A pilot study of cardiovascular risk assessment in Afro-Caribbean patients attending an inner city general practice.
BACKGROUND
Afro-Caribbean ethnic minorities are at high risk of stroke and the sequelae of hypertension.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate cardiovascular risk factors and Dundee risk rank in Afro-Caribbeans attending one inner city general practice and to find which methods of health promotion patients preferred.


METHODS
We assessed cardiovascular risk including systolic and diastolic blood pressure in 98 patients of Afro-Caribbean origin.


RESULTS
Fifty per cent of the patients had at least two risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Focus groups suggested that the barriers to effective health promotion included lack of risk awareness, cultural and lifestyle influences, time restrictions and language difficulties.


CONCLUSIONS
The small pilot study highlights both the need for and some of the problems of GP-based cardiovascular health promotion in Afro-Caribbeans.
Molokhia
M
M
Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Oakeshott
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000208:ethnology; D003469:Culture; D005006:Ethnicity; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology; D007802:Language; D008019:Life Style; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000208:ethnology; D013997:Time Factors; D014504:Urban Health