Introduction. Although African American (AA) women have the highest prevalence of hypertension and many genetic studies have been conducted to examine this disparity, no published studies have investigated their attitudes toward genetic testing for hypertension. The purpose of the present study was to use the health belief model as a guide to examine attitudes toward perceived barriers and benefits of genetic testing held by AA multigenerational triads and to determine whether they differed by generation, age, education, or income level. Methods. A descriptive correlational research design were used with 183 African American women and girls from Detroit. Correlations between triad membership, age, income, and education level were examined for association with attitudes toward genetic testing. Results. Increasing age and education were associated with significant differences in attitudes regarding benefits ( , , ) and awareness ( , , ). No statistically significant differences existed on the three subscales when compared by income levels or triad membership. Conclusions. This highlights the need for increased outreach to younger generations regarding benefits of genetic services. Further research is necessary to determine whether rural and male populations have similar beliefs. 1. Introduction Cardiovascular disease (CVD) carries the highest mortality rate for women in the United States. The American Heart Association (AHA) reports that more than 47% of African American women, of age 20 years and older, have been diagnosed with CVD as of 2008 [1]. Additionally, African American women also have the highest reported death rates from CVD [1]. Hypertension is a significant risk factor for the development of CVD [2]. Among African American women, 45.7% have hypertension marking them as possessing the highest incidence and prevalence rates amid all ethnic and racial groups in the United States [1]. In 2008, deaths related to hypertension among African American women totaled 7,002 with African American women’s death rate being two and a half times more than that of Caucasian women [1, 3]. Research has shown that genetic factors contribute significantly to the susceptibility of developing hypertension [4–7]. A study of Caucasian and African American children revealed the T235 allele on the angiotensinogen gene to be more common in African American children compared to Caucasian. This is meaningful such that the T235 allele is positively correlated with increased serum angiotensinogen levels and hypertension in African American boys and girls, when compared to
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