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Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among Arab Americans

Ayman Tailakh1, Janet C Mentes, Donald E Morisky

  • 1College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman. atailakh@squ.edu.om

The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing
|June 23, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Hypertension (HTN) and pre-hypertension are highly prevalent in Arab Americans, with low rates of awareness and control. Public health strategies are urgently needed to improve HTN prevention and management in this community.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Hypertension (HTN) is a significant risk factor for heart disease and stroke in the U.S.
  • Arab Americans, a population of over 3.5 million, lack specific national or regional HTN prevalence data.
  • Effective HTN detection and blood pressure (BP) control are crucial for mitigating cardiovascular risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of HTN within a community sample of Arab Americans.
  • To evaluate awareness, treatment, and control levels among hypertensive Arab Americans.
  • To describe and compare lifestyle behaviors, including physical activity, nutrition, and weight management.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional, descriptive study involving 126 participants.
  • Self-administered questionnaires assessed physical activity, nutrition, and medical history.
  • Objective measurements included height, weight, and three BP readings after a 5-minute rest period.

Main Results:

  • The study found high prevalence rates: 36.5% had HTN and 39.7% had pre-HTN.
  • Among those with HTN, awareness was low (67.4%), treatment was suboptimal (52.2% on medication), and control was inadequate (46% of those on medication).
  • HTN prevalence was higher in men (45.9%) than women (23.2%) and increased with age and higher body mass index (BMI).

Conclusions:

  • Hypertension and pre-hypertension are highly prevalent in the Arab American community.
  • Awareness and control rates for HTN are significantly lower compared to national averages.
  • There is an urgent need for targeted public health interventions to enhance HTN prevention, detection, and management in Arab Americans.
Abstract

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