title: Effect of race and socioeconomic status on cardiovascular risk factor burden: the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and chronic disease burden among African Americans compared to Caucasians in a population of higher socioeconomic status.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current study is a cross-sectional, secondary data analysis of the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with a medical examination from 1970-2010 at the Cooper Clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  762 African Americans and 40,051 Caucasians who met the criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Racial differences in cardiovascular risk factors/burden of disease between African Americans and Caucasians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  African Americans had higher prevalence of evaluated cardiovascular risk factors than did Caucasians after controlling for obesity, tobacco use, and physical fitness. Caucasians had greater likelihood of no risk factors while African Americans were more likely to have all three risk factors. Race was typically predictive of cardiovascular risk factors in African Americans compared to Caucasians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest that health differences persist despite greater socioeconomic status, and further investigations of biopsychosocial causes are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA. georitafrierson@gmail.com
authors.forename: Georita M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Frierson
authors.forename: Erica N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: DeFina
authors.forename: Tiffany M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Powell-Wiley
authors.forename: Benjamin L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Willis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class