A new study from Northwestern Medicine has found that Black adults in the U.S. experience their first hospitalization for heart failure almost 14 years earlier than white adults.
The research also revealed that Hispanic adults are hospitalized about eight years earlier, and Asian adults roughly three years earlier, compared to white adults.
Key Findings
- White adults were first hospitalized for heart failure at an average age of 73.6.
- Asian American adults at 70.6 years.
- Hispanic adults at 65.4 years.
- Black adults at 60.1 years.
The study analyzed data from more than 42,000 patients across 713 hospitals nationwide between 2016 and 2019, using the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure Registry.
Social and Economic Factors
Statistical modeling in the study revealed that these disparities are linked to social and economic factors, including:
- Health insurance status
- Community-level education
- Local unemployment rates
“These social risk factors often limit access to quality healthcare and shape health long before heart problems develop,” said study first author Dr. Xiaoning Huang, research assistant professor of cardiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Implications for Prevention
Heart failure affects over 6 million U.S. adults and is expected to rise in the coming decades. The study highlights that addressing disparities requires more than just medical treatment:
- Raising awareness of early heart failure risk in certain communities
- Implementing policies that ensure equitable access to education, economic opportunities, healthy food, and quality healthcare
- Starting preventive care and screening risk factors earlier in high-risk populations
- Connecting patients to social resources alongside medical care
“This is about ensuring that neither ZIP code nor racial background determines how soon serious heart problems occur,” said Huang.
Conclusion
The study underscores the urgent need to close racial and ethnic gaps in heart health through both social policy and clinical intervention. Health systems should be aware of the earlier onset of heart failure in Black, Hispanic, and Asian communities to improve outcomes and reduce disparities.
The research, titled Racial and Ethnic Differences in Patient Age at First Hospitalization for Heart Failure, was funded by the American Heart Association.