Abstract 16040: Discrimination is Associated With High Cardiovascular Disease Risk: The African Immigrant Health Study

Background:Racial/ethnic minorities in the United States (U.S.), including persons of African descent, are disproportionately affected by cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Discrimination is associated with higher CVD Risk among U.S. adults; however, the relationship between discrimination and CVD risk among African immigrants is unknown.Hypothesis:We hypothesized that immigrants who reported higher discrimination would have higher CVD risk.Methods:The African Immigrant Health Study was cross-sectional study of African immigrants in Baltimore-Washington, D.C. The main outcome of interest was high CVD risk, defined as the presence of ?3 CVD risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, overweight/obesity, tobacco use, and poor diet. The secondary outcomes were the 6 CVD risk factors examined individually. The exposure was discrimination measured with the Everyday Discrimination Scale; the sum of scores >2 on each item indicated frequent experiences of discrimination. Logistic regression was used to examine the odds of high CVD risk, adjusting for relevant covariates.Results:We included 395 participants; 60% were females. The mean(?SD) age was 48(?11) years, 61% had ? bachelor?s degree, 19% had an income <$40,000, and 47% had lived in the US ?15 years. Persons with frequent experiences of discrimination were 1.82 times (95%CI: 1.04-3.21) more likely to have high CVD risk than those with fewer experiences of discrimination. The unadjusted and adjusted results are presented in the Table.Conclusion:Persons with frequent experiences of discrimination were more likely to have increased CVD risk. Targeted, culturally appropriate interventions to help decrease CVD risk in this population are needed.