Beyond biology: Social and geographic determinants of hypertension in rural Alabama communities

Sharlene D Newman, D Nichole Pompey, Linda Knol, Wanda Burton, Paige Johnson, Letisha Scott, Amie Brunson, In Gu Kang and Matthew Hudnall

PLOS Global Public Health, 2026, vol. 6, issue 2, 1-11

Abstract: Hypertension remains a leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the United States. Despite advances in detection and treatment, disparities in hypertension prevalence, control, and outcomes persist across racial, gender, and geographic lines, particularly in the rural Deep South. To examine the associations between race, gender, age, and geography on systolic and diastolic blood pressure among adult patients in West Alabama, and to identify patterns that may inform equitable, place-based interventions. De-identified health records from 3,462 adult patients across nine West Alabama counties were analyzed. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were modeled as dependent variables using multivariate analyses including race, gender, age, and zip code. Interaction terms were examined to assess moderating effects between demographic and geographic variables. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was most strongly predicted by age (p

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pgph00:0005835

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0005835

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