Reliable national data is also available to track our progress on these near-term goals in a timely fashion. The leadership and resources of the Department will be committed to achieving significant reductions in these disparities by the year 2010. In response to the President's Initiative and the Secretary's Plan, the National Institutes of Health under then-director Dr. Harold Varmus undertook its own Program of Action to Address Health Disparities via research. In September 1999, Dr. Varmus established an NIH-wide working group to develop a strategic plan for tackling health disparities. Research on health disparities related to socioeconomic status will also be addressed.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for all racial and ethnic groups.
The impact of premature morbidity from cardiovascular disease on the ability of affected individuals to function independently or to participate fully in everyday life is devastating in terms of personal loss, pain, suffering, and effects on families and loved ones. The major modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease are high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, cigarette smoking, excessive body weight, and physical inactivity. The greatest potential for reducing coronary heart disease morbidity, disability, and mortality appears to be in prevention, by addressing these risk factors. Major disparities exist among population groups, with a disproportionate burden of death and disability from cardiovascular disease in minority and low-income populations. Compared with rates for whites, coronary heart disease mortality was 40 percent lower for Asian Americans but 40 percent higher for blacks in 1995.