175649 Hypertension among California Latinos: Findings from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Survey

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

David J. Reynen, MPPA, MPH, CPH , California Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Alisa S. Kamigaki, MPH , California Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Pam Ford-Keach, MS , California Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Lily A. Chaput, MD, MPH , California Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Background: Hypertension (HTN) is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Hypertension medications (HM) are indicated for Stage I HTN or above (>140/90 mmHg). This study describes HTN prevalence, HM use, and factors associated with taking HM, among California Behavioral Risk Factor Survey respondents. Particular attention is paid to Latinos.

Methods: The 6,098 survey respondents (2005) included 1,544 Latinos. All respondents were classified as having/not having HTN, and stratified prevalences were calculated. Among those with HTN, HM use was determined. Logistic regression was used to describe factors associated with HM use.

Results: Overall, HTN prevalence is 24.4% (95%CI=23.3%-25.5%), with a slight gender difference (male: 25.9%, 24.1%-27.7%; female: 22.9%, 21.5%-24.3%). HTN is highest among African-Americans, 28.1% (22.6%-33.6%), especially females, 29.7% (22.8%-36.6%). The prevalence among Latinos is 23.1% (21.0%-25.2%). Among individuals with HTN, 63.5% (61.2%-65.8%) report HM use (male: 58.6%, 55.0%-62.2%; female: 68.8%, 65.9%-71.1%). While those of “other” race/ethnicity report the highest HM use, 76.8% (68.1%-85.5%), Latinos report the lowest, 40.5% (35.3%-45.7%), especially males, 33.2% (25.0%-41.4%). Factors associated with HM use include: multiple HTN diagnoses (OR=4.50, 95%CI=3.29-6.15); physician visit/past year (2.18, 1.60-2.97); diabetes (2.09, 1.35-3.22); non-smoker (2.02, 1.41-2.89); less-than-high-school education (1.85, 1.20-2.83); and health insurance (1.79, 1.12-2.86). Latinos (0.40, 0.28-0.59) are less likely to report HM use.

Conclusions: Among those with HTN, multiple HTN diagnoses and routine care are the strongest predictors of HM use. People with diabetes are more likely to use HM; Latinos and smokers are not. Understanding these factors may inform the development of strategies to increase HM use.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the burden of high blood pressure and the use of blood pressure-lowering medications among California’s diverse adult population. 2. List factors associated with the use of blood pressure-lowering medications by those with high blood pressure, among California’s diverse adult population, as presented in this paper. 3. Discuss how the information concerning high blood pressure, the use of blood pressure-lowering medications, and associated factors, as presented in this paper, might be used in control and prevention efforts.

Keywords: Hispanic, Hypertension

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Together with my colleagues, I conceptualized this study, conducted the analyses, and wrote the abstract describing it.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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