Pilot--Reducing Cardiovascular Risk Among Minority Women

Mount Sinai School Of Medicine Of Nyu, New York NY

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Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death for women in the United States and disproportionately kills minority women, particularly African Americans. Hypertension, diabetes, elevated cholesterol and tobacco use are well-known risk factors for CVD. The increased risk of death from CVD among minority women is linked to a higher incidence of these risk factors. Underuse of prevention/screening services and treatment of cardiovascular risk factors by primary care physicians is well documented. Limited data suggest that the extent of underuse of prevention/screening services for CVD risk factors in the obstetrics and gynecology setting is even more prevalent. Many women use obstetriciangynecologists for primary care and receive preventive health care services by obstetrician-gynecologists. The extent to which women from East and Central Harlem use obstetrician-gynecologists as primary care providers is unknown. Similarly, the extent to which CVD risk factor prevention/screening services are underused in the obstetrics and gynecology setting serving women from East and Central Harlem is also unknown. We propose a pilot study that will develop instruments to assess the extent to which CVD risk factor prevention/screening services are underused in an obstetrics and gynecology setting serving women from East and Central Harlem. The specific aims of this pilot study are: 1. To develop and pilot test an instrument that will determine the usual source of care and usual provider type for non-pregnant women attending a general obstetrics and gynecology (ob/gyn) clinic serving women from East and Central Harlem. 2. To develop and pilot instruments that will measure the extent of underuse of CVD risk factor screening/prevention services (blood pressure screening, cholesterol screening, targeted glucose screening, and tobacco use) in a general ob/gyn clinic serving non-pregnant women from East and Central Harlem. 3. To explore patient factors (knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, health behaviors, and literacy levels) associated with underuse of CVD risk factor screening/prevention services. Based on the results of this pilot study we will develop a proposal to design an intervention to decrease rates of underuse of CVD risk factor prevention/screening measures.