Prevalence and social correlates of cardiovascular disease risk factors inHarlem

Objectives. This study examined the prevalence, social correlates, and clus tering of cardiovascular disease risk factors in a predominantly Black, poo r, urban community. Methods. Associations of risk factor prevalences with sociodemographic vari ables were examined in a population-based sample of 695 men and women aged 18 to 65 years living in Central Harlem. Results. One third of the men and women were hypertensive, 48% of the men a nd 41% of the women were smokers, 25% of the men and 9% of the women were o verweight, and 23% of the men and 35% of the women reported no leisure-time physical activity over the past month. More than 80% of the men and women had at least 1 of these risk factors, and 49% of the men and 19% of the wom en had 3 or more risk factors. Income and education were inversely related to hypertension, smoking, and physical inactivity. Having 3 or more risk fa ctors was associated with low income and low education (extreme odds ratio [OR] = 10.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.0, 34.5 for education; OR= 3. 7. CI = 1.6, 8.9 for income) and with a history of unstable work or of home lessness. Conclusions. Disadvantaged, urban communities are at high risk for cardiova scular disease. These results highlight the importance of socioenvironmenta l factors in shaping cardiovascular risk.