Impact of Socioeconomic Status, Ethnicity, and Urbanization on Risk Factor Profiles of Cardiovascular Disease in Africa.

Karen Sliwa, Letitia Acquah, Bernard J Gersh, Ana Olga Mocumbi

Journal: Circulation 2016;133(12):1199-208

PMID: 27002082

Abstract

Africa is a continent characterized by marked ethnic, sociodemographic, and economic diversity, with profound changes in many regions over the past 2 decades. This diversity has an impact on cardiovascular disease presentation and outcomes. Within Africa and within the individual countries, one can find regions having predominantly communicable diseases such as rheumatic heart disease, tuberculous pericarditis, or cardiomyopathy and others having a marked increase in noncommunicable disease such as hypertension and hypertensive heart disease. Ischemic heart disease remains rare in most countries. Difficulties in the planning and implementation of effective health care in most African countries are compounded by a paucity of studies and a low rate of investment in research and data acquisition. The fiduciary responsibilities of companies working in Africa should include the effective and efficient use of natural resources to promote the overall health of populations.

Address: From Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa & IDM, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa (K.S.); Soweto Cardiovascular Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (K.S.); Medical Research Council of South Africa, Inter-Cape Heart Group, Cape Town, South Africa (K.S.); Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Hospitals, Rochester, MN (L.A.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (B.J.G.); Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Maputo, Mozambique (A.O.M.); and Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique (A.O.M.). [email protected].; From Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa & IDM, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa (K.S.); Soweto Cardiovascular Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (K.S.); Medical Research Council of South Africa, Inter-Cape Heart Group, Cape Town, South Africa (K.S.); Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Hospitals, Rochester, MN (L.A.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (B.J.G.); Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Maputo, Mozambique (A.O.M.); and Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique (A.O.M.).

DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.008730

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MeSH Terms: Africa, Blood Pressure, Body Mass Index, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cholesterol, Comorbidity, Developing Countries, Economic Development, Ethnicity, Female, Financing, Government, Government Programs, Gross Domestic Product, Health Policy, Health Priorities, Health Promotion, Humans, Income, Male, Myocardial Ischemia, Research, Risk Factors, Socioeconomic Factors, Urbanization