The role of parental history of hypertension in predicting hypertension risk factors in Black Americans.
OBJECTIVE
Black Americans have the highest prevalence of hypertension (HTN) in the United States. HTN has multiple contributors including hereditary, social, psychological, and lifestyle factors. The purpose of this study was to compare HTN risk factors in Black Americans with and without parental history of HTN.


METHODS
Using a descriptive-correlational design, a secondary analysis was conducted with data from 211 participants (64 men and 147 women) between 25 and 79 years of age.


RESULTS
Parental history of HTN, body mass index (BMI), age, gender, and income explained almost 25% (R(2) = .249) of the variance in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and 15% (R(2) = .152) of the variance in diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Neither SBP (t = 1.921, p = .056) nor DBP (t = .993, p = .332) differed significantly based on parental history of HTN, although those with parental history of HTN (n = 102) were significantly younger (t = 3.955, p = .001). BMI was significantly related to blood pressure (BP) (b = 1.323, p <. 001).


CONCLUSIONS
Parental history of HTN was not strongly associated with HTN risk factors or BP in this sample.


CONCLUSIONS
Regardless of family history, clinicians should implement strategies that target obesity in Black Americans who are at high risk for developing HTN.
Barksdale
Debra J
DJ
The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7460, USA. djbarksdale@unc.edu
Metiko
Esther
E
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology; D011203:Poverty; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology