title: Prevalence and sociodemographic determinants of cardiovascular risk in a rural area.
abstract: Non-metropolitan areas have a higher mortality from cardiovascular disease than metropolitan areas. The study's aim was to establish the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in a rural area and identify their sociodemographic determinants. Adults, randomly selected from Ballarat's electoral rolls, were invited to complete a questionnaire and have their height, weight, blood pressure and fasting lipids measured. Three hundred and thirty-eight eligible persons participated (67% response). The data were analysed using logistic and multiple regression analyses. Increasing age was associated with hypertension, high plasma cholesterol, overweight/obesity, high plasma triglyceride levels and increasing plasma fibrinogen. Women were less likely to be overweight/obese and have a high plasma triglyceride. Not having completed high school was associated with hypertension, high plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels and physical inactivity. Smoking was associated with employment and being in a non-professional/managerial occupation. Rural health promotion initiatives should take account of the needs of these population subgroups.
authors.affiliation: University of Melbourne, Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Peach
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Bath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology