Cardiovascular disease risk reduction in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk-reduction practices are suboptimal in populations at high risk for CVD, and this problem may be worse in women than in men.


METHODS
In 2003, CVD risk-reduction practices were compared between men and women after stratification by CVD risk status (high, intermediate, low) in a cross-sectional analysis of the 1999 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a random-digit telephone survey of state population-based samples of the civilian non-institutionalized population of adults. This analysis included persons aged >40 years who answered questions regarding lipid and blood pressure screening, recommendations for lifestyle modification, that is, exercise and reduced fat intake, and aspirin use. Risk status was defined according to Adult Treatment Panel III definitions.


RESULTS
In the 97,387 adults included in this analysis, high CVD risk was associated with lipid and blood pressure screening, lifestyle modification, and aspirin use in both men and women compared to intermediate-risk and low-risk (p <0.001). Among high-risk adults, men and women reported similar frequency of blood pressure and cholesterol measurement and physician advice on lifestyle modification; among intermediate- and low-risk adults, women reported slightly more frequent screening and lifestyle modification than men (p <0.001). In all CVD risk categories, women reported significantly less aspirin use than in men (p <0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Among people at high risk for CVD, women report lifestyle modification more often than men, while men report use of aspirin more often than women. These findings may assist with targeting interventions to reduce CVD risk to the unique needs of men and women.
Kim
Catherine
C
Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. cathkim@med.umich.edu
Beckles
Gloria L
GL
D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010358:Patient Participation; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin