We propose to combine the clinical and analytical capabilities of our group with the well-developed and rich clinical data from the Jackson Heart Study to address the risk factors and determinants of heart failure and related diseases that disproportionately affect African Americans. The overall aims of this project are: (1) to develo and facilitate a working group focused on heart failure in African Americans; (2) to characterize the etiology and development of heart failure and its relation to diabetes and chronic kidney disease; and (3) to characterize healthcare resource utilization among Medicare-eligible participants with heart failure and other major comorbid conditions.
Heart failure disproportionately affects African Americans. A complex interplay of high blood pressure, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease likely accounts for the greater disease burden. The project's proposed examination of the burden of heart failure and its intersection with diabetes and chronic kidney disease will broadly inform policy makers, hospitals, and national leaders interested in improving prevention measures, health outcomes and quality among African Americans with heart failure.
