Abstract
IntroductionCardiovascular 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.MethodsData 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.ResultsThe 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.ConclusionPrevalence 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.
Highlights
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among US women, accounting for 25% of all deaths in this population
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
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among US women, accounting for 25% of all deaths in this population. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States overall and among white and black women, accounting for 5 of 20 deaths among women in 2009 [1,2,3]. Hypertension [5,6], hypercholesterolemia [7], and hyperglycemia [8] are the 3 main risk factors for CVD. Such conditions can be treated effectively [9], they may not be highly controlled in the US population in general and in older women in particular [10].
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