Socioeconomic characteristics of African American women attending community blood pressure screenings

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations of education and income and blood pressure (BP) in a socioeconomically diverse cohort of African-American (AA) women attending community BP screenings. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional analysis used data from AA women (n = 972) 53 ± 14 years, enrolled between 2015 and 2019 in the 10,000-women hypertension community screening project in the metropolitan Atlanta area. OLS linear regression were used to examine the associations between SES (education and income) and BP after adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), smoking, and lipids. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Outcomes were systolic and diastolic BP (SBP, DBP). Measures of SES included education [high school ≤(HS), some college, and ≥college] and income-[<$24,000, $24,000–<$48,000, $48,000–$96,000, and ≥$96,000]. Sociodemographics, health history, anthropometrics and point of care non-fasting lipids were obtained. RESULTS: Compared to women earning <$24,000, an income of ≥$96,000 (β = −5.7 mmHg, 95% CI: −9.9, −1.5, p = .01) was associated with a lower SBP in the minimally adjusted model. Subsequent adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors attenuated the association and was no longer significant. College and above versus ≤HS education was associated with a higher DBP in the minimally (ß = 2.7 mmHg, 95% CI: 0.2, 5.2, p = .03) and fully adjusted models (ß = 3.4 mmHg, 95% CI: 0.2, 6.5, p = .04). CONCLUSION: Income of ≥$96,000 was associated with a lower SBP while a college and above education was associated with a higher DBP. Findings underscore the need for increased cardiovascular risk awareness and education targeting higher SES AA women attending community BP screenings.