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Latinos, Asians and African Americans have a lower risk of coronary heart disease than whites, according to a 10-year study of more than 1.3 million Kaiser Permanente members in Northern California.
“Racial and ethnic differences in diabetes, cardiovascular-disease risk factors and their outcomes, especially in blacks, are well-documented, but population health estimates are often confounded by differences in access to high-quality health care,” said Jamal S. Rana, lead author of the study.
Rana adds “we were able to evaluate ethnic differences in risk of future coronary heart disease within a diverse population, which included not only black, but also large Asian and Latino populations, with uniform access to care in an integrated health care delivery system.”
The study concluded Latinos, Asians and Blacks with no prior history of coronary heart disease had lower risk, regardless of whether they had diabetes.
“Our findings are very encouraging. It is a complex issue, and further research is needed to address the differences in health status and outcomes related to race and ethnicity across the country,” Rana noted. “These findings may inform policy development and interventions designed to identify and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities.”
By The Numbers
25.1
percent
of Latinos remain without health insurance coverage