 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
John H. Kurata, PhD, MPH, Chief, Chronic Disease Epidemiology and Control Section, California Department of Health Services, 1616 Capitol Avenue, MS 7212, PO Box 942732, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320, 916/552-9935, jkurata@dhs.ca.gov, David J. Reynen, MPH, MPPA, Research Scientist II, Chronic Disease Epidemiology & Control Section, California Department of Health Services, 1616 Capitol Avenue, MS 7212, PO Box 942732, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320, Alisa S. Kamigaki, MPH, Chronic Disease Epidemiology & Control Section, California Department of Health Services, 1616 Capitol Avenue, MS 7212, PO Box 942732, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320, and Nan Pheatt, MPH, Secondary Prevention and Professional Education Manager, California Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, 1616 Capitol Avenue, MS 7212, P.O. Box 942732, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320.
Background: It is incumbent upon public health professionals to study heart disease, the leading cause of death in California and the nation. The focus of this study is to describe racial/ethnic disparities in the disease burden, in relationship to risk factors well-documented in the literature. Particular attention is to be paid to Latinos, who, paradoxically, have been reported to experience the disease burden to a lesser extent, while experiencing risk factors to a similar or greater extent (i.e., relative to their non-Latino counterparts).
Methods: Data from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS 2001), a telephone survey of 55,000+ households across California, were analyzed. Sample prevalence estimates were calculated and weighted to reflect the State population from which the sample was drawn. Prevalence estimates were compared across strata of interest.
Results: Overall, the prevalence of heart disease as reported in CHIS 2001 is 6.9%, with American Indian/Alaska Natives, whites, and African Americans experiencing the burden at disproportionately high levels (respectively, 11.2%, 8.9%, and 8.2%). In contrast, the prevalence for Latinos is the lowest (3.2%). While controlling for risk factor status, across selected risk factors (including diabetes, hypertension, smoking, blood cholesterol, BMI, insuredness, and access), the heart disease prevalence estimate for Latinos remains relatively low.
Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest that Latinos do, in fact, experience the heart disease burden to a lesser extent than do their non-Latino counterparts, risk factor profiles notwithstanding. Continued study, including performing multivariate modeling and investigating other data, is merited to better understand this intriguing phenomenon.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.