Black cardiovascular mortality in Maine
Status
Data pending expert review
We were unable to confirm a primary-source race-stratified figure for in this state from the usual CDC WONDER / Census / KFF feeds. Our editorial team reviews this monthly; the page will publish the number as soon as the upstream dataset reports it with sufficient statistical reliability.
What this means for Black residents
The cardiovascular mortality figure for Black residents of Maine varies by year and reporting cell. See the CDC WONDER Underlying Cause of Death dataset for the latest.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among Black residents of Maine, as it is nationally. The Black-white CVD mortality gap begins decades earlier than it does in the white population — Black men in their 40s already show elevated CVD mortality compared to white men of the same age. The drivers are well-established in the literature: earlier onset of hypertension and diabetes, poorer blood-pressure control rates in primary care, and lower access to cardiology after a cardiac event. Evidence-based interventions include team-based hypertension management in primary care (the Kaiser Permanente and the Yale Primary Care Collaborative both document 70%+ control rates using this approach) and community-pharmacy blood-pressure monitoring.
The figures on this page are drawn from CDC WONDER Underlying Cause of Death, which is the canonical public dataset for this indicator. See the References section below for supporting citations from MMWR, NEJM, and JAMA where the underlying drivers have been studied.
Policy actions
Policy levers at the state level for this indicator include Medicaid coverage scope, provider workforce investments, and data transparency mandates. The state's health department publishes the specific programs currently funded via its annual state health plan.
Where to get help in your state
- Black cardiologists & primary care in Maine: Black Health directory
- Million Hearts (CDC) self-measured BP program: millionhearts.hhs.gov
- 911 for chest pain, stroke symptoms, or suspected MI.
References & primary sources
- Primary dataset: CDC WONDER Underlying Cause of Death
- Van Dyke ME et al. Heart Disease Death Rates Among Blacks and Whites by US County. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2018.
- American Heart Association. Status of Cardiovascular Health in African Americans. 2017 Scientific Statement.
Data refreshed: