Abstract 14811: Disparities in Prevalence of Hypertension and Hypertensive Urgency by Race and Hispanic Origin in the Wisewoman Population, 2014 to 2018

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is a preventable risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Patients with hypertensive urgency should seek immediate medical assistance to prevent organ damage, injury, disability, or death. Objective: This study examined disparities in the prevalence of hypertension (blood pressure (BP) ≥130/80 mm Hg) and hypertensive urgency (BP ≥180/110 mm Hg) in the WISEWOMAN population. WISEWOMAN represents the Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation programs that serve a diverse uninsured and underinsured population in the United States. Methods: WISEWOMAN data (January 2014- December 2018) were obtained from 19 state health departments and two Alaska tribal organizations. Women aged 40-64 years with hypertension or hypertensive urgency were identified based on BP readings at a screening visit. The data were stratified, and prevalence was calculated by race and Hispanic origin. Results: In the WISEWOMAN population there were 25,098 women with hypertension. Overall prevalence of hypertension was 38.5 percent and the prevalence of hypertensive urgency was 4.6 percent. Non-Hispanic black (NHB) women had the highest prevalence of hypertension (67.1 percent) followed by non-Hispanic White (NHW) women (40.2 percent) and Hispanic women (26.5 percent). NHB women (6.1 percent) had the highest prevalence of hypertensive urgency followed by NHW women (4.5 percent) and Hispanic women (3.4 percent). Conclusion: Differences in prevalence of women with hypertension and hypertension urgency were statistically significant among race and Hispanic origin. Furthermore, NHB women had disproportionally higher prevalence of hypertension and hypertensive urgency than NHW women and Hispanic women.Keywords: Hypertension, Hypertensive urgency, WISEWOMAN Table 1: Mean Age, Number and Percentages of Women Screened, Women with Hypertension and those with Hypertensive Urgency among WISEWOMAN Participants, 40-64 years old, January 2014- June 2018. By Race and Hispanic origin