By Karen D'Alonzo, PhD, RN, APNC
An important area of health-related research for Hispanic immigrant women is cardiovascular risk reduction. Consistent with the Hispanic Paradox, the risk for cardiovascular disease among immigrant Latinos is relatively low at the time of arrival but increases greatly with length of residence in the US. Mexican-American women in particular have one of the world’s highest rates of metabolic syndrome (MS), a disorder characterized by central (abdominal) obesity, insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, all of which increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. This type of inquiry is ideally carried out using a lens of community based participatory research (CBPR), where researchers and community are partners in the research process.
