title: Pulse pressure in cambodian americans: relationships to weight and mental health.
abstract: Few studies have explored interrelationships among mental health and health status in refugees using objective, clinical data. Pulse pressure (PP) has recently emerged as an easily obtained, strong, independent determinant of mortality. We conducted a chart review of electronic records for 24 consecutive months to investigate PP among Cambodian refugees receiving services at a community clinic in Connecticut, USA. 301 patients charts were retrieved, 41 contained complete data for all variables. We found high rates of cardiovascular, anthropometric, and mental health problems. Among women, higher weight was related to higher PP. Among men, higher mental health symptom scores were marginally related to higher PP. Findings held after controlling for age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adiposity and mental health symptoms, which are known to be related to trauma history, contribute to elevated PP in this resettled refugee population. Given that PP may be modifiable through lifestyle intervention, further investigation of these problems in this needy population is warranted.
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT, 06030, USA, juwagner@uchc.edu.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Thiruchandurai V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Rajan
authors.forename: Theanvy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuoch
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scully
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012036:Refugees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014481:United States