Title: Socioeconomic disparities in risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

POPLINE Document Number: 039202

Author(s):

Millar WJ
Wigle DT

Source citation:

CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal, 1986 Jan 15;134(2):127-32.

Abstract:

To identify target groups for preventive health promotion efforts, this study analyzed the prevalence of risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease by socioeconomic status in Canadian adults. The prevalence rates of cardiovascular disease risk factors were drawn from the 1978-79 Canada Health Survey, the 1981 Canada Fitness Survey, and labor force smoking surveys of 1975 and 1983. The risk factors considered were cigarette smoking, overweight, obesity, elevated diastolic blood pressure, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption, elevated serum cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, and conjoint use of oral contraceptives (OCs) and cigarettes. Educational level was used as a measure of socioeconomic status. The results indicate that both males and females with a lower level of education are more likely to have a given risk factor than those with a higher educational level. Among men 20-69 years, the largest relative differences in risk factor prevalence between the educational groups were found for smoking, obesity, inactivity, and alcohol consumption; among women, these factors were smoking, obesity, overweight, elevated diastolic blood pressure, and inactivity. Among women 15-34 years, 39% of cigarette smokers with an elementary school education used OCs compared with 30% of smokers with a secondary school education and 16% of smokers with a university education. Among OC users 15-34 years, 75% of those with an elementary school education smoked compared with 43% of OC users with a secondary school education and 20% of those with a university education. In 1983, there was a 13% difference in smoking rates between women in the lowest and the highest educational groups. Women in the lowest educational category have been least likely to participate in the trend toward lower smoking rates.

Keywords:

Canada
North America
Data Analysis
Research Methodology
Population At Risk
Heart Diseases
Cardiovascular Effects
Diseases
Tobacco Use and Abuse
Social Behavior
Behavior
Educational Status
Population Characteristics
Socioeconomic Status
Socioeconomic Factors
Macroeconomic Factors
Oral Contraceptives
Contraceptive Agents, Female
Contraception
Family Planning
Prevalence
Measurement
Age Factors
Sex Factors
Population
Changes
North America, Northern
Americas
Developed Countries
Physiology
Biology
Economic Factors
Demographic Factors
Contraceptive Methods
Contraceptive Agents
Social Change