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ABSTRACT: Objective
To investigate the association between individual and area-level socioeconomic status and hypertension risk among individuals later in life.Methods
We used Cox proportional hazards models to examine the association of socioeconomic status with incident hypertension using race-specific neighborhood socioeconomic status, median household income, and education among 3372 participants (mean age, 61 years) from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study at Visit 4 (1996-1998). Incident hypertension was defined as self-reported diagnosis or reported use of antihypertensive medications.Results
Over a median follow-up time of 9.4 years, there were 1874 new cases of hypertension (62.1 per 1000 person-years). Overall, being in high as compared with low socioeconomic status categories was associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension in late life, with hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 0.87 (0.77-0.98) for high neighborhood socioeconomic status tertile, 0.79 (0.69-0.90) for high individual income, and 0.75 (0.63-0.89) for college education after adjustment for traditional risk factors. These findings were consistent and robust whenever accounting for competing risks of all-cause mortality. No significant interactions by race and age (dichotomized at age 65) were observed.Conclusion
Among participants free of hypertension in midlife, high neighborhood and individual socioeconomic status are associated with a decreased risk of incident hypertension. Our findings support population-level interventions, such as blood pressure screening at senior centers and faith-based organizations, that are tailored to shift the distribution of blood pressure and reduce hypertension health inequalities among older adults.
SUBMITTER: McDoom MM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6453664 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
McDoom M Maya MM Palta Priya P Vart Priya P Juraschek Stephen P SP Kucharska-Newton Anna A Diez Roux Ana V AV Coresh Josef J
Journal of hypertension 20180601 6
<h4>Objective</h4>To investigate the association between individual and area-level socioeconomic status and hypertension risk among individuals later in life.<h4>Methods</h4>We used Cox proportional hazards models to examine the association of socioeconomic status with incident hypertension using race-specific neighborhood socioeconomic status, median household income, and education among 3372 participants (mean age, 61 years) from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study at Visit 4 (1996-1 ...[more]