Heart health Hamilton-Wentworth survey: programming implications

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Promotion

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of mortality globally, necessitating targeted prevention strategies.
• Understanding baseline health behaviors and risk factors is crucial for developing effective community-level CVD prevention programs.
• The City of Hamilton requires specific data to inform its public health initiatives for CVD risk reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To gather baseline data on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and health behaviors in the City of Hamilton.
• To identify preferred sources of health promotion information among residents for targeted intervention design.
• To inform the development and evaluation of CVD prevention programming tailored to the Hamilton population.

Main Methods:

• A telephone survey was conducted with 601 residents of the City of Hamilton.
• Data collected included health history, awareness of CVD risk factors, smoking status, dietary habits, physical activity levels, and information-seeking preferences.
• Body mass index (BMI) was calculated for a subset of respondents (n = 439).

Main Results:

• Over half of respondents (55.2%) had a BMI over 25 kg/m2, indicating overweight or obesity.
• Smoking and poor diet were the most commonly reported CVD risk factors.
• Lack of time was the primary barrier to physical activity for 54% of participants.

Conclusions:

• CVD prevention programming in Hamilton should prioritize interventions supporting healthy body weight.
• Strategies should focus on promoting active lifestyles and healthy eating habits.
• Public health messaging should leverage preferred information channels, including print media and healthcare providers.