Risk Factors for Coronary Heart Disease: A Population-Based Sample of Women

BACKGROUND: Women are at increased risk for heart diseases compared to men, however, most public health professionals are under the impression that only men are at high risk. The purpose of the study is to investigate associated risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) in a population-based sample of women using 2011 Nevada Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

METHODS:  Risk factors that will be examined include demographics (sex, age, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, and income), smoking, body mass index, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, high blood cholesterol, and depression.

RESULTS:  Factors associated with depression in the unadjusted analyses show that women with coronary heart disease were more likely to be black (p=.03), have a high school education (p=.02), have a lower income (p<.0001), be physically inactive (past thirty days p=.02), have smoked cigarettes daily (p=.002), have high blood cholesterol (p<.0001), and reported depression symptoms (p=.01).

CONCLUSIONS:  There is need to identify women at risk for heart disease, and design programs to modify the risk factors that put them at risk.