Cardiovascular risk factor changes in the Kilkenny Health Project. A community health promotion programme
Shelley, E.; Daly, L.; Collins, C.; Christie, M.; Conroy, R.; Gibney, M.; Hickey, N.; Kelleher, C.; Kilcoyne, D.; Lee, P.
European Heart Journal 16(6): 752-760
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0195-668X PMID: 7588918 Document Number: 447875
The Kilkenny Health Project was a community research and demonstration programme which aimed to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease in a county in the south-east of Ireland with a total population of approximately 70000. The health promotion programme was carried out in Kilkenny from 1985 to 1992. Outcome evaluation was by means of population surveys of independent samples of men and women aged 35 to 64 years in Kilkenny (n approximately 800) and in the reference county (n approximately 600) in 1985/1986 and in 1990/1991. Survey methods for health behaviour questionnaires and risk factor measurements were similar to those of the WHO MONICA Project. Mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) declined significantly (P lt 0.01) in men and women in both counties, from 144.0 by 5.4 mmHg and from 143.2 by 5.4 mmHg in men from 139.5 by 7.7 mmHg and from 136.5 by 2.8% and from 26.1% by 6.0% in men in the two counties. Prevalence declined from 24.1% by 6.2% (P lt 0.05) in women in the intervention county but was unchanged, increasing by 0-5% from 17.5%, in women in the reference county. Mean serum total cholesterol declined from 6.04 mmol cntdot l-1 by 0.09 mmol cntdot l-1 and from 6.00 by 0.44 mmol cntdot l-1 (P lt 0.01) in men and from 6.01 by 0.36 (P lt 0.01) and from 5.90 by 0.31 (P lt 0.01) in women in the intervention and reference counties, respectively. Cigarette smoking prevalence declined from 27.7% by 0.7% and from 29.8% by 2.6% in men and from 30.3% by 5.5% and from 27.7% by 2.6% in women in the two counties. Mean body mass index (BMI) increased from 26.4 by 0.4 kg cntdot m-2 and from 26-8 by 1.0 kg cntdot m-2 (P lt 0.01) in men and from 25.5 by 0.4 and from 25.6 by 1.3 kg cntdot m-2 (P lt 0.01) in women in the intervention and reference counties. Overall, changes in risk factor levels were similar in the intervention and reference counties. There were significant reductions (P lt 0.01) in the 5-year risk of a coronary heart disease (CHD) event as estimated using the Dundee Risk Score in men and women in both counties. This was consistent with the decline in CHD mortality at national level between the two surveys. The reasons why greater changes over time were not detected in the intervention compared to the reference area are discussed.