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Table 1 Baseline characteristics by region

From: Geographical variation in cardiovascular incidence: results from the British Women's Heart and Health Study

 

South England

Midlands/

Wales

North England

Scotland

p-value^^

Number of towns

7

4

9

3

 

Contacted

2216

1199

2873

1008

 

Responders at baseline

(% of invited)

1319 (60%)

770 (64%)

1650 (57%)

547 (54%)

< 0.0005

Responders in 2003

(% baseline responders§)

1141 (87%)

633 (82%)

1439 (87%)

464 (85%)

0.09

Responders in 2007

(% baseline responders§)

846 (72%)

450 (68%)

1037 (71%)

352 (74%)

0.2

Classical and potential risk factors for CVD (baseline)

Age (mean (SD))

69.3 (5.5)

69.5 (5.6)

69.6 (5.5)

68.9 (5.3)

0.06

Smoking status

    

< 0.0005

   Never

817 (62%)

418 (54%)

864 (52%)

272 (50%)

 

   Ex

389 (30%)

244 (32%)

584 (36%)

184 (34%)

 

   Current

108 (8%)

101 (13%)

195 (12%)

91 (17%)

 

   Missing

5 (0.4%)

7 (0.9%)

7 (0.4%)

0 (0%)

 

Diabetes

    

0.07

   Yes (SR/RR)

67 (5.1%)

49 (6.4%)

86 (5.2%)^

31 (5.6%)

 

   Yes (fasting glucose only)

43 (3.3%)

31 (4.0%)

74 (4.5%)

36 (6.6%)

 

   No

1209 (92%)

690 (90%)

1490 (90%)

480 (88%)

 

Systolic BP (sitting, mm/Hg)*

153.2 (23.9)

155.4 (23.9)

154.6 (24.0)

153.3 (25.4)

0.20

   Missing

114 (9%)

150 (20%)

141 (9%)

16 (3%)

 

LDL cholesterol (mmol/l)

4.2 (1.1)

4.2 (1.1)

4.1 (1.1)

4.1 (1.1)

0.21

   Missing

155 (12%)

186 (24%)

161 (10%)

22 (4%)

 

Waist circumference (mm)*

861.0 (119.3)

868.0 (120.7)

861.9 (122.9)

860.1 (125.8)

0.63

   Missing

84 (6%)

126 (18%)

123 (8%)

3 (1%)

 

Obesity

    

0.29

   Yes

430 (33%)

341 (44%)

565 (34%)

163 (30%)

 

   No

813 (62%)

296 (39%)

967 (59%)

382 (70%)

 

   Missing

76 (6%)

133 (17%)

118 (7%)

2 (< 1%)

 

Leg length (mm)

763.5 (41.4)

753.4 (42.9)

756.1 (40.2)

752.2 (39.5)

< 0.0005

   Missing

75 (6%)

133 (2%)

118 (7%)

2 (< 1%)

 

Family history of CVD**

750 (57%)

431 (56%)

893 (54%)

300 (55%)

0.49

Alcohol intake

    

< 0.0005

   Most days

253 (19%)

127 (17%)

276 (17%)

58 (11%)

 

   Socially$

819 (62%)

439 (57%)

970 (59%)

319 (58%)

 

   Never

166 (13%)

133 (17%)

239 (15%)

109 (20%)

 

   Missing

81 (6%)

71 (9%)

165 (10%)

61 (11%)

 

Physically inactive$

739 (56%)

510 (66%)

935 (57%)

285 (52%)

< 0.0005

   Missing

149 (11%)

90 (9%)

214 (13%)

97 (18%)

 

Limited fruit/veg intake$$

33 (2%)

44 (4%)

93 (3%)

40 (4%)

< 0.0005

   Missing

129 (10%)

83 (11%)

242 (15%)

90 (17%)

 

Carstairs index based on GB population data (mean (SD))

-0.9 (2.4)

0.6 (2.7)

0.5 (3.3)

2.67 (3.4)

< 0.0005

   Missing

24 (2%)

1 (< 1%)

8 (1%)

36 (7%)

 

Life-course SEP

(median (25th, 75th centiles))

4 (2, 5)

4 (3, 6)

4 (2, 6)

5 (3, 6)

< 0.0005

   Missing£

305 (23%)

181 (24%)

452 (27%)

162 (30%)

 

CVD medication

487 (37%)

252 (33%)

673 (41%)

262 (48%)

< 0.0005

Non-missing for all covariates

700 (53%)

382 (50%)

881 (53%)

293 (54%)

0.3

  1. Note: Figures given in parentheses are percentages of the baseline responders unless otherwise stated
  2. § Alive at time of mailing
  3. * Mean of measurements
  4. ** Sibling or parent had stroke or heart attack (self-report)
  5. $ Those answering weekends only/once or twice a month/special occasions
  6. $ Response to nurse-led examination question (not questionnaire)
  7. $$ Missing where either summer fruit intake or winter fruit intake response is missing.
  8. £ Missing at least one of the ten components of SEP. Missingness of individual components ranged from 2.5-14.4%.
  9. ^ Includes one individual with diabetes indicated by diabetic medicines only
  10. ^^ From chi-squared test for binary variables, linear regression for continuous variables, and ordered logistic regression for ordinal variables (life-course SEP). Analyses carried out on non-missing values only. Analysis of diabetes variable combined all "yes" categories.
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BMC Public Health

ISSN: 1471-2458

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