worse health outcomes on all indicators than other sub-groups, an indication that skills training in chronic disease self-management and in actively eliciting support from various sources may be beneficial for this group. Therefore, the use of self-reported health with a broad brush as an indicator of "true" population health status is not advisable. Sufficient consideration should be given to the racial/ethnic and gender differences and these should be accounted for.
In the absence of culturally and linguistically appropriate disaster preparedness plans, several linguistically isolated and culturally diverse population groups are disproportionately disadvantaged in the United States. The communication gap poses challenges to emergency preparedness planners and response personnel in predisaster communication and postdisaster response efforts. Houston Department of Health and Human Services aimed to develop practical recommendations for local emergency response personnel so as to improve dissemination of emergency information and equitable delivery of services to linguistically isolated communities in the greater Houston area. Sixteen focus group discussions were conducted among linguistically isolated immigrant populations living in the greater Houston metropolitan area who primarily spoke one of the Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Somali languages. Our questions focused on general knowledge and understanding of disasters and explored experiences during Houston's most recent disaster, Hurricane Ike. We found that (a) understanding of disaster and preparedness is contextual, (b) awareness of preparedness needs and actual plans among LIPs is inadequate, and (c) word of mouth is the preferred information source for linguistically isolated groups. Disaster preparedness plans of a given jurisdiction should reflect the culturally and linguistically appropriate components addressing the needs, concerns, context-based knowledge or awareness, and perceptions of linguistically isolated populations.
Bhutanese refugees resettling in the U.S. face many challenges including several related to health and health care. Limited health literacy and the relatively complicated US health care system may contribute to health disparities as well. A health assessment was conducted on adult refugees in Houston, Texas to provide healthcare providers, community organizations, and stakeholders baseline data to plan programs and interventions. A convenience sample of 100 participants had a mean age of 38.37 years, 56 % where males, and almost 80 % did not have high school level education. High blood pressure (27 %), dizziness (27 %), and arthritis (22 %) were the commonly identified chronic health conditions and trouble concentrating (34 %) and fatigue (37 %) were also reported. Sixty-two percent of the respondents reported that they consume recommended servings of fruits and vegetables and 41 %reported that they were currently getting at least 20-30 min of aerobic exercise per day. The assessment concluded with recommendations on how better provide care and services for the refugees.
Our results also indicate a greater need for appropriate targeted strategies to reach out to African Americans in Houston since this group reported poorer access to information. This has implications for planning and preparedness officials and the communication strategies used to reach the community.
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