Racial Differences in Cardiovascular Disease Mortality
Author Information
Author(s): Henderson Sean O., Haiman Christopher A., Wilkens Lynne R., Kolonel Laurence N., Wan Peggy, Pike Malcolm C.
Primary Institution: Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
Hypothesis
Can established risk factors explain the racial differences in cardiovascular disease mortality?
Conclusion
Known risk factors explain the majority of racial and ethnic differences in mortality due to acute myocardial infarction and other heart disease.
Supporting Evidence
- Native Hawaiians had a 69% excess risk of other heart disease mortality compared to Whites.
- African American women had a 48% excess risk of acute myocardial infarction mortality.
- Japanese American men had a 51% deficit in acute myocardial infarction mortality compared to Whites.
Takeaway
Different races have different chances of dying from heart problems, and many of these differences can be explained by things like weight and health habits.
Methodology
The study analyzed mortality rates from acute myocardial infarction and other heart diseases among 139,406 individuals from five racial groups over a period of time, accounting for various established risk factors.
Potential Biases
Potential underestimation of the impact of hypertension due to reliance on self-reported diagnoses.
Limitations
The study may not account for unmeasured determinants of cardiovascular mortality that vary across populations.
Participant Demographics
Participants included African-American, Native Hawaiian, Japanese-American, Latino, and White men and women aged 45-75.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
Not specified
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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