Cardiovascular risk assessment between urban and rural population in Malaysia
I Noor Hassim1, M R Norazman2, M Diana2
1Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Community Health, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. drrose@ppukm.ukm.edu.my.
Insights
Malaysian rural adults face higher cardiovascular disease risk factors than urban adults, contrary to common beliefs. Targeted preventive interventions are crucial for rural populations to mitigate this burden.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a significant mortality cause in Malaysia, accounting for 36% of all deaths.
- Understanding the distribution and differences in CVD risk factors between urban and rural populations is essential for effective public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the burden of cardiovascular risk factors among Malaysian adults.
- To compare the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors between urban and rural populations in Malaysia.
Main Methods:
- Data were collected as part of the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study.
- Cardiovascular disease risk was assessed using the INTERHEART risk score, encompassing eleven risk factors.
- Risk factors included demographics, medical history (smoking, diabetes, hypertension), lifestyle (diet, physical activity), and psychosocial elements (stress, depression).
Main Results:
- The majority of participants (57%) had low cardiovascular risk.
- Rural participants were generally older, had lower education, and exhibited higher rates of smoking, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.
- Urban participants reported lower physical activity and higher stress levels, while rural participants had a higher mean INTERHEART score (11.5±5.83 vs. 10.01±5.74, p<0.001).
Conclusions:
- Contrary to expectations, rural populations in Malaysia exhibit a higher burden of cardiovascular risk factors compared to urban populations.
- Focused preventive interventions tailored to the socioeconomic and cultural contexts of the rural population are recommended.
- Addressing these disparities is critical for reducing the overall impact of cardiovascular disease in Malaysia.
Introduction:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) caused significant burden to Malaysia as it accounted for 36% of total deaths. This study aims to evaluate the burden of cardiovascular risk factors among Malaysian adult and assess the difference between urban and rural population in the selected communities.
Methods:
This study is part of the ongoing Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) database, whereby the baseline data were collected since June 2008. CVD risk was measured using INTERHEART risk score which comprised of eleven risk factors i.e. age and gender, family history of heart attack, smoking status, exposure to second hand smoke, diabetes mellitus, hypertension status, waist-hip ratio, self-reported stress, depression, dietary habits and physical activity status.
Results:
Majority of the studied participants had low cardiovascular risk (57%). Participants from rural area were generally older, had lower educational status, higher prevalence of smokers, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and more likely to be depressed. In comparison, urbanites had lower physical activities and more likely to be stressful. Mean INTERHEART score among rural participants were higher, especially for male, in comparison to urbanite (11.5±5.83 vs. 10.01±5.74, p<0.001).
Conclusion:
Contradict to common beliefs, participants in rural areas generally have higher cardiovascular risk factors compared to their urban counterparts. The rural population should be targeted for focused preventive interventions, taking account the socioeconomic and cultural context.
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