Abstract 15896: Disparities in Awareness and Treatment Among Women With Hypertension: Insights From the American Heart Association Research Goes Red Registry

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension is a significant modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease among women in the United States. We sought to evaluate whether health concerns, awareness, and treatment of hypertension differed by race/ethnicity and other demographic characteristics in a national cohort of women. Methods: We used data from participants with self-reported hypertension enrolled in the AHA Research Goes Red registry, an online platform powered by Verily, who responded to the Research Goes Red questionnaire. We analyzed differences in health concerns, awareness of blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol levels, and treatment using Chi-squared tests. Results: Of 6,170 women who responded as of February 2023, 1,835 (30%) reported a history of hypertension. The top health concerns reported among women with hypertension were weight (17%), access to care / paying for healthcare (16%), and hypertension (13%). Health concerns varied significantly by age and race/ethnicity; younger women and Black and Hispanic women were more likely to report hypertension as their top concern (p-value <0.001). Among women with hypertension, 77% reported knowing their BP, 33% reported knowing their cholesterol levels, and 90% reported being on an anti-hypertensive. Black and Hispanic women were less likely to know their BP (p-value 0.003) and cholesterol (p-value 0.001) compared to White women. Treatment for hypertension did not vary significantly by race/ethnicity, income, or education (Table 1). However, younger women were less likely to be treated (p-value <0.001); only 58% of women 18-29 years old were on anti-hypertensives. There were also disparities in treatment by employment status (p-value 0.002) and among uninsured women (p-value 0.046). Conclusions: In this national cohort of women with hypertension, gaps and disparities exist in awareness and treatment of hypertension. This analysis highlights targets for quality improvement in hypertension care for women.