Rural-urban differences in health and health behaviour: a baseline description of a community health-promotion programme for the elderly.
OBJECTIVE
To (1) describe the setting and design of the Good Ageing in Lahti Region (GOAL) programme; (2) by using the baseline results of the GOAL cohort study, to examine whether living in urban, semi-urban, or rural communities is related to risk factors for chronic diseases and functional disability in ageing individuals.


METHODS
The baseline data of a cohort study of ageing individuals living in three community types (urban, semi-urban, rural). Data were collected by two questionnaires and laboratory assessments.


METHODS
Fourteen municipalities in the Lahti region (Päijät-Häme County) in Finland.


METHODS
A regionally and locally stratified random sample of men and women born in 1946-50, 1936-40, and 1926-30. A total of 4,272 were invited and 2,815 (66%) participated.


RESULTS
Elevated serum cholesterol, obesity, disability, sedentary lifestyle (<2 times/week walking), and high fat intake were more prevalent in rural vs. urban and semi-urban communities. After adjustment for sex, age, education, obesity, diet, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol use, rural communities remained the only community type with increased (p<0.05) probability for high BMI (OR 1.33) and high waist circumference (OR 1.43).


CONCLUSIONS
The unfavourable health and lifestyle profile, together with an old population, makes health promotion for elderly citizens a special challenge for rural communities such as those in Päijät-Häme County, Finland. Most, if not all, of the differences in health between the three community types were explained by educational background, physical activity, and smoking.
Fogelholm
Mikael
M
The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere, Finland. Mikael.fogelholm@uta.fi
Valve
Raisa
R
Absetz
Pilvikki
P
Heinonen
Heikki
H
Uutela
Antti
A
Patja
Kristiina
K
Karisto
Antti
A
Konttinen
Riikka
R
Mäkelä
Tiina
T
Nissinen
Aulikki
A
Jallinoja
Piia
P
Nummela
Olli
O
Talja
Martti
M
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003153:Community Health Services; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population