Abstract 14813: Cardiovascular Stroke Nursing Best Abstract Award: Heterogeneity of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Asian Immigrants: Insights From the 2010 - 2018 National Health Interview Survey

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the US. Asians are the fastest-growing immigrant group in the US and are disproportionately affected by CVD risk factors, compared to Whites. Studies on CVD risk aggregate Asians into a homogenous group. It is unclear how Asian immigrants (Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Asia) differ with respect to CVD risks and in comparison, to Whites. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that there will be significant heterogeneity in CVD risk factors among Asian immigrant subgroups as compared to Non-Hispanics Whites. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative analysis of the 2010 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey was conducted among 508,941 participants. A generalized linear model using Poisson distribution was fitted to compare the prevalence of self-reported hypertension, overweight/obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, physical inactivity, and smoking among Asian immigrants to Whites, adjusting for known confounders. Results: In this sample, 33,973 were Asian immigrants (26% Indian subcontinent; 45% Southeast Asia; 29% Asia) and 474,968 Whites; Indian subcontinent were the youngest (39 years; SE: 0.36). Compared to Whites, the Indian subcontinent had the highest prevalence of overweight/obesity (PR:1.22; 95% CI:1.19-1.25) and Southeast Asian had highest in high cholesterol (PR:1.16; 95% CI:1.10-1.23). Both, the Indian subcontinent (PR:1.69; 95% CI:1.49 - 1.93) and Southeast Asian (PR:1.38; 95%:1.26-1.52), reported a higher prevalence of diabetes. All Asian subgroups were more likely to be physically inactive and less likely to smoke than Whites (Table). Conclusion: Significant heterogeneity in CVD risk factors among Asian immigrants was observed compared to Whites. Providers caring for Asians should consider health behaviors and cultural beliefs influencing health outcomes and provide tailored and culturally informed care to improve the cardiovascular health of diverse populations.