The term ‘Race’ was once commonly used in physical anthropology to denote a division of humankind possessing traits that are transmissible by descent and also to characterize a distinct human type like Caucasoid, Mongoloid and Negroid. Causes of mortality and how to control the same and whether race matters in mortality were subjects of research and studies for ages. As the number of fatal diseases increase by the minute, research on the causes and how to control the same were also on the increase in many parts of the world.
Cardio Vascular Disease, the disease of the heart and blood vessels, is one of the leading causes of death known today. A low level of vitamin D is an independent risk factor for CVD. Even younger people also become victims of this deadly disease.
A survey was conducted among rural women, 27% African American and 74% White, to examine relationships among race, cardio vascular risk factors, physical characteristics and socioeconomic status. It was revealed that African American women in the study were significantly less educated and had a lower income and a higher Body Mass Index (BMI), than the White women. The Black women had a higher incidence of cardio vascular disease as compared to the White women.
Data available in the US reveal that Blacks are more likely to die prematurely from coronary heart disease and stroke, than White. Studies and surveys also substantiate this data.
Socioeconomic position moderates the effects of race on cardio vascular disease mortality among older men. Older Black men who lived in more impoverished neighborhood had significantly and disproportionately higher CVD mortality rate than did older White men living in more impoverished neighborhood. Race was independently related to CVD mortality among younger men and women.
Socioeconomic position may be an important factor in Black-White differences in CVD mortality rates. Black-white difference in CVD mortality varies by race within socioeconomic groups. That is to say, less affluent Blacks may have higher CVD mortality rates than less affluent Whites. Both race and socioeconomic position are important in understanding Black-White difference in mortality. Socioeconomic position would moderate the effects of race on CVD mortality in younger and older Black and White adults.
Neighborhood poverty has more consequential levels of sociological stress among younger Black men and women (crime and poverty) than younger White men and women, because of their minority status. High levels of stress may lead to more hypertension at an early age, which in turn, may lead to more premature CVD deaths in younger Black men and women.
Past discriminatory experience may also cause some Black men and women in their middle age not to trust medical and health professionals. This may lead them either to delay seeking and getting medical assistance for hypertension and other health problems or to avoid seeking the assistance. Here also such indifferent attitude may lead to serious coronary heart disease and even death.
To summarize, the above information collected from surveys and studies substantiates the fact that Race Does Matter in Cardio Vascular Disease.