title: Effect of socioeconomic status on secondary prevention of stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiovascular risk factors increase risk for stroke recurrence. Secondary prevention of stroke may be affected not only by established risk factors, but also socioeconomic status. This study evaluates relationships between socioeconomic status and cardiovascular and behavioral factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-section study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Public Health and Education Institute, Peking University.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatients (n = 2354) with a past diagnosis of stroke or transient ischemic attack.
  
  
  METHODS
  The investigation consisted of a questionnaire regarding patients' socioeconomic and living status, and a clinical examination at the research center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Control rates of risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With regard to hypertension patients, 67.0% were aware of having hypertension, 63.6% were treated and 53.9% had controlled hypertension; for patients with hypercholesterolemia, 46.7% were aware of having hypercholesterolemia, 38.6% were treated and 3.8% had controlled hypercholesterolemia; for patients with diabetes mellitus, 28.0% were aware of having diabetes mellitus, 25.7% were treated and 3.5% had controlled diabetes mellitus. After multivariate analysis, education was the strongest associated factor for controls of hypertension and diabetes mellitus. After adjustment for sex and age, strong and graduated relationships were noted between the level of education and control of risk factors, with the odds ratios increasing at every increment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Education exerts the most important effect on the control of established cardiovascular risk factors; Successful intervention to reduce these risk factors will have to be addressed, not just with regard to specific risk factors, but also with the societal conditions that lead to the adoption and maintenance of high-risk behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Center of Beijing Shijingshan Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mingsheng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jingcheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Jingxing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cuifen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Minhui
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qian
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012923:Social Class; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires