Abstract Body: Background: Hypertension hospitalization, defined as being admitted to the hospital with a primary diagnosis of hypertension, has been increasing among US adults. Individuals with low socioeconomic position have higher rates of uncontrolled blood pressure (BP). We evaluated the relationship of socioeconomic position on incident hypertension hospitalization and BP control rates following hospitalization.

Methods: We analyzed data from CARDIA, a prospective cohort that enrolled 5,115 adults (2,637 self-identified Black and 2,478 White adults) 18 to 30 years old from 4 urban US areas in 1985-1986. Hypertension hospitalizations were ascertained by manual chart review over 34 years of annual follow-up. We compared the incidence rate of hypertension hospitalization and prevalence of uncontrolled BP, systolic/diastolic BP ≥140/90 mm Hg, at the study visit after hospitalization by socioeconomic position. Socioeconomic position included education, income, insurance status and neighborhood deprivation factor score at the last visit before hypertension hospitalization or last CARDIA visit attended for participants who were not hospitalized.

Results: Overall, 67 CARDIA participants (1.3%) were hospitalized for hypertension. Participants hospitalized for hypertension had a median age of 47 years at time of hospitaliization, 51% were male, and 87% were Black. Among those hospitalized for hypertension, 12% had less than high school education, 44% had a family income < $25,000, 30% were on Medicaid or Medicare, and 58% lived in a socially deprived neighborhood. The risk of hypertension hospitalization was higher for participants with less education and who lived in more socially deprived neighborhoods (Table 1). At the first study visit following hospital discharge, 67% of participants had uncontrolled BP and there was no difference by socioeconomic position.

Conclusion: The incidence rate of hypertension hospitalization was higher among people with low socioeconomic position. Uncontrolled BP was common following hypertension hospitalization.