The prevention of cardiovascular disease in blacks

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in black patients involves a complex interplay of risk, geographic, socioeconomic, and cultural factors. Modifiable risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cigarette smoking, high bloo d cholesterol, and physical inactivity contribute to the excess CVD mortali ty and morbidity in blacks. Health perceptions, health care seeking behavio r, and willingness to submit to long-term preventive therapies are signific antly influenced by cultural and socioeconomic factors. Early detection and control of these risk factors are particularly important because blacks te nd to have multiple cardiovascular risks. The importance of churches and religious organizations in the black communi ty should be harnessed by long-term strategies of CVD prevention. Emphasis on training of minority health care professionals who are most likely to pr actice in medically underserved areas should involve minority health profes sional schools. In the final analysis, CVD prevention in blacks should focus on control of risk factors; however, the role of environmental factors should be recogniz ed, including socioeconomic status on access to health care and prevention. Long-term strategies of CVD prevention must involve active collaboration o f hearth care providers and researchers to develop and test effective strat egies, Churches and other religious organizations are effective but underut ilized partners in CVD prevention in blacks.