title: Educational inequalities and cardiovascular risk factors. A cross-sectional population-based study in southern Spain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and distribution of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors focused on educational level differences, in an adult population in Southern Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional population-based study. Random sample from the adult population assigned to a Primary Health Care Centre in Málaga (Southern Spain), which attends 38,625 inhabitants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level of education, physical activity, blood pressure, waist perimeter, body mass index, lipid profile, fasting plasma glucose, among others, were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Final sample included 2,270 subjects with a mean age of 43.65 (SD: 16.65), 49.74% male and 50.26% female. 57.6% had none or only primary studies. Overweight was present in 55.8%, smokers were 27.6% and sedentary people 51.9%. Once adjusted by sex and age, all modifiable factors were lower in people with higher education. The highest risks were sedentarism (OR 1.95; 95% CI: 1.16-3.29) and hypertension (OR: 2.07 95% CI: 1.49-2.80) for those with lower education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a clear inverse gradient of cardiovascular risk factors and educational level in the study population. Public health and community nurses should develop strong interventions for this challenge and extend their influence to public policies focused on educational inequalities and health.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain.
authors.forename: José Miguel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Morales-Asencio
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mancera-Romero
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bernal-Lopez
authors.forename: Ildefonso
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Martos-Cerezuela
authors.forename: Antonio J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Baca-Osorio
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Moyano-Paris
authors.forename: Juana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Montiel-Murillo
authors.forename: Flores Perez
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Juncosa
authors.forename: Rosa Sanchez
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Tinahones
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gomez-Huelgas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids