Obesity and hypertension among African Americans: do African-American primary care providers address these conditions when secondary to primary illness?

This study examined the extent that black family medicine residents manage African-American patients with hypertension and obesity secondary to the primary health problem. A retrospective chart survey of 1806 outpatients was used to select a sample of 362 patients being treated by 12 African-American family medicine residents. Of the 362 patient charts, 31.2% of the patients had hypertension (ie, blood pressure > or = 140/90 mm Hg). A plan for managing hypertension was found in the charts for 77% of these patients. Obesity was present among 37% of the patients, and yet there was documentation of a treatment plan for managing this condition for only 38% of these patients. Black family medicine residents appear to be sensitized about addressing the problem of hypertension among African-American patients being treated for other illnesses. However, there is a vital need to teach family medicine physicians how to address and aggressively manage the problem of obesity among African-American patients, particularly those patients for whom obesity was not the primary reason for seeking medical care.