title: Community programs for the prevention of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review.
abstract: In this systematic review, the authors aimed to assess the effectiveness of community programs for prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). They searched numerous electronic databases (CDSR, DARE, HTA, EED, and CENTRAL via the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, MEDLINE In Process, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, HMIC, and ASSIA) and relevant Web sites from January 1970 to mid-July 2008. Controlled studies of community programs for the primary prevention of CVD were included. Net changes in CVD risk factors were used to generate an overall index for net change in 10-year CVD risk. The authors identified 36 relevant community programs that took place between 1970 and 2008. These programs were multifaceted interventions employing combinations of media, screening, and counseling activities and environmental changes and were primarily evaluated using controlled before-after studies. In 7 studies, investigators reported changes in CVD/total mortality rates, and in 5 they reported net changes. In all cases, these net changes were positive but were largely nonsignificant. In 22 studies, investigators reported changes in physiologic CVD risk factors, and there was a positive trend in the calculated CVD risk score. The average net reduction in 10-year CVD risk was 0.65%. Community programs for CVD prevention appear to have generally achieved favorable changes in overall CVD risk and, with adaptation to current circumstances, deserve continued consideration as possible approaches to preventing CVD.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom. m.pennant@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pennant
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davenport
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bayliss
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Greenheld
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hyde
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids