THE ASSOCIATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK WITH COLLEGE EDUCATION IN EMPLOYEES OF A LARGE PUBLIC SCHOOL

Abstract

1791 The purpose of this study was to examine cardiovascular risk marker values with respect to whether or not employees in a large public school system had earned a college degree. Assessments of total cholesterol (TCmg/dl), HDL-Cholesterol (HDLmg/dl), LDL-cholesterol (LDLmg/dl), triglyceride (TGmg/dl), glucose (GLUmg/dl), systolic blood pressure (SBPmmHg), and diastolic blood pressure (DBPmmHg) were performed on 298 employees of a large public school system (7153 students), which represented 32% of the total number of employees for that school district. Of the employees undergoing the assessments, 236 had earned a bachelors degree or better (D) and served as teachers, administrators, and counselors, while 62 had not earned a degree (ND) and were employed as custodial workers, clerical workers, cooks, and bus drivers. Significant differences in risk marker values were determined using t-tests. Table(Table: * = sig. different from corresponding ND value: p<.05)It was concluded that in the public school systems, employees holding a college degree may be at a lower risk for cardiovascular disease.