Cardiovascular Health and Healthcare Use of United States-Born and African-Born Blacks: A Review

Introduction Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally, with Blacks in the United States (U.S.) is proportionately affected. Healthcare access and utilization have been reported as risk factors for poorer cardiovascular health among several U.S. populations. Aims and Objectives The purpose of this systematic literature review was to examine the results of existing studies reporting on cardiovascular health and healthcare utilization by African-born compared to U. S. -born Blacks. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted using keywords and medical subject headings (MESHs) in the PUBMED, Web of Science and CINAHL electronic databases. Exclusion and inclusion criteria determined articles to be reviewed for eligibility and methodological soundness. A pooled analysis was performed on all studies. Results Only seven studies met inclusion criteria. Four compared U. S. -born with African-born Blacks residing in the United States, while three compared U. S. -born Blacks with Blacks residing elsewhere. None of the studies examined the associations between healthcare utilization and cardiovascular health for these populations. Conclusion The results of this review indicate a need to examine the impact of healthcare utilization for increasing awareness, prevention and treatment of CVD in Blacks who reside in the United States regardless of their nativity.