Self-reported hypertension and race among hispanic and non-hispanic adults: the New York City community Health Survey

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the association between race/ethnicity and prevalence of self-reported hypertension in adults who participated in the 2005 Community Health Survey.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of self-reported hypertension in New York City. Logistic regression was fitted to estimate the strength of the association between race/ethnicity and hypertension before and after adjusting for selected covariates.

Results: Hispanics reported lower prevalence of hypertension than did non-Hispanics (25.6% vs 28.8%, P<.01). Regardless of ethnicity, Blacks reported higher prevalence of hypertension than did Whites. In the fully adjusted model, both Hispanic and non-Hispanic Blacks had 1.90 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-4.85) and 1.68 (95% CI 1.39-2.03) greater odds of reporting hypertension than did non-Hispanic Whites, respectively; Hispanic Whites had odds comparable to non-Hispanic Whites.

Conclusions: This study suggests that Black race may lead to greater odds of reporting hypertension not only among non-Hispanics but also among Hispanics. Given the effect of race on health and the racial heterogeneity among Hispanics, race should be investigated among Hispanics whenever the data allow it.