Explaining racial and ethnic disparities in cholesterol screening

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Disparities
• Preventive Medicine

Background:

• Racial and ethnic minorities often experience disparities in healthcare access and outcomes.
• Cholesterol screening is crucial for cardiovascular disease prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if racial and ethnic disparities in cholesterol screening persist after accounting for socioeconomic status, healthcare access, and language barriers.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 389,039 adults aged 35+ (men) and 45+ (women).
• Used sequential logistic regression to assess the likelihood of never having been screened, adjusting for multiple demographic, health, socioeconomic, and access-related factors.
• Examined self-reported cholesterol screening data representing over 141 million individuals.

Main Results:

• 9.1% of respondents (nearly 13 million individuals) reported never having received cholesterol screening.
• After adjusting for socioeconomic status, healthcare access, and Spanish language use, disparities between White individuals and Black and Hispanic individuals were eliminated.
• No significant disparities were observed between White individuals and Asian and Pacific Islander individuals after adjustments.

Conclusions:

• Socioeconomic status, healthcare access, and language barriers are primary drivers of racial and ethnic disparities in cholesterol screening.
• Strategies to improve cardiovascular disease screening and treatment for vulnerable populations include expanding insurance coverage, simplifying risk assessment, and enhancing culturally and linguistically appropriate care.