OBESITY AND HYPERTENSION AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICANS - DO AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRIMARY-CARE PROVIDERS ADDRESS THESE CONDITIONS WHEN SECONDARY TO PRIMARY ILLNESS

This study examined the extent that black family medicine residents ma nage African-American patients with hypertension and obesity secondary to the primary health problem. A retrospective chart survey of 1806 o utpatients was used to select a sample of 362 patients being treated b y 12 African-American family medicine residents, Of the 362 patient ch arts, 31.2% of the patients had hypertension (ie, blood pressure great er than or equal to 140/90 mm Hg). A plan for managing hypertension wa s found in the charts for 77% of these patients, Obesity was present a mong 37% of the patients, and yet there was documentation of a treatme nt plan for managing this condition for only 38% of these patients. Bl ack family medicine residents appear to be sensitized about addressing the problem of hypertension among African-American patients being tre ated for other illnesses, However, there is a vital need to teach fami ly medicine physicians how to address and aggressively manage the prob lem of obesity among African-American patients, particularly those pat ients for whom obesity was not the primary reason for seeking medical care.