Cardiovascular risk factors among Native American women Inter-Tribal Heart Project participants.
OBJECTIVE
To examine cardiovascular disease risk factors among adult Native American women Inter-Tribal Heart Project participants.


METHODS
A secondary analysis used controllable risk factors identified by the American Heart Association as the framework to examine cardiovascular disease risk factors in this population.


METHODS
Three Native American Reservations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.


METHODS
866 adult Native American women who participated in the Inter-Tribal Heart Project cardiovascular health research study.


METHODS
Descriptive, correlational, bivariate, and multivariate analysis provided findings on cardiovascular disease risk factors in this population.


RESULTS
Cardiovascular disease risk factors are high among this population. For every additional risk factor, the odds of self-reported cardiovascular disease increases 1.2 times (95% confidence interval: 1.1-1.3). Participants who self-reported cardiovascular disease were older, less educated, employed less, and reported more Indian ancestry (higher blood quantum) and had higher prevalence rates of diabetes, higher systolic blood pressure, and body mass index in comparison to women who self-reported an absence of cardiovascular disease.


CONCLUSIONS
A key to decreasing cardiovascular disease lies in preventing and controlling cardiovascular disease risk factors with concerted efforts specific to the culture and life ways of the Native American woman.
Struthers
Roxanne
R
St. John's College of Nursing of Southwest Baptist University, Springfield, MO 65804, USA.
Baker
Martha
M
Savik
Kay
K
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000208:ethnology; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000208:ethnology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000193:education / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology; D014930:Women / Q000193:education