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Preventable risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke amongst ethnic groups in London

N Lemic-Stojcevic1, R Dundas, S Jenkins

  • 1Department of Public Health Sciences, King's College London, UK.

Ethnicity & Health
|August 2, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Stroke risk factors like hypertension are more common in Black Caribbean and Black African populations in the UK than in white individuals. These differences may contribute to higher stroke mortality rates in these ethnic groups.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular epidemiology
  • Public health
  • Ethnic health disparities

Background:

  • People of African Caribbean descent exhibit higher mortality rates from stroke compared to other ethnic groups.
  • Limited data exists on the prevalence of stroke risk factors within UK ethnic minority populations.
  • This study addresses the knowledge gap regarding stroke risk factors in diverse ethnic groups.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate and compare the prevalence of key stroke risk factors among individuals of African Caribbean, Black African, and White ethnicity in the UK.
  • To identify ethnic variations in hypertension, serum cholesterol, fibrinogen, and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).

Main Methods:

  • A random sample of 16 general practices in south London surveyed patients aged 45-74 in 1995.
  • Key outcome measures included prevalence of hypertension, mean serum cholesterol, serum fibrinogen, and HbA1c.
  • Logistic and linear regression analyses were employed to assess ethnic differences in these risk factors.

Main Results:

  • Hypertension prevalence was significantly higher in Black Caribbeans (79.4%) and Black Africans (71.6%) compared to Whites (54.3%).
  • Significant ethnic differences were observed in mean total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, fibrinogen, and HbA1c levels.
  • Whites had higher cholesterol, triglycerides, and fibrinogen but lower HDL and HbA1c than Black Caribbeans; Black Africans showed similar risk factor profiles to Black Caribbeans, except for lower triglycerides.

Conclusions:

  • Observed differences in stroke risk factors may partially explain elevated stroke mortality rates in Black Caribbean and Black African populations.
  • Minimal differences in risk factor prevalence were found between Black Caribbean and Black African groups.
  • Development of targeted, ethnicity-specific strategies is crucial for effective stroke risk factor reduction.
Abstract

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