Family History of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young: Prevalence and Associated Factors.

Michelle White,Debra Duquette,Chris Fussman,Ruta Sharangpani,Ann Rafferty,Mark Russell,Janice Bach

doi:10.3390/healthcare3041086

Abstract

Sudden cardiac death of the young (SCDY) is a devastating event for families and communities. Family history is a significant risk factor for this potentially preventable cause of death, however a complete and detailed family history is not commonly obtained during routine health maintenance visits. To estimate the proportion of adults with a family history of SCDY, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Genomics Program included two questions within the 2007 Michigan Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (MiBRFS). Prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Among adults in Michigan, 6.3% reported a family history of SCDY, with a greater prevalence among blacks, those with lower household income, and those with less education. Among those reporting a family history of SCDY, 42.3% had at least one first-degree relative and 26.2% had multiple affected family members. This is the first study to demonstrate the prevalence of family history of SCDY while also highlighting key sociodemographic characteristics associated with increased prevalence. These findings should guide evidence-based interventions to reach those at greatest risk.

Highlights

Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young (SCDY) is a significant public health problem [1]
Michigan participates in the national Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which is coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is comprised of an annual, state-level telephone surveys of adults [17]
The 2007 Michigan Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (MiBRFS) followed the CDC BRFSS protocol and was conducted across the calendar year among a representative statewide sample of adults aged 18 years and older, selected through a random digit-dial sampling of landline telephone numbers followed by random intra-household selection of one eligible adult

Summary

Introduction

Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young (SCDY) is a significant public health problem [1]. Each SCDY event is devastating to families and communities. Multiple national professional medical societies have recognized the importance of family history in screening for individuals at risk of SCDY [7,10]. The American Heart Association recommends specific family history questions regarding SCDY in pre-participation athletic screening guidelines [11]. Despite this recommendation, the documentation of a detailed family history is often impeded by physician time constraints and patient recall [12,13]. MDHHS designed the current study to estimate the proportion of Michigan adults who have a family history of SCDY and to investigate its associations with demographic and health-related characteristics using data from the Michigan Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (MiBRFSS)

Survey Design

Statistical Analysis

Results

Discussion

Conclusion

Conflicts of Interest