Important points:
- Social determinants of health contribute to excessive uncontrolled blood pressure in black adults compared with white adults.
- Structural interventions are needed to prevent further inequality.
Social determinants of health contribute to excessive levels of uncontrolled blood pressure in black adults compared to white adults taking antihypertensive medications, researchers reported.
“many Social determinants of health Laws and policies can be reached, some of which perpetuate longstanding structural racism that limits opportunities for educational, social and economic progress. “ Orwasegun Phip Akiniere, MD, MPH, A professor and colleague in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham wrote: high blood pressure“Although the American Heart Association recognizes structural racism as a root cause of racism, Disparities in health and cardiovascular disease, addressing structural racism requires interventions at the individual, interpersonal and institutional levels. “
Data are from Akinyelure OP et al. high blood pressure2023; doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.20219.
To determine the impact of social determinants of health on the high proportion of black adults with uncontrolled BP, Akinyelure et al. elderly people.
Researchers collected BP measurements from the REGARDS study and utilized the Healthy People 2030 Framework of Social Determinants of Health. This includes education, economics, social conditions, neighborhoods, and healthcare categories.
Akinyelure and colleagues found that social determinants of health mediate 33% (95% CI, 22.1-46.8) differences in uncontrolled hypertension in black adults compared with white adults.
Furthermore, the social determinant of health that contributed most to the excess levels of uncontrolled blood pressure in black adults compared with white adults was lower annual household income (mediated percent, 15.8%; 95% CI, 10.8). -22.8), low level of education (percentage, 10.5%; 95% CI, 5.6-15.4), living in an area where health professionals are scarce (percentage, 10.4%; 95% CI, 6.5) -14.7), live in disadvantaged areas (prevalence rate, 11%; 95% CI, 4.4-18) and live in postal codes with high poverty rates (prevalence rate, 9.7%; 95% CI, 3.8). -15.5).
“Interventions that address social determinants of health at the public policy, environmental, organizational, and individual levels may improve BP control and reduce the black-white disparity in cardiovascular disease mortality. ’” wrote the researcher. “Future research is needed that builds on current findings and uses current data to assess a wider range of social determinants of health, including other individual-level measures of access to care.” will be.”