Effect of race and socioeconomic status on cardiovascular risk factor burden: the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVES This study examines the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and chronic disease burden among African Americans compared to Caucasians in a population of higher socioeconomic status. DESIGN The current study is a cross-sectional, secondary data analysis of the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study. SETTING Patients with a medical examination from 1970-2010 at the Cooper Clinic. PARTICIPANTS 762 African Americans and 40,051 Caucasians who met the criteria. OUTCOME MEASURES Racial differences in cardiovascular risk factors/burden of disease between African Americans and Caucasians. RESULTS African Americans had higher prevalence of evaluated cardiovascular risk factors than did Caucasians after controlling for obesity, tobacco use, and physical fitness. Caucasians had greater likelihood of no risk factors while African Americans were more likely to have all three risk factors. Race was typically predictive of cardiovascular risk factors in African Americans compared to Caucasians. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that health differences persist despite greater socioeconomic status, and further investigations of biopsychosocial causes are warranted.