Hysterectomy prevalence and cardiovascular disease risk factors in American Indian women.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated hysterectomy prevalence and associated demographic and reproductive factors among American Indian women. The association between hysterectomy and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors was also examined.


METHODS
Data were from 2689 American Indian women who participated in the first examination of the Strong Heart Study from 1989 to 1992. Odds ratios were estimated for factors related to hysterectomy adjusting for other covariates. The association between hysterectomy and CVD risk factors was examined among 1726 eligible women using analysis of covariance.


RESULTS
Hysterectomy prevalence ranged from 24% to 34% across differing age groups and the percent with oophorectomy among those with a hysterectomy ranged from 43% to 63%. Geographic area, more prior pregnancy losses, more education, and less speaking of the native language were associated with increased hysterectomy prevalence. After adjustment for age, the women who had a hysterectomy with intact ovaries had higher total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels than those with a natural menopause.


CONCLUSIONS
American Indian women have comparable hysterectomy prevalence as non-Hispanic white women. Education and native language speaking related to hysterectomy in this population. Hysterectomy alone may relate to unfavorable changes of lipid profile.
Center for American Indian Health Research, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, P.O. Box 26901, Oklahoma City, OK 73190, USA. ying-zhang4@ouhsc.edu
Ying
Y
Zhang
Elisa T
ET
Lee
Linda D
LD
Cowan
Kari E
KE
North
Robert A
RA
Wild
Barbara V
BV
Howard
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D017584:Reproductive History; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002784:Cholesterol