The Average Cardiovascular Risk Index Is High in Cardiology Desert Counties With a Sizable Black Population

A cardiovascular risk index score closer to 0 is considered low risk, and a score closer to 6 is considered high risk.

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* All differences between level of access to a cardiologist and counties with sizable Black population and cardiovascular risk index reached statistical significance of P <0.05.

Counties with a sizable Black Americans population had at least 14.2% of their population that identified as entirely or mixed-raced Black in the 2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data. The cardiovascular risk index includes rates of adult obesity, adult diabetes, food environment, smokers, excessive drinking, and physical inactivity. For more detailed information please refer to the methodology section of this article.