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Undertreatment of Cardiovascular Disease in Ethnically Diverse Older Adults: Who Should Receive an Electrocardiogram?
Author(s) -
Ryall Amy Hockenson,
Abdulah Dorina R.,
Rios Dean,
Wei Jeanne Y.,
Hausdorff Jeffrey M.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2001.4911259.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ethnic group , socioeconomic status , gerontology , disease , family medicine , population , environmental health , anthropology , sociology
To the Editor: There is an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease and its associated risk factors such as hypertension in older African Americans and probably other ethnic groups as well. 1,2 Several factors likely contribute to this increased prevalence, including genetics, environment, culture, education, socioeconomic status, and access to health care. However, the explanation remains incomplete. 3–7 While screening ethnically diverse seniors for an exercise study, we inadvertently discovered that many subjects and their doctors were not aware of a large number of cardiovascular problems. Perhaps this finding can help to shed light on the high rate of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in older minority populations. 8