A new study finds that among Indigenous populations, heart failure rates are two to three times higher than among other adults.
Published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, it’s one of the first studies to focus specifically on American Indigenous people in this kind of research.
Data from more than 3,000 adults from tribes in Arizona, Oklahoma and North and South Dakota revealed participants developed heart failure at a much higher rate than other groups.
People with Type 2 diabetes, especially those with kidney damage, were found to be at the highest risk. And according to the study’s authors, social and environmental factors, like exposure to toxins and limited access to health care, have contributed to the high rates of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease in Indigenous communities.
They also emphasized the importance of better representation in research to address and learn more about the issue.
