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There is a significant deficit in recognition and control of hypertension in the Hispanic population of the United States, according to a new study published in American Journal of Hypertension (AJH).
The study, “Prevalence of hypertension, awareness, treatment and control in the Hispanic Community,” led by Dr. Paul D. Sorlie of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), sampled 16,400 individuals, making it one of the largest and most rigorous health studies of the Hispanic community. Hispanics are currently the largest minority group within the US population. The results show that while the prevalence of hypertension in the Hispanic community is nearly equal to that of non-Hispanic whites, diagnosis of the disease is much lower, as is general awareness of its symptoms and treatment options.
“This is a landmark study,” says Dr. Michael Alderman, Editor-in-Chief of AJH. “This is the first comprehensive data on the prevalence and awareness of hypertension within the US Hispanic community that also includes all of its diverse subgroups.” Prevention and control of hypertension are essential components for reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease. As such, the study offers important insights into new avenues for improving the health care of the United States’ rapidly growing Hispanic population. Sorlie, et al. contend that the availability of health insurance plays a critical factor in the outcomes measured in their study, as the Hispanic community is the least insured minority group in the US.
Read full story: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-03-hypertension-untreated-hispanic.html