Separating mortality data for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults and Asian American adults reveals significant differences in the impact of cardiovascular disease on these populations, according to a new analysis.
Studies show that Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander people have significantly higher cardiovascular mortality rates than Asian American adults and second only to Black adults. The findings will be presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia on Saturday. These are considered preliminary until the full results are published in a peer-reviewed journal.
“The high burden of cardiovascular disease mortality among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States has been historically underestimated,” said Dr. Rebecca Woodruff, an epidemiologist and principal investigator at the Atlanta Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We are thinking about it.” This analysis was conducted in collaboration with the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu.
This is because, “despite these groups differing with respect to historical, cultural, linguistic, and health-related factors, their data have historically been underrepresented in public health research and surveillance.” “Because it has been grouped with adult data,” Woodruff said. Because the Asian population is large, lumping the two groups together “may mask important differences,” she says.
Racial categories on U.S. death certificates changed in 2018, splitting them into two groups. The study analyzed the data since then, disaggregating thousands of cardiovascular-related deaths among adults 35 and older in the U.S., comparing mortality rates for those identifying as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander alone, and for adults of Asian descent. , compared mortality rates for black adults and U.S. adults overall.
The analysis found that single-race Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults had cardiovascular mortality rates 86% higher than Asian American adults and second highest after black adults. This was 7% higher than the overall death rate from heart disease and stroke among U.S. adults.
In contrast, Asian Americans have some of the lowest rates of heart disease in the United States and are less likely to get heart disease or develop heart disease than non-Hispanic Americans, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health. There is a low chance of dying. White people generally have lower rates of cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, smoking, and hypertension.
Dr. Latha Palaniappan, an internist and professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University in California, said combining such different groups makes it difficult to assess the health risks of each population. She did not participate in the study.
“When you aggregate data from[diverse]groups, you miss important signals of cardiovascular disease,” she says. “The Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander categories include over 40 different ethnic subgroups. We want to disaggregate these groups as much as possible to clarify the health risks for these diverse groups. It’s important to understand so we can provide better information.” Providing prediction, prevention, and treatment for diverse populations. ”
Woodruff and colleagues said multiple factors, including a history of oppression, may be contributing to higher mortality rates among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults.
“Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander health outcomes are likely shaped by the legacies of Western colonialism in the Pacific, including loss of indigenous land, cultural practices, and assimilation into dominant cultures.” she stated. “The resulting historical trauma has profoundly altered the economic realities and environmental conditions of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander peoples, contributing to high rates of chronic disease and associated risk factors.”
They also address social stressors such as discrimination and behaviors known to reduce cardiovascular risk, such as eating a healthy diet, staying physically active, managing weight, and controlling cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure levels. They also experience social stressors, such as limited opportunities for social activities, Woodruff said. “Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults may also be less likely to receive health care, which may lead to delays in the prevention, detection, and treatment of acute and chronic cardiovascular disease,” she said. .
In this study, 25% of heart disease and stroke deaths among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders occurred among Native Hawaiian adults, 24% among Samoan adults, 11% among Guamanian adults, and 40% among Native Hawaiian adults. It is believed to be by “other” Pacific Islanders. Palaniappan said the grouping was still too broad.
“This group needs to be further segmented so that high-risk populations can be identified and targeted public health and prevention clinical programs can be delivered,” she said.
Check out more news from Scientific Sessions.
