The disparity between African Americans and Caucasians in death rates from coronary heart disease has increased despite a recent overall decline in death rates from the disease, according to a Feb 1, 2002, news release from the American Heart Association. Research findings show that death rates from coronary heart disease declined by 33.3% in African American men from 1979 to 1998 compared to a 46.1% decline of death rates in Caucasian men during the same period. Death rates from the disease decreased 26.6% for African American women, compared to 40.1% for Caucasian women during the same period.

This disparity between African Americans and Caucasians is due in part to heredity and lifestyle habits. African Americans have a high incidence of several risk factors, including high blood pressure, which increases their risk for heart disease and stroke. These findings show that there is a need to develop prevention programs aimed toward education, ethnicity, and other characteristics of populations at increased risk for coronary heart disease.

“Search Your Heart” is a national heart health and stroke prevention initiative of the American Heart Association that is designed to reach African Americans in the church setting. Church programs are led by designated program coordinators who plan and promote events, recruit church volunteers, contact coordinating agencies, and work with a local association representative to present the program to the church. Currently, more than 1,250 churches participate in the program.

More than 100,000 African American deaths annually are attributed to cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular diseases accounted for 33.8% of deaths of African American men and 40.8% of deaths of African American women in 1999.