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Patient Activation is Inconsistently Associated with Positive Health Behaviors Among Obese Safety Net Patients

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Abstract

We examine the association of patient activation and physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption among obese safety net patients. Adult obese patients (n = 198) of three safety net clinics completed a survey assessing patient activation, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, care experiences, and health status. Multivariate logistic regression models incrementally assessed the adjusted relation of patient activation and physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption. In adjusted analyses, higher activated patients had higher odds [Odds ratio (OR) 1.58, p < 0.01] of consuming fruits and vegetables daily than less activated patients. There was no significant association between patient activation and regular physical activity. Engaging in regular physical activity appears to be difficult, even for highly activated patients. In contrast, additional fruit and vegetable consumption is a relatively easier change. Patient activation was inconsistently associated with two positive health behaviors among obese safety net patients.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Lindsay Kimbro and Socorro Ochoa for their assistance in the questionnaire development and translation process. Thanks to Ms. Kimbro, Ms. Ochoa, and clinic leaders for their assistance in the data collection process. Finally, thanks to the patients for their interest and participation in the survey process.

Funding

This research was funded by the NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: California Comparative Effectiveness and Outcomes Improvement (CEOI) Center Grant #RC2HL101811. Author AuYoung was supported by the UCLA Graduate Division Dissertation Year Fellowship.

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Author notes

  1. Mona AuYoung

    Present address: Department of Veterans Affairs, Center for Clinical Management Research, VA HSR&D/CCMR (Mail Stop 152), P.O. Box 130170, Ann Arbor, MI, 48113-0170, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Mona AuYoung, Ninez A. Ponce & Arturo Vargas Bustamante

  2. Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    O. Kenrik Duru & Carol M. Mangione

  3. Division of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA

    Hector P. Rodriguez

  4. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Ninez A. Ponce

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  1. Mona AuYoung
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Correspondence to Mona AuYoung.

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AuYoung, M., Ponce, N.A., Duru, O.K. et al. Patient Activation is Inconsistently Associated with Positive Health Behaviors Among Obese Safety Net Patients. J Immigrant Minority Health 18, 1489–1497 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-015-0285-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-015-0285-y

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