Education and Control of Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) in Elderly Patients with CVD in Amirkola

With increasing age, the burden of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) increases. Education seems to be effective in controlling the risk factors for cardiovascular disease to prevent the disease and to control the disease after its development. The burden of cardiovascular disease and its associated risk factors is higher in people with low education. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of education on the control of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in the elderly in Amirkola, northern Iran.

In this cross-sectional study, which is part of the Amirkola Health and Ageing Project, 356 elderly patients with confirmed CVD were studied. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease including body mass index, waist circumference, physical activity, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood triglycerides, HDL, LDL, smoking status and blood sugar were compared in illiterate and literate elderly.

Out of 356 elderly patients with CVD (177 males and 179 females), 223 patients (62.6%) were illiterate and 133 patients (38.4%) were literate. Patients did not differ significantly except for controlling the risk factor of low physical activity. Education was effective in controlling the risk factor of physical activity in patients with cardiovascular disease (OR=2.295, CI=1.228-4.289) and these people were more active (p=0.009). In addition, 59.87% of risk factors in the literate group and 58.33% of risk factors in the illiterate group were controlled, which did not show a significant difference.

The results of the study showed that except for low physical activity, other risk factors were not associated with literacy in the elderly with CVD.