title: The prevalence and management of cardiovascular risk factors in immigrant groups in Switzerland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the prevalence and management of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) between immigrant groups and Swiss nationals.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Swiss Health Surveys (SHS, N = 49,245) and CoLaus study (N = 6,710) were used. Immigrant groups from France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, former Yugoslavia, other European and other countries were defined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immigrants from Italy, France, Portugal, Spain and former Yugoslavia presented a higher prevalence of smoking than Swiss nationals. Immigrants reported less hypertension than Swiss nationals, but the differences were reduced when blood pressure measurements were used. The prevalence of dyslipidaemia was similar between immigrants and Swiss nationals in the SHS. When eligibility for statin treatment was assessed, immigrants from Italy were more frequently eligible than Swiss nationals. Immigrants from former Yugoslavia presented a lower prevalence of diabetes in the SHS, but a higher prevalence in the CoLaus study. Most differences between immigrant groups and Swiss nationals disappeared after adjusting for age, leisure-time physical activity, being overweight/obesity and education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most CVRFs are unevenly distributed among immigrant groups in Switzerland, but these differences are due to disparities in age, leisure-time physical activity, being overweight/obesity and education.
authors: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland. Pedro-Manuel.Marques-Vidal@chuv.ch
authors: Pedro
authors: P
authors: Marques-Vidal
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Vollenweider
authors: Gérard
authors: G
authors: Waeber
authors: Fred
authors: F
authors: Paccaud
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D013557:Switzerland; D055815:Young Adult