title: Determinants of major cardiovascular risk factors among participants of the South Carolina WISEWOMAN program, 2009-2012.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among US women, accounting for 25% of all deaths in this population. Approximately 65% of these deaths occur in asymptomatic women. Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes mellitus (diabetes) are major risk factors for CVD and can be treated effectively if identified at an early stage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were available from 3,572 uninsured first-time female participants aged 40 to 65 years, referred by their health professional to the South Carolina Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (SC WISEWOMAN), 2009-2012. All women completed a structured health-risk and behavior questionnaire. Anthropometric measures were recorded and data on clinical risk-factors were collected. Prevalence-ratios (PRs) were obtained by predictive multivariable log-linear modeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of risk factors was 34.7% for uncontrolled hypertension, 9.3% for hypercholesterolemia, and 21% for diabetes. Prevalence of untreated hypertension was 15.6%; hypercholesterolemia, 8%; and diabetes, 4%. The greatest significant predictor of hypercholesterolemia was hypertension (PR = 4.37) and vice versa (PR = 2.39). The greatest significant predictors of diabetes were obesity (PR = 2.23), family history of diabetes (PR = 2.02), and hypercholesterolemia (PR = 1.85). Being obese (PR = 1.36), overweight (PR = 1.23), aged 60 years or more (PR = 1.26), and black (PR = 1.14) were significant predictors of having at least one CVD risk factor. Being black (PR = 1.09) was the only significant predictor of having comorbid conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of uncontrolled CVD risk factors was high among participants in the SC WISEWOMAN program. These findings confirm that the program is reaching high-risk women who are in need of interventions to reduce their risk for CVD through lifestyle changes.
authors.affiliation: University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Discovery I Building, 915 Greene St, Room 465, Columbia, SC 29208. E-mail: nahhas@email.sc.edu.
authors.forename: Georges Joseph
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Nahhas
authors.affiliation: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Columbia, South Carolina.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Daguise
authors.affiliation: University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ortaglia
authors.affiliation: University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
authors.forename: Anwar T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Merchant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000379:methods; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008019:Life Style; D016014:Linear Models; D008403:Mass Screening; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D064890:Social Determinants of Health; D013022:South Carolina; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health