Social Determinants of Health/Health Equity and Hypertension Prevalence Among Mississippi Adults

More than one million adults in Mississippi have hypertension. We examined the association between a summary measure of social determinants of health (SDOH) and health equity (SDOH/HE) and hypertension prevalence among Mississippi adults. Using data from 3867 respondents to the 2023 Mississippi Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System SDOH/HE Module, we performed multivariable logistic regression analyses to examine the association between hypertension prevalence and a summary SDOH/HE measure. The SDOH/HE summary measure score was created using responses to 10 questions assessing employment/economic and housing stability, receipt of food assistance, access to quality food and transportation, utilities security, social isolation, social and emotional support, life satisfaction, and mental well-being of the participants. The likelihood of experiencing 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 or more SDOH/HE risk factors was 38.6, 22.9%, 13.7%, 7.9%, and 16.8%, respectively. Mississippi adults experiencing one (adjusted odds ratio, AOR, 1.47) and four or more (AOR, 2.62) of SDOH/HE risk factors had higher odds of hypertension compared to those experiencing no SDOH/HE risk factors. Associations between presence of two or three SDOH/HE risk factors and hypertension were not significant. Mississippi adults with one and at least four SDOH/HE risk factors had significantly higher odds of hypertension risk than those with no SDOH/HE risk factors. These findings highlight an association between SDOH/HE factors and the burden of hypertension and underscore the need for targeted inventions among Mississippi adults with multiple SDOH/HE risk factors.