Population Health

Population Health
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Data Evaluation
The data gathered focuses on heart disease and stroke, particularly for older men aged sixty-five and above, who have a higher risk than women. Subsequently, according to the CDC (2020), the mortality rate for the ailments is estimated at one in every three deaths, although other cardiovascular disorders (CVD) also contribute. Additionally, the associated burden of disease for the illnesses is estimated at $214 billion with an approximated $138 billion in the loss of productivity annually, from the associated mortality rates. Currently, more than 868,000 individuals in the U.S. succumb to the diseases (CDC, 2020). As related to risk factors, CVD, such as hypertension affect more that 108 adults in the U.S., suggesting a significant prevalence rate.
Racial groups, such as African Americans and American Indian are at more risk than whites. People of a lower socio-economic rate, low-education, and income, such as racial groups not native to the U.S. are more likely to develop the conditions. Although heart disease is the primary cause of death for all Americans, Its prevalence rate is high among African-Americans. Studies show that the deaths from heart disease are higher in the black community due to risk factors like obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes (Flack et al., 2013).
Community Demographic
The 2016 Census Bureau Estimates show that African-Americans are the second-largest racial minority groups in the US, with a population of over 40 million representing approximately 13.4% of the country's population (US Census Bureau, 2016). The majority of the blacks (About 58% of the black people in the US) live in the South. According to the US Census Bureau (2016), the African-Americans are concentrated in the following ten states: - New York, California, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, and Louisiana. These ten states represent 58% of the total African-American population (US Census Bureau, 2016).
Epidemiological data
As noted, the black community experiences an inordinately high rate of heart disease and stroke. Risk factors for heart disease in this population include high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. According to (Flack et al., 2013), black people are highly susceptible to high blood pressure than whites. McFayden Jr (2019) thinks that high blood pressure in African-Americans may be caused by the genetic make-up of individuals of African descent. Researchers have also revealed that black people respond differently to high blood pressure compare to other ethnic groups. Besides, African-Americans appear to be more sensitive to salt, which increases the chances of high blood pressure.
According to Flack et al. (2013), high blood pressure in black people is caused by factors unique to the experience of African-Americans in the US. Globally, black people have a similar high blood pressure to whites. However, the difference is dramatic in the US. Almost 41% of African-Americans have a high blood pressure than about 27% of whites (Gadegbeku et al., 2015). Additionally, African-Americans are more lik...