Do blacks and whites differ in reporting Rose Questionnaire angina? Results of the Boston Health Care Project.

We investigated the prevalence of angina (as determined by the Rose Questionnaire) in a random sample of African-American and white adults, aged 44 to 75 years, in three Boston (Mass) neighborhoods. Telephone interviews were completed by 2030 eligible subjects (response rate = 87.9%). A sample of 737 persons who had never been hospitalized for a heart attack also participated in a home visit. The prevalence of Rose angina was 7.0% in black women, 4.8% in white women, 5.0% in black men, and 5.7% in white men (P = .37). In both racial groups, respondents with diagnosed cardiovascular conditions, those taking cardiovascular medications, and those living alone were more likely to report angina than were other respondents. Blacks were more likely to report angina if they felt they were not getting needed medical care. Risk of angina declined with age among whites. In the home visit sample, the presence of major electrocardiogram abnormalities was also associated with angina. Rose angina appears to be influenced by similar risk factors in both blacks and whites.