Mobile Health Unit Outreach to Socially Disadvantaged Urban Communities Detects Uncontrolled Cardiometabolic Risk Factors.

BACKGROUND

Awareness and control of cardiometabolic disease risk factors remain suboptimal in the United States. Mobile health units may improve detection, particularly in socially disadvantaged urban communities.

METHODS

The Wayne State University/Wayne Health mobile health units program has conducted screening events across metropolitan Detroit (>1000 locations) since 2020. Adults ≥18 years undergo medical history assessment and may elect blood pressure (BP) and laboratory testing. We conducted a serial cross-sectional analysis of electronic health records data from July 26, 2021 to September 8, 2025 to characterize the population screened.

RESULTS

The median BP (122/75 mm Hg), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (103 mg/dL) and hemoglobin A1c (5.7%) were modestly elevated. Roughly half of the population had high BP (systolic ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic ≥80 mm Hg; 48%; n=6182/12821) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels ≥100 mg/dL (54%; n=3860/7115), whereas 16% had hemoglobin A1c levels ≥6.5% (n=1137/7061). Among individuals with all 4 results (n=5393), only 4% had an ideal cardiometabolic disease risk profile (systolic BP <120 mm Hg + low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol <70 mg/dL + hemoglobin A1c <5.7%). Conversely, 70% had ≥1 uncontrolled cardiometabolic disease risk factor(s) (systolic BP ≥130 mm Hg or low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ≥100 mg/dL or hemoglobin A1c ≥7.0%). Older age was associated with all 4 risk factors being uncontrolled, whereas Black race was associated with uncontrolled BP and male sex with both uncontrolled BP and HbA1c.

CONCLUSIONS

Population screening using mobile health unit-based outreach identified a high burden of cardiometabolic disease abnormalities in socially disadvantaged urban communities. These programs are potentially valuable for improving detection and enabling targeted interventions to reduce health disparities.