ETHNICITY and HEALTHY HEARTS

NHS Evidence – ethnicity and health
A service supplied to NHS Evidence by CEEHD
Newsletter - 6 October 2009

Muslim leaders join smoking campaign
A campaign aimed at reducing smoking and heart disease in the Asian community will include over 300 Imams and community workers.

The higher smoking rate in the Muslim community places individuals at a twofold increased risk of heart attack.

The British Heart Foundation is now leading a campaign to help Asian smokers quit their habit.

A spokesman for the Ramadan Healthy Life campaign said, “This campaign aims to make sure that anyone looking to quit gets the help and support they need to make a change for the better". Imams and community Mosques have previously been used to promote a healthy lifestyle in the Asian community.

Cardiovascular Diseases:
African Caribbean hypertensive patients' perceptions and utilization of primary health care services
Hypertension remains a major health issue amongst immigrant and UK born African Caribbean people. This study investigates African Caribbean hypertensive patient’s access, utilization and perceptions of primary health care.

Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and established risk factors among populations of sub-Saharan African descent in Europe: a literature review
The leading cause of death globally is cardiovascular disease (CVD). This review looks at the current understanding of the epidemiology of vascular disease, diabetes and related risk factors among populations of sub-Saharan African descent in comparison with European populations.

Ethnicity and peripheral artery disease
This article focuses predominantly on people of south Asian, black Caribbean and black African descent to identify possible pathophysiological differences between ethnic groups for peripheral artery disease.

Widening access to cardiovascular healthcare : community screening among ethnic minorities in inner-city Britain: the Healthy Hearts Project
The majority of cases of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Britain occur in inner city areas including those with diverse multi-ethnic populations. This study describes a health screening project that took place in Sandwell, Birmingham.