Dissertations and Theses
Date of Degree
1-1-2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Community Health and Social Sciences
Advisor(s)
Sandra E. Echeverria
Terry Huang
Committee Members
Sandra E. Echeverria
Terry Huang
Margrethe F. Horlyck-Romanovsky
Subject Categories
Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Public Health
Keywords
Latino health, women's health, working conditions, psychosocial work stressors, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, health behaviors
Abstract
Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM or ‘diabetes’) poses a significant public health challenge to the healthcare system, economy, and well-being of communities in the United States (U.S.). There are also substantial racial/ethnic and social disparities in diabetes incidence and control that have persisted for decades. For Latinos and other minoritized groups in the U.S., diabetes disparities may be linked to working conditions. Globally, work is considered a major determinant of health and yet studies in the U.S. tend to focus on legacy hazards, such as chemical, biological, and environmental factors. In recent years, occupational health scholars have argued for the inclusion of other measures of working conditions that can illustrate how work influences health in populations. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to examine if structural working conditions, such as work hours, and psychosocial work factors are associated with the prevalence of T2DM, diabetes-specific health behaviors and diabetes control in a diverse sample of U.S. workers.
Methods: I utilized data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), two publicly available nationally representative surveys that are designed to represent the U.S. population. In Aim 1, I estimated prevalence ratios (PR) to examine the association between psychosocial work factors (job insecurity, hostile work environment, and work-life interference) and health damaging behaviors (physical inactivity, smoking, and binge drinking) among all U.S. workers (N=18,970). I additionally stratified by race/ethnicity and sex and reported statistical significance for the interaction terms. For Aim 2, I examined if work hours (≤20, 21-39, 40, 41-50, and >50 hours worked per week) are associated with diabetes prevalence among Latinos (N=2,970) and tested for effect measure modification by nativity status (foreign-born and U.S.-born). For Aim 3, I examined if work hours are associated with diabetes control (optimal vs. suboptimal) among U.S. workers (N=1,041) diagnosed with diabetes and tested for interaction effects by race/ethnicity and sex.
Results: In Aim 1, models testing for interaction between work hostility and race/ethnicity (p for interaction
Discussion: Study findings showed that non-Latino Black workers and women were more likely to experience bullying, harassment, and threats in work contexts. A substantial percentage of U.S. workers living with diabetes are not properly controlled. Future research should explore workers’ experiences of workplace harassment to develop effective interventions and workplace health promotion programs that prevent health damaging coping mechanisms associated with psychosocial work stressors. Additional research is also needed to examine other working conditions, such as overnight hours, which may have a greater effect on T2DM prevalence due to disruptions to metabolic processes via interrupted sleep patterns. Results also indicated that workplace policies and programs are urgently needed to support optimal diabetes control in the U.S. working population. This dissertation research presents much needed evidence to support the health of U.S. workers.
Recommended Citation
Gonzalez, Tailisha M., "WORKING CONDITIONS, TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS, AND HEALTH BEHAVIORS IN LATINO AND OTHER MINORITIZED GROUPS LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES" (2023). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/sph_etds/92