Foreword: Celebrating the First Ten Years of Research Excellence from the ackson Heart Study

摘要

Over the past 60 years, age-adjusted rates of death from heart attacks and strokes have declined by nearly 60% in the United States. While all populations have benefitted, minority populations - especially African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans-have always had higher risk of heart attack and stroke than Caucasians. Disparities in benefits have continued to plague the African American population, especially in the South. Both genetic factors and environmental factors contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease.Health care is a cooperative venture. The groups who have benefitted most from research advances have assumed substantial responsibility for their own care, as well as having access to medical care. If the highest risk populations are to benefit from current research, participants must be fully engaged, work must be done in the communities in which they live, and the findings must be known to, and used by, the people living in those communities.The Jackson Heart Study began in 2000 to build upon existing knowledge to explore the unique factors of inheritance, environment, history and community affecting African Americans living in areas at highest risk of cardiovascular disease. The NHLBI is honored to support this study,