Predictors of Hypertension Among Filipino Immigrants in the Northeast US

• Published in: Journal of community health Vol. 38; no. 5; pp. 847 - 855
• Main Authors: Ursua, Rhodora A., Islam, Nadia Shilpi, Aguilar, David E., Wyatt, Laura C., Tandon, S. Darius, Abesamis-Mendoza, Noilyn, Nur, Potri Ranka Manis Queano, Rago-Adia, Josephine, Ileto, Benjamin, Rey, Mariano J., Trinh-Shevrin, Chau
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer Science + Business Media 01.10.2013; Springer US; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acculturation; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Asian Americans; Blood pressure; Body Composition; Body Mass Index; Community and Environmental Psychology; Community Relations; Cross-Sectional Studies; Emigrants and Immigrants; Ethics; Ethnic Groups; Female; Filipino Americans; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Health Conditions; Health Needs; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Health Status; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - ethnology; Instructional Materials; Language; Male; Medical Schools; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; New Jersey - epidemiology; New York - epidemiology; Noncitizens; ORIGINAL PAPER; Participatory Research; Philippines - ethnology; Population Growth; Prevalence; Public Health; Recruitment; Research Methodology; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Young Adult; New York; Philippines; New Jersey; USA, New York, New York City; Hypertension; Ethnicity; Blood pressure; Filipino Americans; Health status
• ISSN: 0094-5145; 1573-3610
• DOI: 10.1007/s10900-013-9689-6

Hypertension remains disproportionately high among Filipinos compared to other racial and ethnic minority populations, and little research on cardiovascular disease risk factors has been conducted among Filipino immigrants in the Northeastern part of the United States. To determine hypertension prevalence and risk factors among Filipino Americans in the New York City area, blood pressure and other clinical measurements were taken from a sample of Filipino Americans during 119 community health screenings conducted between 2006 and 2010. Additional socio-demographic and health-related characteristics were also collected via a cross-sectional survey. A total of 1,028 Filipino immigrants completed the survey and had clinical readings collected. Bivariate analyses and logistic regression were performed in order to predict and assess risk factors for hypertension among our sample. Fifty-three percent of individuals were hypertensive, and half of hypertensive individuals were uninsured. Logistic regression indicated that older age, male gender, living in the United States for over 5 years, a BMI greater than 23.0 kg/m², an elevated glucose reading, a family history of hypertension, and fair or poor self-reported health status were predictors of hypertension. There is a great need to develop more effective community-based interventions in the Filipino community to address cardiovascular health disparities.