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Examination of the Association Between Latent Variables for Social Determinants of Health and Blood Pressure Control in Immigrants using Structural Equation Modeling. J Natl Med Assoc 2020 Apr;112(2):186-197

Date

03/15/2020

Pubmed ID

32169287

Pubmed Central ID

PMC7253342

DOI

10.1016/j.jnma.2020.02.004

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85081265602 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   2 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is responsible for about 12.8% of deaths around the world. Immigrants' risk of developing hypertension increases with length of residency. There is limited work on the role of social determinants of health and blood pressure control in immigrants. We created a theory-based conceptual model for immigrant-specific and general social determinants variables and their relationship to blood pressure.

PURPOSE: Use a theory-based model to identify latent variables for immigrant-specific social determinants using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test theoretical validity and relationship with blood pressure (BP).

METHODS: CFA was used to identify latent variables for global socioeconomic status, stressors of immigration, adaptation to immigration, acculturation, and burden of disease. SEM was used to test the structural relationships between latent variables and BP.

RESULTS: 181 immigrants were included in the analysis. The final model (chi2 (68, n = 181) = 149.87, p < 0.001, RMSEA = 0.055, CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.91, CD = 0.99) found burden of disease was significantly related to BP (r = 0.35, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: One latent variable measuring need was significantly associated with BP in an immigrant sample. This suggests that interventions targeting burden of disease are likely to be effective in controlling blood pressure in immigrants.

Author List

Dawson AZ, Walker RJ, Gregory C, Egede LE

Authors

Aprill Z. Dawson PhD, MPH Assistant Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Leonard E. Egede MD Center Director, Chief, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Rebekah Walker PhD Associate Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Acculturation
Adaptation, Psychological
Blood Pressure Determination
Cost of Illness
Emigrants and Immigrants
Female
Humans
Hypertension
Male
Middle Aged
Social Class
Social Determinants of Health
United States