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Effect of race category redefinition on hypertension and hypercholesterolemia prevalence in the behavioral risk

Margaret Ochner1, Carma Ayala, Ruth Jiles

  • 1Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. mochner@hawaii.edu

Ethnicity & Disease
|April 8, 2006
PubMed

Insights

The addition of a multiracial category did not cause increases in high blood pressure (HBP) among non-Hispanic Whites. Multiracial individuals had the second-highest HBP prevalence, highlighting the need for targeted heart health interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Cardiovascular Disease Research

Background:

  • Race data is crucial for identifying populations at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors in the U.S.
  • The introduction of a multiracial category in 2001 prompted an examination of its impact on racial distributions and CVD risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze shifts in racial demographics and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors following the inclusion of a multiracial category in U.S. data collection.
  • To compare the prevalence of self-reported high blood pressure (HBP) and high blood cholesterol (HBC) between 1999 and 2001 across different racial groups.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the 1999 and 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
  • Compared age-adjusted, weighted, race-specific prevalence estimates of HBP and HBC using descriptive statistics and 95% confidence intervals.
  • Analyzed data with and without the inclusion of multiracial respondents to assess the impact of the new category.

Main Results:

  • The proportion of non-Hispanic Whites significantly decreased after the multiracial category was added.
  • Overall high blood cholesterol (HBC) prevalence remained stable, but high blood pressure (HBP) prevalence increased significantly from 24.2% to 25.6%.
  • Non-Hispanic Whites showed a significant HBP increase (23.1% to 24.4%), but larger percentage increases were observed in non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islanders and non-Hispanic Blacks. Multiracial respondents exhibited the second-highest HBP prevalence after non-Hispanic Blacks.

Conclusions:

  • The observed increase in HBP among non-Hispanic Whites was not attributable to the addition of the multiracial category.
  • Emerging multiracial populations and groups with rising HBP rates require focused attention for cardiovascular health promotion.
  • Future research should consider the unique health needs of the multiracial population and monitor trends in HBP across all racial demographics.

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