Social Determinants Reveal Racial Disparities in Heart Disease Risk

A study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 70th Annual Scientific Session revealed that social determinants of health may contribute to racial disparities in heart disease risk. Experts are calling for clinicians to focus more attention and resources to cardiovascular preventative care for young Black women.  

“Young people should be the healthiest members of our population with normal body weight and normal blood pressure,” said Nishant Vatsa, MD, the study’s lead author and an internal medicine resident at Emory University Hospital, in a May 5th statement.  

“We’re finding obesity and elevated blood pressure are present in women even at younger ages, which is worrisome. Thus, interventions like educating young women about healthy dietary choices and the benefits of exercise, improving access to health care and enhancing the ability for people to adopt healthy practices—such as increasing access to healthy foods and safe areas for physical activity—needs to start early.”    

The study’s data was collected by the Emory Women’s Heart Center 10,000 Women Hypertension project, which provides free cardiovascular risk screenings in Atlanta, GA. Researchers analyzed health data from 945 Black women enrolled in the project. The findings showed higher than average BMIs, systolic blood pressure levels, and lifestyle factors contributed to a high risk for heart disease.  

One out of every three study participants aged 20-29 reported consuming fast food three or more times per week, and two out of five had a higher than recommended salt intake. Systolic blood pressure levels increased with age, with even the youngest age group, 20-29, at 122 mmHg. The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines consider 120 mmHg to be normal—the study found middle-aged women had an average of 133 mmHg, while older women had an average of 142.  

“Diet and exercise play a major role in blood pressure and weight. Primary care providers, prevention-based clinics and community organizations can facilitate interventions proven to mitigate these risk factors. Providers that treat young Black women need to be mindful of cardiovascular preventive care and be armed with resources and education,” said Vatsa in the statement.  

Racial health disparities have been brought into the light recently with the COVID-19 pandemic. Research shows that COVID-19 has disproportionately affected minority communities. A study published in the American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology, found that socioeconomic factors may be correlated to heart failure in Black men—Black patients had worse heart failure outcomes than any other race in the nation.  

Researchers focused on less than 1,000 Black women at one clinic in Atlanta but believe that their findings are telling for the larger population of Black women. They plan to analyze studies from other regions to compare results.  

Social determinants of health, including a lack of access to preventative care, are significant barriers to the adoption of a heart-healthy lifestyle among minority communities, explained Vatsa. Based on the research and evidence of racial health disparities, Vatsa suggests in the statement that the public health community should encourage lifestyle changes and place an emphasis on preventative care for young Black women in order to mitigate risk.