Self-reported and clinical measurement of three chronic disease risks among low-income women in West Virginia.
BACKGROUND
This study assessed the validity of several self-reported cardiovascular risk factors among low-income women aged 40-64 years in West Virginia.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 733 women participating in the Well Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) project in West Virginia to examine agreement between self-report and clinical screenings in the prevalence of risk factors related to coronary heart disease (CHD). Women participating in the study were interviewed face-to-face before administration of clinical screenings that assessed height, weight, Quetelet's index, high blood pressure (systolic > or =140 mm Hg or diastolic > or =90 mm Hg), and elevated total cholesterol concentrations (> or =200 mg/dL and > or =240 mg/dL).


RESULTS
The overall results showed high sensitivity and specificity for each of the risk factors examined; for overweight/obesity, the sensitivity was 96% and specificity was 93%; for cholesterol > or =240 mg/dL, sensitivity was 85% and specificity was 67%; for hypertension, sensitivity was 77% and specificity was 86%. Using a threshold value of > or =240 mg/dL for hypercholesterolemia led to higher sensitivity but a lower specificity than for a value of > or =200 mg/dL.


CONCLUSIONS
This study found that among low-income women at higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), self-reported values for high body mass index (BMI), hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension were well correlated with clinical measures, as indicated by high sensitivity values. Thus, self-reported values can be used for surveillance, targeted screenings, and health promotion activities, including lifestyle changes.
Ahluwalia
Indu B
IB
Division of Adult and Community Health, National Centers for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3724, USA. Iahluwalia@cdc.gov
Tessaro
Irene
I
Rye
Sheila
S
Parker
Lindsey
L
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008019:Life Style; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014903:West Virginia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health
D002784:Cholesterol