Gender and social patterning of health: the Norsjö cardiovascular preventive programme in northern Sweden 1985-1990.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the extent to which the impact of social stratification on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors was different among men and women.


METHODS
Pooled data from six (1985-90) cross-sectional health surveys.


METHODS
The intervention area is an inland municipality, Norsjö, in northern Sweden with a population of 5,300 inhabitants.


METHODS
Smoking, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolaemia, and perceived health status.


RESULTS
Almost half of the study population had hypercholesterolaemia (> or = 6.5 mmol/l), 19% of men and 25% of women were smokers, and 30% and 29%, respectively, had hypertension. Age had a strong impact on all outcome measures. Social factors were associated with smoking in women and with hypercholesterolaemia in men. There were no sex differences in perceived good health. The likelihood of self-assessed good health decreased with increasing risk factor load, with the exception of hypercholesterolaemia, in all social strata.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study implies the importance of considering age, gender, and social differences in intervention and evaluation of CVD preventive programmes. The study also demonstrate that self-defined health contains important information on cardiovascular risk profile.
Brännström
I
I
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Umeå, Sweden.
Persson
L A
LA
Wall
S
S
D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology