RACIAL-DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTIONS CONCERNING HYPERTENSION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

To investigate racial differences in hypertensive patients' understand ing of their disorder, we administered a questionnaire to 83 black and 260 white outpatients with the diagnosis of hypertension designated i n their medical chart. No racial differences in systolic or diastolic blood pressure, age, or male/female ratio were observed. However, blac ks were more likely than whites to identify renal failure as a consequ ence of hypertension, whereas whites were more likely to identify athe rosclerosis. Blacks also were more likely than whites to accept higher diastolic blood pressures as normal (90 to 100 mm Hg versus 80 to 90 mm Hg). There was no correlation between knowledge and blood pressure. Our observations show that both racial groups are well educated about antihypertensive therapy as well as the consequences and complication s of hypertension. Comprehensive treatment of hypertension should incl ude educational strategies that are population-specific and that addre ss ways to change disease-relevant behaviors, rather than merely ident ifying which behaviors to change.