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DOI: 10.1007/s10903-005-3675-8Journal of Immigrant Health, Vol. 7, No. 3, July 2005 ( C 2005)Refugees Perceptions of Healthy BehaviorsDonelle M. Barnes1,3 and Nina Almasy2This descriptive study explored refugees knowledge and perceptions of nutrition, physical
activity and smoking behaviors using the Health Promotion and Transtheoretical Models.
A one-time interview used both closed- and open-ended questions. The sample included 31
adults from Bosnia, Iran, and Cuba. Refugees had some knowledge of a healthy diet and
physical activity, and were aware of both benefits and barriers for health behaviors. They
had a realistic perception of their weight (55% overweight), and none thought obesity was a
positive characteristic. Changes in diet, physical activity and smoking since arrival in the US
have been positive for some and negative for others. For all categories discussed, refugees
were in the pre-contemplation stage of change. There is a need to study refugees health
behaviors over time after arrival. Health behavior interventions must be specific to ethnicity
in order to accurately document progress and to be culturally appropriate.KEY WORDS: health promotion; refugees; Cuban; Bosnian; Iranian.INTRODUCTIONThe leading causes of death in the U.S. continue
to be heart disease and cancers. According to the Determinants of Health Model of Healthy People 2010(1), these negative health outcomes are a result of
physical and social environments, biology, and human behavior. The behaviors most seriously and consistently related to health are tobacco use, physical
activity, and dietary habits. For example, researchers
recently found that 14% of cancers in men and 20%
of cancers in women are attributable to obesity, making obesity second only to smoking as a preventable
cause of cancers (2). Increasing healthy behaviors
and decreasing risky or health-damaging behaviors
is the major challenge for health care providers
during the next several decades. Neither drugs nor
surgery can undo the harmful affects of years of1Harris School of Nursing, Texas Christian University, Fort
Worth, Texas.2Nursing Department, Austin Community College, Austin, Texas.3Correspondence should be directed to Donelle M. Barnes, Harris
School of Nursing, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas
76129; e-mail: [email protected] smoking or poor nutrition combined with
inactivity.Research has shown that health behaviors vary
by peoples ethnicity, gender, and age. For example, African Americans and Hispanics are physically less active compared to non-Hispanic whites
(1, 3), women are less active...