Issues in achieving compliance with antihypertensive treatment in the Latino population

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1098-3597(04)80064-4Get rights and content

Latino Americans are the largest growing ethnic minority group in the United States. The level of awareness and control of hypertension among Latino Americans has remained virtually unchanged in the past 20 years. Untreated hypertension often progresses and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Hypertension control can be achieved with simple and well-tolerated medication regimens that are cost-effective and reduce morbidity and mortality in all populations studied. Clinicians can work to increase compliance by developing a basic understanding of the social, demographic, and historical conditions that affect Latino Americans. Language proficiency, cultural scripts, and health beliefs and attitudes influence patient—clinician communication in specific ways among Latino patients. Health care systems and plans should work on creating culturally competent health care programs to serve the needs of this diverse population.

References (70)

  • HaffnerSM et al.

    Decreased prevalence of hypertension in Mexican Americans

    Hypertension

    (1990)
  • JuarbeTC

    Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in Latina women

    Prog Cardiovasc Nurs

    (1998)
  • PappasG et al.

    Hypertension prevalence and the status of awareness, treatment, and control in the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HHANES), 1982–84

    Am J Public Health

    (1990)
  • RewersM et al.

    Hypertension among rural Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites: The San Luis Valley Diabetes Study

    Public Health Rep

    (1996)
  • SametJM et al.

    Diabetes, gallbladder disease, obesity, and hypertension among Hispanics in New Mexico

    Am J Epidemiol

    (1988)
  • WinklebyMA et al.

    Health-related risk factors in a sample of Hispanics and whites matched on sociodemographic characteristics

    Am J Epidemiol

    (1993)
  • BurtV et al.

    Prevalence of hypertension in the U.S. adult population. Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1991

    Hypertension

    (1995)
  • LeonardAR et al.

    California's approach to hypertension control: An overview

    West J Med

    (1983)
  • BurchfielCM et al.

    Cardiovascular risk factors and impaired glucose tolerance: The San Luis Valley Diabetes Study

    Am J Epidemiol

    (1990)
  • ShetterlyS et al.

    Patterns and predictors of hypertension incidence among Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites: The San Luis Valley Diabetes Study

    J Hypertens

    (1994)
  • HaffnerSM

    Hypertension in the San Antonio Heart Study: Clinical and metabolic correlates

    Public Health Rep

    (1996)
  • HanisCL

    Hypertension among Mexican Americans in Starr County, Texas

    Public Health Rep

    (1996)
  • GeronimusAT et al.

    A note on the measurement of hypertension in HHANES

    Am J Public Health

    (1990)
  • HajjarI et al.

    Trends in prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in the United States, 1988–2000

    JAMA

    (2003)
  • WinklebyMA et al.

    Ethnic and socioeconomic differences in cardiovascular disease risk factors: Findings for women from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1994

    JAMA

    (1998)
  • WinklebyMA et al.

    Ethnic variation in cardiovascular disease risk factors among children and young adults: Findings from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1994

    JAMA

    (1999)
  • SundquistJ et al.

    Cardiovascular risk factors in Mexican American adults: A transcultural analysis of NHANES III, 1988–1994

    Am J Public Health

    (1999)
  • LinH et al.

    Hypertension among Hispanic elders of a Caribbean origin in Massachusetts

    Ethnicity Disease

    (2002)
  • LorenzoC et al.

    Prevalence of hypertension in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white populations

    Hypertension

    (2002)
  • CrespoCJ et al.

    Hypertension and other cardiovascular disease risk factors among Mexican Americans, Cuban Americans, and Puerto Ricans from the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

    Public Health Rep

    (1996)
  • Centers for Disease Control

    Hypertension among Mexican Americans—United States, 1982–1984 and 1988–1991

    MMWR

    (1995)
  • BarriosE et al.

    Hypertension in the Hispanic and black population in New York City

    J Natl Med Assoc

    (1987)
  • SternMP et al.

    Cardiovascular risk factors in Mexican Americans in Laredo, Texas. II. Prevalence and control of hypertension

    Am J Epidemiol

    (1981)
  • BondsDE et al.

    Ethnic and racial differences in diabetes care: The Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study

    Diabetes Care

    (2003)
  • HazudaJP et al.

    Ethnic differences in health knowledge and behaviors related to the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease: The San Antonio Heart Study

    Am J Epidemiol

    (1983)
  • Cited by (31)

    • A longitudinal linear model of patient characteristics to predict failure to attend an inner-city chronic pain clinic

      2014, Journal of Pain
      Citation Excerpt :

      These could include preappointment phone calls or text messages in the patient's primary language, suggesting to the patient that he or she will be seen by a physician fluent in the patient's idiom and understanding of his or her cultural wants and needs. In addition, the offer of public transportation fare can help to alleviate transportation and financial constraints on patients.2,4-7,32,36,46,49 Our study also has a number of strengths.

    • Project Impact: A pharmacotherapy pilot trial investigating the abstinence and treatment adherence of Latino light smokers

      2012, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
      Citation Excerpt :

      Despite the availability of efficacious smoking cessation treatments, Latinos experience smoking cessation treatment disparities including decreased access to health care (Guendelman & Wagner, 2000; Kang-Kim et al., 2008; Mayberry, Mili, & Ofili, 2000; Vargas Bustamante, Chen, Rodriguez, Rizzo, & Ortega, 2010) and physician-delivered advice to quit (Denny, Serdula, Holtzman, & Nelson, 2003; Houston, Scarinci, Person, & Greene, 2005; Lopez-Quintero, Crum, & Neumark, 2006; Reed & Burns, 2008), and poor smoking cessation treatment outcomes (Covey et al., 2008; Gandhi, Foulds, Steinberg, Lu, & Williams, 2009). Adherence to treatment is a significant barrier for Latinos (Fu et al., 2008), who are also known to have high rates of nonadherence to medication regimens for chronic medical conditions (Frankenfield et al., 2010) such as diabetes (Huang et al., 2009), hypertension (Natarajan et al., 2009; Perez-Stable & Salazar, 2004), HIV/AIDS (Oh et al., 2009), and psychiatric conditions (Nicole, Lanouette, Sciolla, & Jeste, 2009). These findings have led investigators to explore the unique characteristics of Latino smokers that may influence success of smoking cessation treatment (Levinson, Borrayo, Espinoza, Flores, & Perez-Stable, 2006; Levinson, Perez-Stable, Espinoza, Flores, & Byers, 2004).

    • Hypertension in Hispanics

      2013, Hypertension: A Companion to Braunwald's Heart Disease: Second Edition
    • Medication adherence: WHO cares?

      2011, Mayo Clinic Proceedings
      Citation Excerpt :

      Additionally, linking the cost of frequently changing prescription lenses because visual acuity fluctuates with glycemic levels may provide insight to the patient and an immediate financial motivation for improving adherence. Overall, by acknowledging the presence of cultural beliefs and attitudes, physicians can build trust with their patients and proactively address any culture- or belief-related adherence barriers.77 An essential component of effective physician-patient relationships is the creation of an encouraging, “blame-free” environment, in which patients are praised for achieving treatment goals and are given “permission”to honestly answer any questions related to their treatment.

    • Improving Therapeutic Outcomes in BPH Through Diagnosis, Treatment and Patient Compliance

      2008, American Journal of Medicine
      Citation Excerpt :

      A factor that affects patient adherence but is often overlooked is the relationship with the healthcare provider. Cultural competence, or an understanding of the “social, demographic, and historical conditions that affect a population,” can improve patient adherence to medical therapies.50 However, although cultural competence is an important aspect of effective medical care, it is not sufficiently addressed during medical training.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text