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. 2019 Jun;6(3):584-593.
doi: 10.1007/s40615-018-00557-6. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Hypertension Prevalence, Treatment, and Related Behaviors Among Asian Americans: An Examination by Method of Measurement and Disaggregated Subgroups

Mary Y Jung  1 , Sunmin Lee  2 , Stephen B Thomas  2 , Hee-Soon Juon  3
Affiliations

Hypertension Prevalence, Treatment, and Related Behaviors Among Asian Americans: An Examination by Method of Measurement and Disaggregated Subgroups

Mary Y Jung et al. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2019 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Data on hypertension among Asian Americans is lacking and often aggregated, which can mask important ethnic differences. This study aims to provide a comprehensive view of hypertension and hypertension-related behaviors, including hypertension treatment, management, and information seeking, among Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese Americans.

Methods: Data were collected from 600 foreign-born Asian Americans (201 Chinese, 198 Korean, and 201 Vietnamese participants) in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area, aged 18 years and over, from 2013 to 2014. Hypertension was assessed using direct measurement and self-report of having ever been told by a physician. Hypertension prevalence was compared based on the method of assessment, ethnicity, and sex.

Results: The age-adjusted hypertension prevalence from direct measurement was 27.5%, which is higher than the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey estimate for Asians (24.9%). Hypertension prevalences from self-report among Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese were 13.4%, 23.2%, and 22.9%, respectively, which are lower than 2014 California Health Interview Survey estimates (15.6%, 18.4%, and 25.8%) with the exception of Korean participants. In regard to hypertension-related behaviors, 67.8% of hypertensive adults received management, 64.3% took antihypertensive medication, and 67.0% sought information to improve their hypertension.

Conclusions: Disaggregated data on hypertension based on measured blood pressure may prevent underestimation from self-report, particularly among those with limited healthcare access. More accurate and objective assessment of hypertension is needed for improved monitoring of hypertension among Asian-American subgroups.

Keywords: Asian Americans; Disease management; Hypertension; Information-seeking behavior; Prevalence.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Sample size flowchart and blood pressure classifications by hypertension assessment methoda
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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