Cardiovascular Outcomes, Health-Promoting Behaviors, and Social Determinants: Structural Racism and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Purpose: Cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects historically marginalized populations in the United States. This study explored disparities in cardiovascular health outcomes, social determinants of health, and health-promoting behaviors across racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Using data...

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Main Authors: Jaclyn K. Schwartz, Emily A. Kringle, Suzanne Perea Burns, Catherine R. Hoyt, Kelly M. Harris, Sami Tayeb
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Mary Ann Liebert 2024-12-01
Series:Health Equity
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/heq.2023.0203
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author Jaclyn K. Schwartz
Emily A. Kringle
Suzanne Perea Burns
Catherine R. Hoyt
Kelly M. Harris
Sami Tayeb
author_facet Jaclyn K. Schwartz
Emily A. Kringle
Suzanne Perea Burns
Catherine R. Hoyt
Kelly M. Harris
Sami Tayeb
author_sort Jaclyn K. Schwartz
collection DOAJ
description Purpose: Cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects historically marginalized populations in the United States. This study explored disparities in cardiovascular health outcomes, social determinants of health, and health-promoting behaviors across racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Using data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we conducted a descriptive analysis of cardiovascular conditions and diabetes, social determinants of health, and health-promoting behaviors across eight racial/ethnic categories. Results: Historically marginalized groups had higher rates of cardiovascular conditions and greater barriers to health care access. However, these groups often demonstrated equal or higher rates of engagement in health-promoting behaviors compared with White adults. For example, Black adults had the highest hypertension prevalence (41%) despite having the highest rates of blood pressure management behaviors. Discussion: The persistence of health disparities despite equivalent health-promoting behaviors suggests a significant influence of structural factors like racism. Critical examination using Quantitative Critical Theory revealed potential biases in measurement tools and data categorization that may perpetuate inequities. Health Equity Implications: Findings underscore the need for equity-focused research approaches that explicitly address structural racism. Future studies should prioritize culturally relevant measures, clinically meaningful outcomes, and active involvement of researchers from marginalized communities to advance cardiovascular health equity.
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spelling doaj-art-19659bd8ebc44fd39de5bc1c8fd7fc002025-08-20T02:30:31ZengMary Ann LiebertHealth Equity2473-12422024-12-018170771910.1089/heq.2023.0203Cardiovascular Outcomes, Health-Promoting Behaviors, and Social Determinants: Structural Racism and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance SystemJaclyn K. Schwartz0Emily A. Kringle1Suzanne Perea Burns2Catherine R. Hoyt3Kelly M. Harris4Sami Tayeb5Program in Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.School of Kinesiology, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.Division of Occupational Therapy, University of New Mexico School of MedicineAlbuquerque, New Mexico, USA.Program in Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.Program in Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.Program in Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.Purpose: Cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects historically marginalized populations in the United States. This study explored disparities in cardiovascular health outcomes, social determinants of health, and health-promoting behaviors across racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Using data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we conducted a descriptive analysis of cardiovascular conditions and diabetes, social determinants of health, and health-promoting behaviors across eight racial/ethnic categories. Results: Historically marginalized groups had higher rates of cardiovascular conditions and greater barriers to health care access. However, these groups often demonstrated equal or higher rates of engagement in health-promoting behaviors compared with White adults. For example, Black adults had the highest hypertension prevalence (41%) despite having the highest rates of blood pressure management behaviors. Discussion: The persistence of health disparities despite equivalent health-promoting behaviors suggests a significant influence of structural factors like racism. Critical examination using Quantitative Critical Theory revealed potential biases in measurement tools and data categorization that may perpetuate inequities. Health Equity Implications: Findings underscore the need for equity-focused research approaches that explicitly address structural racism. Future studies should prioritize culturally relevant measures, clinically meaningful outcomes, and active involvement of researchers from marginalized communities to advance cardiovascular health equity.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/heq.2023.0203cardiovascularpreventative health behaviorshealth disparitiessystemic racism
spellingShingle Jaclyn K. Schwartz
Emily A. Kringle
Suzanne Perea Burns
Catherine R. Hoyt
Kelly M. Harris
Sami Tayeb
Cardiovascular Outcomes, Health-Promoting Behaviors, and Social Determinants: Structural Racism and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
Health Equity
cardiovascular
preventative health behaviors
health disparities
systemic racism
title Cardiovascular Outcomes, Health-Promoting Behaviors, and Social Determinants: Structural Racism and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
title_full Cardiovascular Outcomes, Health-Promoting Behaviors, and Social Determinants: Structural Racism and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
title_fullStr Cardiovascular Outcomes, Health-Promoting Behaviors, and Social Determinants: Structural Racism and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
title_full_unstemmed Cardiovascular Outcomes, Health-Promoting Behaviors, and Social Determinants: Structural Racism and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
title_short Cardiovascular Outcomes, Health-Promoting Behaviors, and Social Determinants: Structural Racism and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
title_sort cardiovascular outcomes health promoting behaviors and social determinants structural racism and the behavioral risk factor surveillance system
topic cardiovascular
preventative health behaviors
health disparities
systemic racism
url https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/heq.2023.0203
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