Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 18, Issue 6, 2016, Pages 1301-1308

The Afro-Cardiac Study: Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Acculturation in West African Immigrants in the United States: Rationale and Study Design (Article)

Commodore-Mensah Y.* , Sampah M. , Berko C. , Cudjoe J. , Abu-Bonsrah N. , Obisesan O. , Agyemang C. , Adeyemo A. , Himmelfarb C.D.
  • a Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road NE, Rm 368, Atlanta, GA 30322-4027, United States
  • b Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
  • c Department of Internal Medicine, St. Agnes Hospital, 900 S Caton Ave, Baltimore, MD 21229, United States
  • d Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 525 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
  • e Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
  • f A.T Still University, 800 W. Jefferson Street, Kirksville, MO 63501, United States
  • g Amsterdam Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Netherlands
  • h Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Building 12A, Room 4047, 12 South Drive, MSC 5635, Bethesda, MD, United States
  • i Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 525 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in the United States (US). African-descent populations bear a disproportionate burden of CVD risk factors. With the increase in the number of West African immigrants (WAIs) to the US over the past decades, it is imperative to specifically study this new and substantial subset of the African-descent population and how acculturation impacts their CVD risk. The Afro-Cardiac study, a community-based cross-sectional study of adult WAIs in the Baltimore–Washington metropolis. Guided by the PRECEDE–PROCEED model, we used a modification of the World Health Organization Steps survey to collect data on demographics, socioeconomic status, migration-related factors and behaviors. We obtained physical, biochemical, acculturation measurements as well as a socio-demographic and health history. Our study provides critical data on the CVD risk of WAIs. The framework used is valuable for future epidemiological studies addressing CVD risk and acculturation among immigrants. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

cardiovascular disease African immigrants immigrants Acculturation

Index Keywords

Blood Glucose Lipids methodology Research Design Cardiovascular Diseases human Africa, Western epidemiology Health Behavior Self Report middle aged statistics and numerical data hypertension Aged ethnology African American Cross-Sectional Studies lipid United States cross-sectional study migrant Humans cardiovascular disease male Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation Socioeconomic Factors female risk factor Risk Factors Africa socioeconomics cultural factor prevalence blood glucose blood level adult body mass Body Mass Index African Americans
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84944704255&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-015-0291-0&partnerID=40&md5=fa108c0b8fe3f8c374d02444a799f52e
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-015-0291-0
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English