title: Cardiovascular risk assessment among rural population: findings from a cohort study in a peripheral region of Bangladesh.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The incidences of non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is increasing in Bangladesh. The reasons for this increasing trend need to be explored. The aim of this study is to assess the risk of CVDs among a peripheral rural Bangladeshi population and to explore the sociodemographic, anthropometric and clinical variables associated with increased risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  From a cohort of 190,471 individuals of all ages, originally included in a diabetic eye disease program initiated in 2008-2009, a purposive sub-cohort of 66,710 individuals, aged 31-74 years was recruited. During 2011-2012 these participants were assessed for CVDs using the WHO's risk assessment tool designed for primary care settings in low resource societies. Participant characteristics associated with higher risk were explored using univariable and multivariable regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of all (95.5% participation rate) participants 1170 (1.84%) were found to be at high risk for CVD. The prevalence of hypertension (HTN), pre-HTN, obesity, underweight and self-reported DM were 8.9%, 15.2%, 9.6%, 7.8% and 0.5% respectively, among the study population. In multivariable regression analysis female sex, older age, temporary housing structure (i.e., tin shed), extremes of BMI (both underweight and obese) and central obesity were associated with higher risk for CVDs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of CVD risk factors and high CVD risk individuals in this cohort was found to be lower than previous studies. It may be the effects of urbanization are yet to reach this relatively traditional rural population. This study adds to the literature on use of the WHO risk assessment tool.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS), 125/1 Darus Salam, Mirpur, Dhaka 1216, Bangladesh; The School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. Electronic address: kaniz_dina@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fatema
authors.affiliation: The School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. Electronic address: N.Zwar@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Zwar
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB), The School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2008, Australia. Electronic address: Milton.Hasnat@newcastle.edu.au.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Milton
authors.affiliation: The School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. Electronic address: b.rahman@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: ORBIS International, Apartment No, B4 & C4, Plot #1, Road #137, Gulshan, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh. Electronic address: drmnawal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A S M N
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Awal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, BUHS, 125/1 Darus Salam, Mirpur, Dhaka 1216, Bangladesh. Electronic address: vc@buhs-edu.org.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ali
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Anthropometric indices; Bangladesh; Cardiovascular diseases; Diabetes; Hypertension