The proposed study will investigate psychosocial and dietary influences on blood pressure in a community probability sample of 25-50 year old Black men and women residing in Pitt County, North Carolina. The psychosocial variables of greatest interest include socioeconomic status (SES), John Henryism, social support and anger-coping style. The dietary variable of greatest interest include sodium, potassium, calcium and alcohol. The major objective of the study is to identify those factors of which make an important and statistically significant contribution to increased levels of blood pressure in low SES Blacks. Prior work by our group has implicated both high John Henryism (a strong behavioral predisposition to cope actively with psychosocial environmental stressors) and low social support (especially instrumental support), as potentially important modifiers of the SES/blood pressure relationship in young and early middle-age Blacks. The proposed study will seek to confirm these associations in a more economically diverse Black population. In addition, the study will assess to what degree habitual anger suppression as well as selected dietary factors (sodium, potassium, etc.) are associated with blood pressure and, more specifically, influence the SES/blood pressure relationship in Blacks. Sample size permitting, the expected SES x John Henryism interaction on blood pressure will be re-examined after stratifying for social support, anger-coping style, and diet. The above research questions will be tested cross-sectionally, with blood pressure as a continuous outcome and linear regression as the multivariable analytic technique. However, the sample will be selected so as to provide a sufficient number of normotensive individuals for a prospective test of SES, John Henryism, and changes in blood pressure over a three year follow-up. Support for this longitudinal component will be sought in the final year of work proposed in this application. The long term objective is to develop explanatory public health models for elevated blood pressure in Blacks that can also be used to design effective primary prevention programs for members of this population.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HL033211-05
Application #
3344828
Study Section
Epidemiology and Disease Control Subcommittee 3 (EDC)
Project Start
1984-12-01
Project End
1991-12-31
Budget Start
1989-07-01
Budget End
1991-12-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1989
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Department
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
078861598
City
Chapel Hill
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27599
Curtis, A B; Strogatz, D S; James, S A et al. (1998) The contribution of baseline weight and weight gain to blood pressure change in African Americans: the Pitt County Study. Ann Epidemiol 8:497-503
James, S A; Jamjoum, L; Raghunathan, T E et al. (1998) Physical activity and NIDDM in African-Americans. The Pitt County Study. Diabetes Care 21:555-62
Curtis, A B; James, S A; Raghunathan, T E et al. (1997) Job strain and blood pressure in African Americans: the Pitt County Study. Am J Public Health 87:1297-302
Strogatz, D S; Croft, J B; James, S A et al. (1997) Social support, stress, and blood pressure in black adults. Epidemiology 8:482-7
James, S A (1994) John Henryism and the health of African-Americans. Cult Med Psychiatry 18:163-82
Croft, J B; Strogatz, D S; Keenan, N L et al. (1993) The independent effects of obesity and body fat distribution on blood pressure in black adults: the Pitt County study. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 17:391-7
James, S A; Keenan, N L; Strogatz, D S et al. (1992) Socioeconomic status, John Henryism, and blood pressure in black adults. The Pitt County Study. Am J Epidemiol 135:59-67
Keenan, N L; Strogatz, D S; James, S A et al. (1992) Distribution and correlates of waist-to-hip ratio in black adults: the Pitt County Study. Am J Epidemiol 135:678-84
Croft, J B; Strogatz, D S; James, S A et al. (1992) Socioeconomic and behavioral correlates of body mass index in black adults: the Pitt County Study. Am J Public Health 82:821-6
Ainsworth, B E; Keenan, N L; Strogatz, D S et al. (1991) Physical activity and hypertension in black adults: the Pitt County Study. Am J Public Health 81:1477-9

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