Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and associated risk factors in a rural black population of South Africa

Type Journal Article - European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation
Title Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and associated risk factors in a rural black population of South Africa
Author(s)
Volume 12
Issue 4
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2005
Page numbers 347-354
URL http://cpr.sagepub.com/content/12/4/347.short
Abstract
Background To determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of cardiovascular diseases in a rural adult black population from Limpopo Province in South Africa.
Design A cross-sectional study.
Methods A sample of 1608 women and 498 men aged 30 years and above participated in the study. Sociodemographic data, anthropometric measures (body mass index, waist/hip ratio), blood pressure and biochemical risk factors were measured. A global cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profile was developed.
Results There was a high prevalence of tobacco use for men (57%) and women (35.4%), with women (28.1%) predominantly using smokeless tobacco. Alcohol use was very common in men (57.2%). Women weighed a great deal more than men, and 51.7% were either overweight or obese. Diabetes was diagnosed in 8.8 and 8.5% of women and men, respectively. High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was relatively high, whereas 42.3% of women and 28.5% of men had low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels of 3 mmol/l or more. Hypertension (blood pressure = 140/90 mmHg) was found in 25.5% of women and 21.6% of men. According to the Framingham formulae, 18.9% of women and 32.1% of men had a 20% or higher chance of having a CVD event in the next 10 years.
Conclusions There was a high prevalence of chronic disease risk factors in the rural, poor black community in Limpopo, South Africa. Consequently, the population had a higher than expected risk of developing a CVD event in the following 10 years when compared with similar studies in black Africans.

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