Having more adverse social determinants of health, such as being unemployed, uninsured, and having less than high school education, is associated with increased odds of having cardiovascular disease risk factors among Asian American adults That’s according to new research published in today’s journal. American Heart Association Journal.

This study also found that the associations between these unfavorable social determinants of health variables and cardiovascular disease risk factors differed significantly among people in the different Asian American subgroups in this study. pointed out. An association does not mean that the social determinants of health directly caused the risk factor.

“Despite the recognition that Asian Americans are less affected by social determinants of health than other racial/ethnic groups, our findings demonstrate that adverse social factors “This study shows that the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is associated with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in adults,” said the lead study. The author, Dr. Eugene Yang, is a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.

“The Asian American population is the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States,” Yang said. “People of South Asian descent have a high prevalence of early-onset heart disease worldwide and have recently been found to have higher cardiovascular mortality than non-Hispanic whites. Cardiovascular risk among Asian subgroups A deeper understanding of why differences exist is essential to reducing risks and improving outcomes. ”

Researchers examined data from the National Health Interview Survey of 6,395 adults who identified as Asian, conducted in the United States from 2013 to 2018.

Researchers rated 27 social determinants of health factors as favorable or unfavorable in six areas. Financial stability (including employment and income status). Neighborhood and social cohesion (measures the trustworthiness of the neighborhood and whether the home is owned or rented). psychological distress; food security; education; and access to health care.

This analysis found significant relationships between unfavorable social determinants of health and cardiovascular disease risk factors. This relationship varied by subgroup of Asian Americans. Some of the findings include:

• For all Asian groups included in the data, each standardized unit higher in unfavorable social determinants of health score was associated with a 14% increased risk of hypertension. 17% increased risk of sleep deprivation. 24% increased risk of type 2 diabetes. All of these increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

• Specifically, more adverse social determinants were associated with:
  • Chinese adults are 45% more likely to have type 2 diabetes, while Filipino adults are 24% more likely.
  • Filipino adults have a 28% higher risk of high blood pressure.
  • The odds of being physically inactive increased by 42% among Asian Indian adults, by 58% among Chinese adults, and by 24% among Filipino adults.
  • Asian Indian adults have a 20% chance of suboptimal sleep.and
  • The likelihood of nicotine exposure for Chinese and Filipino adults was 56% and 50%, respectively.
• Compared to other Asian American subgroups, adults who identify as Filipino have the highest prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, including poor sleep, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity, 4 out of 7 It had been reported.

Yang said many of the social determinants of health are often interconnected, such as neighborhood cohesion, economic stability, and access to the health care system.

“It’s important to understand how different subgroups in Asia will be affected,” he said. “By lumping Asians together, high-risk groups like South Asians may not receive enough aggressive treatment, while lower-risk groups like Koreans and Japanese may have lower blood pressure.” and may be overtreated for cholesterol.

Research background and details:

• This large cross-sectional study examined data from the 2013-2018 National Health Interview Survey, an annual nationally representative survey of U.S. adults.
• Of the 6,395 Asian adults surveyed, approximately 22% identified themselves as Filipino adults. He ranks 22% among Asian Indian adults. 21% as a Chinese adult. Among other Asians, he ranks at 36%.
• The sample size of Asian Americans in the national survey was too small to analyze several major Asian populations, including Japanese, Koreans, and Vietnamese, as well as other smaller Asian subgroups.
• Nearly 56% of the group were women, and nearly 52% were between 18 and 44 years old. Approximately 77% of participants were born outside the United States.
• Participants were assigned a social determinants of health score by classifying 27 variables as favorable or unfavorable.
• Cardiovascular risk factors were self-reported and similar to the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 (eight lifestyle indicators that assess ideal cardiovascular health). These eight indicators include eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise and getting enough quality sleep, avoiding nicotine exposure, and maintaining healthy levels of blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. Includes maintenance. However, healthy eating was not measured in this study. When these eight indicators reach optimal levels, your heart health improves and your risk of heart disease and stroke decreases.

Limitations of this study include the small sample size, which precludes analysis of some Asian subgroups (Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese, and other Asians). Additionally, we examined self-reported survey data on social factors and cardiovascular risk factors at a single time point.

Therefore, this analysis could not assess long-term social determinants of health patterns and could not prove that unfavorable social factors cause the development of cardiovascular disease risk factors. Additionally, the national health agency interviews were conducted only in English and Spanish, so language barriers may have been a factor for some participants.

The study authors believe that including more Asian Americans in the national survey will help uncover potential differences in health profiles and the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and optimal social determinants of outcomes. He pointed out that this is important.