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Prevalence, awareness of CV risk factors differ by ethnicity

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The burden and awareness of CV risk factors differ greatly among ethnic groups, researchers reported at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress.

Researchers surveyed individuals who presented to an urgent care clinic serving an ethnically diverse population. Participants were questioned about activities or conditions that contribute to CVD, and whether they had any CV risk factors. In total, 3,189 participants responded (mean age, 37 years; 44% men). Of those, 3,102 provided information on ethnicity.

After adjustment for age, sex, education and length of residence in Canada, the researchers found that, compared with white participants:

• East Asian participants were less likely to smoke (OR=0.31; 95% CI, 0.23-0.43) and more likely to live a sedentary lifestyle (OR=1.66; 95% CI, 1.27-2.16).
• South Asian participants were less likely to smoke (OR=0.24; 95% CI, 0.18-0.3), but more likely to have hyperlipidemia (OR=1.58; 95% CI, 1.17-2.12), diabetes (OR=2.31; 95% CI, 95% CI, 1.48-3.63), obesity (OR=1.35; 95% CI, 1.1-1.65) and a sedentary lifestyle (OR=1.81; 95% CI, 1.47-2.22).
• Black participants were less likely to smoke (OR=0.41; 95% CI, 0.32-0.54) and more likely to have diabetes (OR=1.88; 95% CI, 1.1-3.24).
• Participants of other nonwhite ethnicities were less likely to smoke (OR=0.58; 95% CI, 0.44-0.77) and more likely to be obese (OR=1.36; 95% CI, 1.04-1.79).

Awareness of most CV risk factors, including hypertension, smoking, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and stress, was lower for those of all nonwhite ethnicities compared with white participants, the researchers found.

“These findings highlight the need for specifically designed interventions to improve [CV risk factor] awareness and lower [CVD] burden in an ethnically diverse population,” the researchers wrote in an abstract.

For more information:

Coomes E. Abstract #484. Presented at: Canadian Cardiovascular Congress; Oct. 25-28, 2014; Vancouver, British Columbia.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.