Written by Fatima Yasser
Tuesday, February 14, 2023 07:00 AM
Adults who live in rural areas have a 19% higher risk of heart failure than their urban counterparts, and black men who live in rural areas are at particularly higher risk — 34%, according to a large study supported by the National Institutes of Health.
The study, one of the first to look at the relationship between living in rural America and incidence of heart failure for the first time, underscores the importance of developing more personalized approaches to prevention. Congestive heart among rural populations, especially black men.
“We did not expect to find a difference of this magnitude in heart failure among rural communities compared to urban communities, especially among black men who live in rural areas,” said Dr. Veronique L. Roger, study author and senior investigator, with the NHLBI’s Epidemiology and Community Health Branch of In vivo Research. And this study shows that we need tools or interventions specifically designed to prevent heart failure in rural populations, particularly among black men who live in these areas.
In the study period, the researchers found that living in rural America was associated with an increased risk of heart failure among both black women and men, even following adjusting for other cardiovascular risk factors and socioeconomic status. Overall, the risk of heart failure was 19 times higher. % in the rural population compared to their urban counterparts.
However, black men who live in rural areas are 34% more likely to develop heart failure than black men in urban areas. The study showed that white women living in rural areas had a 22% increased risk of heart failure compared to white women in urban areas, and that black women were 18% more likely than black women in urban areas. No association was found between rural living and the risk of heart failure among white men.
And heart failure can be prevented by following a heart-healthy lifestyle. Roger of the NHLBI, who is also a practicing cardiologist, notes that one of the biggest contributing factors to heart failure is hypertension, or high blood pressure, which black men experience at disproportionately high levels. The condition must be managed intensively by checking blood pressure regularly and taking medications as prescribed. Other ways to reduce the risk of heart failure include avoiding all forms of tobacco, eating healthy, and exercising.