Associations Between Income, Acculturation, Country of Origin, and Type II Diabetes Among African Immigrants to Ontario, Canada

Diabetes has become a longstanding public health challenge around the world. Over the last 3 decades, the number of people with Type II diabetes (T2DM) has grown to an epidemic level in Canada. Prior research indicated African immigrants residing in Ontario, Canada experienced a 2-4 times higher prevalence of T2DM than Canadian-born individuals. The social determinants of health theoretical framework guided this study assessing the relationship of the risk factors with T2DM. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed using the 2007-2014 Canadian Community Health Survey data. The random sample included 1,526 African immigrants residing in Ontario, Canada. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were conducted. Study results indicated a lower income level, high acculturation index, and a country of origin significantly associated with T2DM in adjusted and unadjusted binary logistic regression models. Using the results of the study to create a valid and reliable acculturation measurement scale and a cultural-based design of public health programs, increase awareness, and change policies that consider the needs of the sample populations could lead to positive social change by curbing the prevalence of T2DM observed in African immigrants residing in Ontario and Canada at large