Educational Attainment, Health Status, and Program Outcomes in Latino Adults With Arthritis Participating in a Walking Program

INTRODUCTION: Latinos are disproportionately likely to lack a high school diploma, compared with non-Hispanic whites, a trend associated with worse outcomes in arthritis and indicating a need for health interventions. Camine Con Gusto (CCG) is the Spanish version of the evidence-based Walk With Ease program for arthritis. This study compared baseline health status and examined differences in program efficacy and adherence among Latino adults with and without a high school diploma enrolled in a pre−post evaluation of CCG. METHODS: CCG participants (n = 233) were classified into 2 groups: high school diploma or more (n = 129) and less than high school diploma (n = 104). We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations of education with measures of baseline health and program adherence. We computed effect sizes for the difference between education groups by using mean change scores for arthritis symptoms, physical function, and psychosocial variables. RESULTS: The group without a high school diploma was more likely to report worse general health (OR = 2.40; 95% CI, 1.28–4.53) and lower levels of arthritis self-efficacy (OR = 1.95; 95% CI, 1.05–3.63) than the group with a high school diploma. CCG improved outcomes for both groups, with no significant between-group differences. The group without a high school diploma was less likely to read most of the program workbook (OR = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.27–0.97), but we found no significant differences in the amount of walking between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: CCG was equally effective among Latinos with and without a high school diploma; however, education did affect participants’ engagement with the program workbook. Adaptation of interventions for Latinos should consider how information can best be conveyed to those with lower levels of formal education.