title: Is there a link between wealth and cardiovascular disease risk factors among Hispanic/Latinos? Results from the HCHS/SOL sociocultural ancillary study.
abstract: To examine the relationship between wealth and cardiovascular disease risk factors among Hispanic/Latinos of diverse backgrounds.
  
  
  
  This cross-sectional study used data from 4971 Hispanic/Latinos, 18-74 years, who participated in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) baseline exam and the HCHS/SOL Sociocultural Ancillary Study. Three objectively measured cardiovascular disease risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity) were included. Wealth was measured using an adapted version of the Home Affluence Scale, which included questions regarding the ownership of a home, cars, computers, and recent vacations.
  
  
  
  After adjusting for traditional socioeconomic indicators (income, employment, education), and other covariates, we found that wealth was not associated with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia or obesity. Analyses by sex showed that middle-wealth women were less likely to have hypercholesterolemia or obesity. Analyses by Hispanic/Latino background groups showed that while wealthier Central Americans were less likely to have obesity, wealthier Puerto Ricans were more likely to have obesity.
  
  
  
  This is the first study to explore the relationship between wealth and health among Hispanic/Latinos of diverse backgrounds, finding only partial evidence of this association. Future studies should utilize more robust measures of wealth, and address mechanisms by which wealth may impact health status among Hispanic/Latinos of diverse backgrounds in longitudinal designs.
authors.affiliation: a Center for Latino/a Studies and Engagement , Oregon State University , Corvallis , USA.|b School of Public Health , Universidad San Francisco de Quito , Quito , Ecuador.
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: López-Cevallos
authors.affiliation: c Institute for Behavioral and Community Health , Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University , San Diego , USA.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: d School of Biological and Population Health Sciences , College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University , Corvallis , USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bethel
authors.affiliation: c Institute for Behavioral and Community Health , Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University , San Diego , USA.
authors.forename: Sheila F
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1975-0544
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Castañeda
authors.affiliation: e Department of Epidemiology and Population Health , Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Bronx , USA.
authors.forename: Carmen R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Isasi
authors.affiliation: f Department of Medical Social Sciences , Northwestern University , Chicago , USA.
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Penedo
authors.affiliation: g Department of Educational Psychology , Texas A&M University , College Station , USA.
authors.forename: Lizette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ojeda
authors.affiliation: h Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center, Department of Biostatistics , University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , USA.
authors.forename: Sonia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: i Behavioral Medicine Research Center , School of Medicine, University of Miami , Miami , USA.
authors.forename: Diana A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Chirinos
authors.affiliation: j Department of Psychology , University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago , USA.
authors.forename: Kristine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.affiliation: h Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center, Department of Biostatistics , University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , USA.
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.affiliation: k School of Social Work , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , USA.
authors.forename: Venera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bekteshi
authors.affiliation: c Institute for Behavioral and Community Health , Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University , San Diego , USA.
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Gallo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000078022:Economic Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Hispanic/Latinos; Wealth; cardiovascular disease risk factors; hypercholesterolemia; hypertension; obesity