Knowledge Gaps of the Health Benefits of Beans among Low-Income Women
Date
Authors
Major Professor
Advisor
Committee Member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Authors
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach helps carry Iowa State’s land-grant mission beyond campus, to be the university that best serves the citizens of Iowa. With Iowa State University, we embrace the land-grant philosophy of:
- access to high-quality education
- research applied to the needs of Iowa, the nation, and world
- extending knowledge to strengthen Iowa’s economy and citizens’ quality of life
Journal Issue
Is Version Of
Versions
Series
Department
Abstract
Objectives: We determined knowledge of the health benefits of consuming beans, and assessed if awareness varied by acculturation status among Hispanic and non-Hispanic low-income women. Methods: We used a self-administered survey with Iowa women aged 18-65 years who were eligible to receive income-based services through 2 healthcare clinics, a WIC clinic, and Extension Outreach. Chi-square and ANOVA were used to compare bean health benefit knowledge, demographics, health-risk factors, nutrition information seeking, and self-efficacy by acculturation categories. Results: Of the 158 women who completed the survey, 58% were Hispanic, with a mean age of 36 years. In terms of acculturation, 24% were Hispanic-dominant, 30% bicultural, and 46% English dominant. Over 50% of all respondents did not know bean consumption lowered cholesterol, aided blood glucose control, or reduced some cancer risks. Responses for 5 of 7 knowledge statements differed significantly by acculturation. Hispanic-dominant and bicultural women reported significantly better health, higher bean consumption, and less cigarette smoking than English-dominant women. Bicultural and English-dominant women were more likely to use the Internet for nutrition information. Conclusions: There are knowledge gaps about the health benefits of bean consumption among low-income women. Nutrition education to improve their knowledge may lead to increased bean consumption, reducing health disparities and improving nutrition.
Comments
This article is published as Palmer SM, Winham DM, Hradek C. Knowledge Gaps of the Health Benefits of Beans among Low-Income Women. American Journal of Health Behavior. 2018 Jan 1;42(1). Doi: 10.5993/AJHB.42.1.3.