Behavioral correlates of fruit and vegetable intake in Puerto Rico: results from the Health Information National Trends Survey.

OBJECTIVE: A diet high in fruit and vegetables (FV) is associated with a decreased risk for chronic diseases, such as cancer. Limited information exists regarding the factors associated with FV intake in persons living in Puerto Rico. The objective of this study was to examine sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-belief factors associated with dietary habits in Puerto Rico. METHODS: Secondary data analysis of adults aged 18 years and older from the Puerto Rico Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS-PR) conducted in 2009. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with meeting the established recommendations for FV consumption. RESULTS: Only 14.5% of the adults in Puerto Rico met the recommendations for daily FV intake, and the vast majority (90.9%) were unaware of current recommendations. Bivariate analyses demonstrated that being obese, having lower than a high school education, and not knowing the recommendations were significantly associated with not meeting these recommendations. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, being obese (OR = 3.77; 95% CI = 1.41-10.08) and not being aware of the current dietary recommendations (OR = 9.26; 95% CI = 3.77-22.73) continued to be significantly associated with not meeting the FV intake recommendations. CONCLUSION: The Puerto Rican population is far from meeting FV consumption recommendations, with prevalence estimates of consumption that are below the US median. Low FV intake might put the population in Puerto Rico at increased risk of developing cancer as well as a number of other chronic diseases that are secondary both to improper nutrition and to obesity.

Socioeconomic and geographic disparities in health information seeking and Internet use in Puerto Rico.

BACKGROUND: Geographically isolated Hispanic populations, such as those living in Puerto Rico, may face unique barriers to health information access. However, little is known about health information access and health information-seeking behaviors of this population. OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in health and cancer information seeking among survey respondents who ever used the Internet and those who did not, and to explore sociodemographic and geographic trends. METHODS: Data for our analyses were from a special implementation of the Health Information National Trends Survey conducted in Puerto Rico in 2009. We collected data through random digit dialing, computer-assisted telephone interviews (N = 639). The sample was drawn from the eight geographic regions of the Puerto Rico Department of Health. To account for complex survey design and perform weighted analyses to obtain population estimates, we analyzed the data using SUDAAN. Frequencies, cross-tabulation with chi-square, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Geographic information system maps were developed to examine geographic distributions of Internet use and information seeking. RESULTS: Of 639 participants, 142 (weighted percentage 32.7%) indicated that they had ever gone online to access the Internet or World Wide Web; this proportion was substantially lower than that of US mainland Hispanics who reported using the Internet (49%). While 101 of 142 (weighted percentage 59.6%) respondents who used the Web had ever sought health information, only 118 of 497 (weighted percentage 20.0%) of those who did not use the Web had sought health information. The pattern was similar for cancer information: 76 of 142 respondents (weighted percentage 47.2%) who used the Web had ever sought cancer information compared with 105 of 497 (weighted percentage 18.8%) of those who had not used the Web. These results were slightly lower but generally consistent with US mainland Hispanics' health (50.9%) and cancer (26.4%) information seeking. Results of separate logistic regression models controlling for sociodemographic characteristics demonstrated that, compared with individuals who did not seek health or cancer information, those who did were over 5 times as likely to have used the Internet (odds ratio 5.11, P < .001). Those who sought cancer information were over twice as likely to have used the Internet (odds ratio 2.5, P < .05). The frequency of Internet use and health and cancer information seeking was higher in the San Juan metro region than in more rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: Our results contribute to the evidence base for health and cancer communication planning for Puerto Rico, and suggest that health education and outreach efforts should explore the use of available and trusted methods of dissemination such as radio and television, as well as community-based health care providers and organizations, to supplement and encourage use of the Internet as a source of health information.

Awareness of direct-to-consumer genetic tests and use of genetic tests among Puerto Rican adults, 2009.

INTRODUCTION: Genetic testing remains low among racial/ethnic minority populations in the United States. We aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of awareness of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests and the prevalence of genetic test use in a population-based sample of adults in Puerto Rico. METHODS: We analyzed data from adults aged 18 years or older who completed information on genetic test awareness (n = 611; 96% of study population) from the Health Information National Trends Survey conducted in Puerto Rico in 2009. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated by using logistic regression models to identify factors associated with awareness of DTC genetic tests. RESULTS: The majority of respondents (56%) were aware of direct-to-consumer genetic tests, and approximately 4% had ever undergone any genetic test. Respondents who had never been married were less likely to be aware of DTC tests, as were current smokers. Respondents who ever sought cancer information were more likely to be aware of these tests. CONCLUSION: We provide the first published data on the awareness of DTC genetic tests and on use of genetic testing in Puerto Rico. Forty-four percent of our sample of Puerto Rican adults were unaware of direct-to-consumer genetic tests. Given the lack of clear benefits of DTC genetic tests to the general population, educational interventions should be developed to increase awareness and specific knowledge regarding the appropriate use of DTC genetic tests among people who are already aware of their existence.

Health and cancer information seeking practices and preferences in Puerto Rico: creating an evidence base for cancer communication efforts.

Effective communication around cancer control requires understanding of population information seeking practices and their cancer-relevant risk behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge. The Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) developed by the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) provides surveillance of the nation's investment in cancer communication tracking the effects of the changing communication environment on cancer-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. The University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UPRCCC), the Puerto Rico Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (PRBRFSS), and the NCI implemented HINTS in Puerto Rico in 2009. In this article we describe the health and cancer information seeking behaviors, sources of information, trust in information sources, and experiences seeking information among the population of Puerto Rico. A total of 639 (603 complete and 36 partially complete) interviews were conducted. Nearly one-third of respondents had ever looked for information about health (32.9%) or about cancer (28.1%). The Internet was the most frequently reported source of information. College educated (odds ratio [OR] = 7.6) and females (OR = 2.8) were more likely to seek health information. Similarly, college educated (OR = 5.4) and females (OR = 2.0) were more likely to seek cancer information. Only 32.7% of respondents had ever accessed the Internet, and college educated were more likely to use it (OR = 12.2). Results provide insights into the health and cancer information seeking behaviors and experiences of the population in Puerto Rico and contribute to the evidence base for cancer control planning on the island.