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Published on: September 30, 2020

The burden of heart disease among North Carolina adults with disabilities

Harry W B Herrick1, Karen J Luken

  • 1State Center for Health Statistics, North Carolina Division of Public Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, 1020 Richardson Dr, Raleigh, NC 27699-2422, USA. harry.herrick@dhhs.nc.gov

North Carolina Medical Journal
|April 27, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Adults with disabilities experienced cardiovascular disease (CVD) at three times the rate of those without disabilities. This highlights the need for early CVD prevention strategies in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Disability Studies

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) poses a significant health burden globally.
  • Understanding health disparities in vulnerable populations is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among adults with disabilities.
  • To examine the association between disability and the presence of multiple CVD risk factors.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the North Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey.
  • Analyzed data spanning the years 2005–2010.
  • Compared CVD prevalence and risk factor distribution between adults with and without disabilities.

Main Results:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) was approximately three times more prevalent in adults with disabilities compared to those without.
  • Adults with disabilities showed an increased likelihood of possessing multiple CVD risk factors.

Conclusions:

  • There is a significant disparity in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence affecting adults with disabilities.
  • Early intervention programs are essential to prevent CVD in individuals with disabilities.

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