The Afro-Cardiac Study: Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Acculturation in West African Immigrants in the United States: Rationale and Study Design.
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.
['Commodore-Mensah|Yvonne|Y|', 'Sampah|Maame|M|', 'Berko|Charles|C|', 'Cudjoe|Joycelyn|J|', 'Abu-Bonsrah|Nancy|N|', 'Obisesan|Olawunmi|O|', 'Agyemang|Charles|C|', 'Adeyemo|Adebowale|A|', 'Himmelfarb|Cheryl Dennison|CD|']
D000069:Acculturation D000328:Adult D000354:Africa, Western D001741:African Americans D000368:Aged D001786:Blood Glucose D015992:Body Mass Index D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants D005260:Female D015438:Health Behavior D006801:Humans D006973:Hypertension D008055:Lipids D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D015995:Prevalence D012107:Research Design D012307:Risk Factors D057566:Self Report D012959:Socioeconomic Factors D014481:United States
Cardiovascular disease Acculturation African immigrants Immigrants