title: Risk of cardiovascular disease among teachers in Cape Town: Findings of the South African PaCT pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The accelerating epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) highlights the need to establish long-term cohort studies in Africa.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The Partnership for Cohort Research and Training (PaCT) seeks to study NCDs in South Africa (SA), Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria on a long-term basis. Pilot studies at each site have tested feasibility. The SA site additionally studied the prevalence of CVD risk factors and categorised participants' 10-year predicted risk of a cardiovascular event.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled teachers from 111 public schools in the Metro South Education District in Cape Town, SA, between January 2011 and May 2012. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire and biological measurements, and chose post or email for 6-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participation of schools was permitted by 53.2% of principals, and 489 of 1 779 teachers agreed to participate. Of teachers willing to participate in the follow-up, 52% were retained, three-quarters by post and a quarter by email. Their mean age was 46.3 years and 70.3% were female. The prevalence of CVD risk factors was high and featured hypertension (48.5%), hypercholesterolaemia (20.5%), smoking (18.0%), diabetes (10.1%) and chronic kidney disease (10.4%), while 84.7% were overweight or obese. Of the participants, 18.7% were at high risk of a heart attack or stroke within 10 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Establishing a cohort study among teachers has challenges but also opportunities for addressing CVD, which will soon impose a substantial burden on Cape Town's education system.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Evidence-based Health Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa. carienl@sun.ac.za.
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Laurence
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Volmink
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Esterhuizen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dalal
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Holmes