title: Levels of acculturation and effect on glycemic control in Mexicans and Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acculturation of Mexican Americans toward the predominant American culture has been shown to influence health outcomes. Little is known about the role of acculturation in diabetes control.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To measure the association between acculturation and diabetes control in Mexicans and Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey and chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ambulatory family medicine clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-six Mexican and Mexican American adults with T2DM for ≥ 1 year. INSTRUMENT AND OUTCOMES: A survey tool was developed that included the General Acculturation Index developed by Balcazar et al to measure acculturation. Basic demographics, psychosocial factors, patient satisfaction, and patients' most recent hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) levels were also obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant correlation between acculturation score and HbA(1c) levels. On binary logistic regression, HbA(1c) levels were associated with patient satisfaction in having their questions answered (odds ratio [OR], 0.44; P < 0.05), interference of diabetes with daily life (OR, 1.4; P < 0.05), male gender (OR, 3.93; P < 0.01), and number of diabetes complications (OR, 1.81; P < 0.05). In the multivariate linear regression model, age (beta, -0.348; P < 0.05) and frequency of physician visits (beta, -0.403; P < 0.05) were the only variables significantly associated with glycemic control. Variables included in the model that were not associated with glycemic control include family history of diabetes and confidence in diabetes treatment efficacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acculturation was not associated with glycemic control in this population. Family physicians should not assume that acculturation difficulties explain poor glycemic control in their Mexican American patients with T2DM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, John Peter Smith Hospital, Ft. Worth, TX 76104, USA. sross01@jpshealth.org
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Susan F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Franks
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cardarelli
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000368:Aged; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin