Reduction of high cholesterol levels associated with younger age and longer education in a primary health care programme for cardiovascular prevention.
OBJECTIVE
To study possible social predictors for reduction of hyperlipidaemia in subjects offered lifestyle intervention in primary health care after an opportunistic screening.


METHODS
Primary health care in Sollentuna, Sweden.


METHODS
Follow-up study of changes in high lipid levels in men and women aged 20-60 years participating in a voluntary screening and cardiovascular prevention programme.


METHODS
A total of 1904 individuals had a follow-up visit registered after a mean of 466 days. Men and women with raised lipid levels (serum cholesterol = 6.5 mmol/l, and/or triglycerides = 2.3 mmol/l) at baseline were compared with normolipidaemic participants. Data on social characteristics such as education, occupation, marital status, and income were collected from national censuses. Associations between socioeconomic factors and changes in lipid levels were studied.


RESULTS
Men and women with hyperlipidaemia were generally (p < 0.001) older (men 6-8 years, women 8-10 years) and less educated than normolipidaemic subjects. Significant predictors for reducing hypercholesterolaemia were younger age, OR 0.97 (0.95-1.00) for increasing age, and longer education, OR 0.47 (0.24-0.91) for low education (<9 years). Foreign-born subjects were more likely to achieve a high success rate in reducing hypercholesterolaemia, OR 3.43 (1.00-11.8), than the Swedish-born. No significant predictors were detected for reduction of high triglyceride levels.


CONCLUSIONS
A successful reduction of high cholesterol levels was associated with younger age and longer education in a primary health care-based programme for cardiovascular prevention.
Hellénius
Mai-Lis
ML
Family Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. mai-lis.hellenius@klinvet.ki.se
Nilsson
Peter
P
Elofsson
Stig
S
Johansson
Jan
J
Krakau
Ingvar
I
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011322:Primary Prevention; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol