Sociodemographic disparities in cardiovascular mortality by self-rated physical health: A U.S. nationwide county-level analysis

Abstract

Objective

We investigated the association between self-rated poor physical health (srPPH), a validated proxy measure of health-related quality of life, and age-adjusted cardiovascular mortality (AACVM) rates across overall U.S. counties and within various demographics.

Study design

Nationwide county-level analysis.

Methods

We analyzed county-level data spanning 2010–2019 from the Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This analysis included data from 2892 counties with complete records on srPPH and AACVM. srPPH was defined as the age-adjusted average number of days respondents reported being in poor physical health over the past 30 days. To estimate the average srPPH per resident in each county, the CDC utilized validated statistical models applied to BRFSS data. To assess the association between srPPH and AACVM, we employed Poisson Generalized Linear Mixed Models, generating incident rate ratios (IRRs).

Results

Out of the 307,045,647 residents living in 2892 U S. counties in 2010, 8,157,571 (2.7 %) cardiovascular deaths were recorded during the study period. Counties where residents reported the greatest number of physically unhealthy days—indicative of higher srPPH—experienced the highest AACVM rates, despite significant decreases in overall AACVM rates from 2010 to 2019. Moreover, srPPH was independently associated with higher AACVM rates (IRR: 1.018; 95 % CI: 1.011 to 1.025) across most demographic groups, except Hispanics. This association was particularly strong among middle-aged (45–64 years old) women and elderly (≥65 years old) non-Hispanic Black individuals.

Conclusion

srPPH may serve as a valuable community health marker that can help identify populations at risk for cardiovascular mortality, independent of other social determinants of health. When used in combination with objective measures of cardiovascular health, this metric can enhance targeted screening and intervention efforts in high-risk populations.