Black/white disparity in self-reported hypertension: the role of nativity status

This study investigates the association between race and self-reported hypertension and whether this association varies with nativity status in the National Health Interview Survey, 1997-2005. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between race and self-reported hypertension before and after adjusting for selected characteristics. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 25.3%, with non-Hispanic Blacks (30.6%) exhibiting higher prevalence than non-Hispanic Whites (24.4%, p<.01). In the adjusted analysis, non-Hispanic Blacks, regardless of their nativity status, had 47% (95% CI 1.40-1.54) greater odds of reported hypertension than non-Hispanic Whites. Foreign-born non-Hispanic Blacks with more than 10 years in the U.S. had 58% (95% CI 1.27-1.96) greater odds of reporting hypertension than their White counterparts. The finding of no effect for nativity but for length of stay for foreign-born with more than 10 years in the U.S. is important in itself, suggesting that there may be selection factors deleterious to foreign-born Blacks' health after entering the U.S.