Health Beliefs and Health Behaviors Among Minorities With Rheumatic Diseases

Rheumatic diseases are among the most common health problems in the United States. They are a diverse group of disorders, with several shared characteristics. Marked differences in the incidence, prevalence, severity, processes of care, and outcomes in a number of rheumatic conditions exist among racial and ethnic groups as compared to white Americans. Furthermore, access to health care and treatment also differs in the minority community as compared with the majority. The effects of the disease may be modifiable by changes in life style, diet, activities and exercise. Such changes are difficult for patients to accomplish and various strategies have been developed to facilitate success. Strategies include educational materials and programs, diet and exercise programs, patient support and empowerment programs and the like. Differences in culture and environment, lack of culturally sensitive materials and approaches, and lack of trained personnel may make these tools ineffective in the minority community. Their effectiveness in the African-American or Latino clinic population has not been assessed to date. This is a descriptive, exploratory study designed to examine the diverse health beliefs and behaviors among the minority patients who are enrolled in the NIAMS Natural History of Rheumatic Disease in Minority Communities protocol (# 01-AR-0227). Qualitative and quantitative methodology will be used to assess the psychosocial and cultural correlates of rheumatic diseases in newly enrolled patients both at intake and after six months of being followed at the NIAMS Community Health Center, an outreach site located in the District of Columbia in the Upper Cardozo Health Center.