Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Hypertension Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Control in the United States, 2013 to 2018

We evaluated the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension (defined as a systolic blood pressure [BP]) >= 140 mm Hg, diastolic BP >= 90 mm Hg, or a self-reported use of an antihypertensive agent) among US adults, stratified by race/ethnicity. This analysis included 16 531 nonpregnant US adults (>= 18 years) in the three National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles between 2013 and 2018. Race/ethnicity was defined by self-report as White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, or other Americans. Among 76 910 050 (74 449 985-79 370 115) US adults with hypertension, 48.6% (47.3%-49.8%, unadjusted) have controlled BP. When compared with BP control rates for White adults (49.0% [46.8%-51.2%], age-adjusted), BP control rates are lower in Black (39.2%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.71 [95% CI, 0.59-0.85], P<0.001), Hispanic (40.0%, aOR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.58-0.88], P=0.003), and Asian (37.8%, aOR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.55-0.84], P=0.001) Americans. Black adults have higher hypertension prevalence (45.3% versus 31.4%, aOR, 2.24 [95% CI, 1.97-2.56], P<0.001) but similar awareness and treatment rates as White adults. Hispanic adults have similar hypertension prevalence, but lower awareness (71.1% versus 79.1%, aOR, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.58-0.89], P=0.005) and treatment rates (60.5% versus 67.3%, aOR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.66-0.94], P=0.010) than White adults. Asian adults have similar hypertension prevalence, lower awareness (72.5% versus 79.1%, aOR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.58-0.97], P=0.038) but similar treatment rates. Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans have different vulnerabilities in the hypertension control cascade of prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control. These differences can inform targeted public health efforts to promote health equity and reduce the burden of hypertension in the United States.

Automated summary

The study evaluated the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among US adults, finding that Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans have lower rates of blood pressure control compared to White Americans. Variations in prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among different racial/ethnic groups highlight the importance of targeted public health efforts to promote health equity and reduce the burden of hypertension in the United States.