Abstract 13366: Cardiovascular Risk Profile of Middle Eastern Immigrants Living in the United States

Abstract

Introduction: Middle Eastern (ME) immigrants are one of the fastest-growing groups in the US. Several studies have noted a relatively high burden of CVD in ME countries. In the US, while their risk profile has been partially described as part of immigrant studies, the burden of risk factors and ASCVD have not been studied in detail among ME immigrants. Methods: We used 2012-2018 data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a US nationally representative survey. ME origin was ascertained through self-reported region of birth. ASCVD and CVD risk factors were also self-reported. We compared these to US-born non-Hispanic white (NHW) individuals in the US, using chi-square tests and logistic regression models. Results: Among 139,778 adults included, 886 (representing 1.3 million individuals, mean age 46.8) were of ME origin, and 138,892 were US-born NHWs (representing 150 million US adults, mean age 49.3). ME participants were more likely to have higher education, lower income and be uninsured. The age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension (22.7% vs 27.8%) and obesity (22.1% vs 32%) were significantly lower in MEs vs NHWs participants, respectively. There were no significant differences between the groups in the age-adjusted prevalence of ASCVD, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and smoking. Only physical inactivity was higher among ME individuals (Fig) . In multivariable analyses, ME participants had lower odds of hypertension (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.61, 0.83) and obesity (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.52, 0.72), and higher odds of physical inactivity (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.11, 1.53), with no significant differences in the other factors or ASCVD (Fig) . Conclusions: ME immigrants in the US exhibit a more favourable cardiovascular risk profile compared to NHWs. Further studies are needed to determine whether this finding is related to lower risk, selection of a healthier ME subgroup in NHIS, or possible under-detection of cardiovascular risk factors in ME immigrants living in the US.