Risk Factors for Hypertension among African-born Immigrants in the United States

Risk Factors for Hypertension among Africans-born Immigrants in the United States by John Ojih MPH, Walden University, 2012 BS, Rhode Island College, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Public Health Walden University January 2017 Abstract Essential hypertension (HTN) has been and continues to be a serious public health problem across the globe, particularly among Black races, with an estimated morbidity rate of over 1 billion people and an estimated mortality rate of 9.4 million people worldwide. Essential HTN can lead to a host of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, myocardial infarction, brain damage, kidney failure, and retinopathy. The main purpose of this quantitative, descriptive, nonexperimental study was to investigate the association of physical inactivity, length of stay in the United States, immigrants’ health status, and food security as risk indicators in the development of essential HTN among African-born immigrants after accounting for age and education. The conceptual framework for this study was the socioecological model of health (SEMH). A secondary dataset from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), for the year 2014, was used for this study, including data for Africa-born immigrants over the age of 40 who participated in the survey. Logistic regression was used for statistical analyses. The results of the study revealed that length of stay or years in spent in the United States have a significant association with the development of essential HTN. Results from this study could be used to promote positive social change by identifying and assessing challenges in implementing intervention programs meant to assist in controlling essential HTN among African-born immigrants and Black populations who are disproportionately affected by this condition.Essential hypertension (HTN) has been and continues to be a serious public health problem across the globe, particularly among Black races, with an estimated morbidity rate of over 1 billion people and an estimated mortality rate of 9.4 million people worldwide. Essential HTN can lead to a host of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, myocardial infarction, brain damage, kidney failure, and retinopathy. The main purpose of this quantitative, descriptive, nonexperimental study was to investigate the association of physical inactivity, length of stay in the United States, immigrants’ health status, and food security as risk indicators in the development of essential HTN among African-born immigrants after accounting for age and education. The conceptual framework for this study was the socioecological model of health (SEMH). A secondary dataset from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), for the year 2014, was used for this study, including data for Africa-born immigrants over the age of 40 who participated in the survey. Logistic regression was used for statistical analyses. The results of the study revealed that length of stay or years in spent in the United States have a significant association with the development of essential HTN. Results from this study could be used to promote positive social change by identifying and assessing challenges in implementing intervention programs meant to assist in controlling essential HTN among African-born immigrants and Black populations who are disproportionately affected by this condition. Risk Factors for Hypertension among African-born Immigrants in the United States