title: Self-reported diabetes and hypertension among Arab Americans in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence of diabetes and hypertension is increasing in the United States. Estimates for Blacks and Hispanics are higher compared to non-Hispanic Whites. When comparing estimates among racial and ethnic groups, Whites are used as the reference category. Whites are a very heterogeneous group, comprising persons having origins in Europe, North America, or the Middle East. The objective of this paper was to examine the association between nativity and self-reported diabetes and hypertension among a sample of non-Hispanic Whites including individuals born in the Middle East (referred to as Arab Americans; n=425) and born in the United States (n=79,228).
  
  
  METHODS
  We use data from the 2000-2003 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS). The NHIS is an annual, face-to-face interview of the civilian, noninstitutionalized US population that uses a three-stage stratified cluster probability sampling design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between nativity and self-reported diabetes and hypertension among non-Hispanic Whites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the prevalence of diabetes was 4.8% for Arab Americans and 6.9% for non-Hispanic Whites (not significant). Similarly, the prevalence of hypertension was 13.4% for Arab Americans and 24.5% for non-Hispanic Whites (P<.0001). No association between country of birth, diabetes, or hypertension was seen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nativity status was not significantly associated with self-reported diabetes and hypertension among non-Hispanic Whites. Future studies should examine ethnic heterogeneity among non-Hispanic Whites.
authors.affiliation: Survey Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. jfd@umich.edu
authors.forename: Florence J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Dallo
authors.forename: Luisa N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Borrell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018912:Arabs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000208:ethnology*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology*; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008877:Middle East / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data