# A longitudinal cohort study to evaluate cardiovascular risk factors and disease in Haiti

> **NIH NIH R01** · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · 2022 · $607,857

## Abstract

ABSTRACT: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is now the leading cause of mortality in Haitian adults. Our
preliminary data suggest that hypertension is the single most important CVD risk factor in Haiti and may be
driven by poverty-related social and environmental determinants. However, the prevalence, incidence, major
risk factors, and social and environmental determinants are unknown. Longitudinal cohort studies are urgently
needed to address these knowledge gaps in order to develop interventions to prevent CVD and improve health
outcomes of Haitians in both Haiti and in the United States.
We propose to fill this gap by establishing the first longitudinal cohort to study the natural history of CVD in
Haiti. The cohort will include 3,000 adults >18 years in Port-au-Prince using multistage random sampling, and
follow them for 2 to 3.5 years depending on the timing of study enrollment. We anticipate that hypertension
prevalence will be ≥10% in 18-30 year olds, that hypertension incidence will be >10 events/1000 person years,
and that both prevalent and incident hypertension will be associated with poverty-related social and
environmental determinants. We will also examine the association of determinants and risk factors with CVD.
We will biobank whole blood, serum, plasma, saliva, stool, and urine samples for future studies.
Our Specific Aims are to:
1. Establish a population-based cohort of 3,000 adults in Port-au-Prince and assess the prevalence of
 CVD risk factors and diseases and their association with social and environmental determinants.
 a. Cardiovascular risk factors include hypertension, diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, kidney disease, poor
 diet, cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, and inflammation.
b. Cardiovascular diseases include myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, and CVD mortality.
c. Determinants include stress, social isolation, depression, food insecurity, and lead exposure.
2. Determine the incidence of CVD risk factors and diseases and their association with social and
 environmental determinants.
This study will provide important insights into the epidemiology of CVD in Haiti. The study also builds a
platform for future research by establishing a population-based cohort, collecting data on other important
chronic diseases in Haiti (e.g. diabetes, renal disease), creating a biobank, and using measures and
outcomes that are directly comparable to existing US CVD cohorts. Our ultimate goal is to translate new
research findings from this study into pragmatic prevention and treatment interventions to fight the CVD
epidemic in Haiti and in Haitian immigrants in the US.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10439780
- **Project number:** 5R01HL143788-05
- **Recipient organization:** WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** Margaret Leighton McNairy
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $607,857
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-08-01 → 2023-08-24

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10439780

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10439780, A longitudinal cohort study to evaluate cardiovascular risk factors and disease in Haiti (5R01HL143788-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10439780. Licensed CC0.

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