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Status of cardiovascular health in a transition European country: findings from a population-based cross-sectional study

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Public Health

Abstract

Objectives

Our aim was to assess the prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) in the adult population of Republic of Srpska (RS), Bosnia and Herzegovina, and its relationship with socio-demographic characteristics of participants.

Methods

We included 4,170 adults (mean age 50.2 years; 54 % women) from the National Health Survey performed from September to November 2010 in RS. Population prevalence of CVH health metrics (smoking, body mass index, physical activity, diet, cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose) were estimated according to the American Heart Association criteria for “ideal”, “intermediate”, and “poor” levels.

Results

Only 0.02 % participants had ideal (all 7 health metrics at ideal levels), 7.6 % intermediate, and 92.4 % poor (at least one metric at poor level) CVH. The fasting glucose was the most prevalent (75.9 %), whereas the healthy diet was the least prevalent (4.4 %) ideal CVH metric.

Conclusions

Our study indicates extremely low prevalence of ideal and high prevalence of poor CVH in the adult RS population. Such alarming results require urgent action. Comprehensive public health strategies and interventions must be developed to assist individuals and population in improving their CVH.

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Acknowledgments

The 2010 National Health Survey in Republic of Srpska was supported by the World Bank and Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic of Srpska. Funding for this analysis was obtained from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Project No. 175025).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Epidemiology, University of Belgrade, Višegradska 26, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Slavenka Janković

  2. Institute of Public Health, Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Dragana Stojisavljević

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Social Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

    Janko Janković

  4. Faculty of Economics, Finance and Administration, Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia

    Miloš Erić

  5. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Statistics and Informatics, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

    Jelena Marinković

Authors
  1. Slavenka Janković
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  2. Dragana Stojisavljević
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  3. Janko Janković
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  4. Miloš Erić
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  5. Jelena Marinković
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Correspondence to Slavenka Janković.

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Janković, S., Stojisavljević, D., Janković, J. et al. Status of cardiovascular health in a transition European country: findings from a population-based cross-sectional study. Int J Public Health 59, 769–778 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-014-0579-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-014-0579-1

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