A STUDY OF POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

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1 A STUDY OF POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS UN ESTUDIO DE FACTORES DE RIESGO POTENCIALES SE ASOCIÓ CON ENFERMEDAD CARDIOVASCULAR ENTRE ESTUDIANTES DE COLEGIO Author: Damien Byas, Ph.D., M.A. University of Phoenix, School of Advanced Studies, Phoenix, AZ, USA Telephone Number; (602) Autor: Damien Byas, Doctor en Filosofía, M.A. Universidad de Fénix, Escuela de Estudios avanzados, Fénix, AZ, EE. UU Número de teléfono; (602) Correo electrónico:

2 Abstract Recent health research studies have concluded that bothserious acute and chronic disease types are prevalent among many American communities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a preventable disease types which is considered to be the leading cause of death worldwide (WHO, 2009).Health Promotion and preventive medicine strategies are currently being applied by some of worlds leading health agencies and institutions in attempts to properly educate children and adults on appropriate preventive measures to help both manage and reduce prevalence, morbidity, and morality rates of this type of diseases. Although many of these efforts have contributed to reduction rates in the prevalence of CVD in some areas, there are still many localities globally which have failed to significantly develop successful strategies to both address and reduce the prevalence of morbidity and death rates of this type of diseases. (Ogden, Carroll, McDowell, & Flegal, 2009). Keywords: Cardiovascular Disease * Health * Atherosclerosis * Disease

3 Introduction As many people throughout the world are continuously diagnosed with serious acute and chronic disease types, the more it has been proven that additional analyses are required which are initiated to examine current global health problems and potential attributing factors. It may be imperative to investigate the many existing global health concerns which may be interrelated due to various types of unhealthy behaviors. It is possible that certain types of unhealthy behaviors may serve as identifiable risk factors capable of increasing the probability of diagnoses with one or more of the top ten disease killers or preventable causes of death in the world. One such disease is cardiovascular disease (CVD) which according to the WHO is considered to be the leading cause of death worldwide (WHO, 2009). There are many programs and research studies throughout the world that are currently in place to try and both identify and possibly eliminate potential risk factors of various lifethreatening illnesses. Lifestyle or unhealthy living is a factor which may have a direct influence on the possibility of one developing heart disease. This could be due to poor economic growth, a rise in unemployment rates, limited amounts of exercise, and the high costs of natural and nutritious foods.although, lifestyle behaviors and the environment may directly affect disease prevalence globally, it is also important that citizens throughout the world receive appropriate education on ways to recognize, prevent, and control existing diseases that can significantly impact ones way of life. The American Heart Association (2011) has defined CVD as a heart and blood vessel disease which includes numerous health problems, many of which are related to a process called atherosclerosis.atherosclerosis is a condition that results from the buildup of a hard substance referred to as plaque along the walls of the arteries. This buildup can cause a narrowing of the

4 arteries, which could hinder the normal process of blood flow and lead to a possible myocardial infarction or stroke. CVD is among the most widespread and costly health problems facing our nation today, even though it is also among the most preventable (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2011). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2011) reports that CVDis the leading cause of death for both women and men and is also a major cause of illness and disability and is estimated to cost the nation hundreds of billions of dollars annually in health care expenditures and lost productivity. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine a group of underrepresented college students at a city college in the Bronx, New York to determine if the participants were at risk for CVD. It was the hopes of the researcher that the findings from this study would serve as an education and prevention resource to help to promote chronic disease awareness and knowledge of potentially associated risk factors, and to also help to stimulate healthy lifestyle changes among participants and community members. The Bronx community is referred to as aculturally diverse and underrepresented population which consists of a Hispanic majority of 53.5 percent, 10.9 percent Non-Hispanic Whites, 30.1 percent Non-Hispanic Blacks, and 3.4 percentother (U.S. Census, 2010). It was determined that the 2010 U.S. Census demographic population data was adequately representative of population at the participating college. Researchers who distributed the 2008 New York City Community Health Survey toresidents in New York City s forty-two neigborhoods, found that 297 per 100,000 residents died from heart disease between (New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2008).These results were based age-adjusted rates.

5 Existing research which examines potential risk factors for CVD among adult populations in the Bronx community has not been found. Although recently recorded data has indicated that citizens of the Bronx communitymay be at high risk for one or more of the various types of chronic diseases, research which may examine the possible influences of behavioral, environmental, racial, and social factors on persons diagnosed with such illnesses appears to be extremely limited. This information helps to justify a need for such research. Method A large group (N= 148) of male (20.9%) and female (79.1%) students at a community college in New York City volunteered to participate in the 5 week study which was designed to asses potential risk factors which may be associated with CVD. The risk factors which were examined were age, ethnicity, gender, Weekly Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA), Weekly Television Viewing (T.V.), whether one was at risk for Cardiovascular Disease (CVD risk. Students were first asked to complete the Spring 2009 College Health Risk Analysis Report which was a self-report questionnaire that assessed demographic information, the frequencies of both weekly physical activity and television viewing, and potential risk factors for CVD. Results The results of the study revealed that the majority of the participants (N=148) were female (79.1%) which demonstrated that female participants were more willing to receive a health assessment than male (20.1%) participants. The age ranges of the participants were 25 years and under (69.6%), 25 to 30 years (12.8%), 30 to 40 years (8.8%), and over 40 years (8.8%). The majority of the participants were Hispanic or Latino (64.2%), 31.1% of the participants were Black or African American, 2% of the participant were Asian, 1% of the participants were White, and 2% of the participants were recorded as Other.

6 Only 3.4% of the participants reported that they engaged in MVPA more than 5 days per week, while 36.5 % of participants reported that they did not engage in MVPA at all during a weekly period. 66.2% of the participants reported that they failed to engage in MVPA more than 2 days per week. Participant responses for weekly T.V. viewing showed that only 8.1% of students reported that they watch T.V. more than 5 hours per day, 35.9% reported that they watched T.V. less than 1 hour per day and 82.9% of participants reported viewing 3 or fewer hours of T.V. per day. Based on student responses from the Spring 2009 College Health Risk Analysis Report, the CVD Assessment portion of the survey revealed that 76.4% of the participants were at Moderate to High Risk for CVD. The results of the student responses also showed that only23.6% were at Low Risk for CVD. Multiple regression analyses revealed which independent variables were statistically significant predictors of Cardiovascular Disease. MVPA, having risk factors for Diabetes, and Bodyfat% (BF%) were determined to be significant predictors (F = 3.70, p <.05)for CVD risk. Conclusion The resulting data obtained from this research study has shown that the majority of the participants were at moderate to high risk for being diagnosed with CVD. Other study factors such as T.V. Viewing, LMPA, MVPA, age, gender, and being at risk for CVD, may possibly attribute to an unhealthy lifestyle.additional factors such as being female, aging, the lack of engaging in LMPA and MVPA, as well as increasing the amount of time spent watching television on a weekly basis, are all factors which promote an increase in sedentary behavior, a

7 variable often classified as one of the primary factors which may attribute to CVD. It may be important to note that many of the critical factors examined in this study may have a definitive impact on one s health behaviors and health related decisions. Therefore, it may be necessary to utilize the results of this research to try and focus on health behavior modification in order to better manage and prevent disease prevalence within the target communities.

8 References World Health Organization (2009). Fact Sheet 317: Cardiovascular Diseases. Ogden, C.L., Carroll, M.D., McDowell, M.A., and Flegal, K.M. (2009). Obesity among Adults in the United States: No statistically significant change since Accessed December 5, American Heart Association (2011).What is Cardiovascular Disease? Retrieved on September 1, 2011 from: Resources/WhatisCardiovascularDisease/What-is-CardiovascularDisease_ UCM_301852_Article.jsp National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2011). Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention: Addressing the Nation s Leading Killers. Retrieved on Sept 1, 2011 from: /publications /aag/pdf/2011/heart-disease-and-stroke-aag-2011.pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011). National Diabetes Fact Sheet: National Estimates and General Information on Diabetes and Prediabetes in the United States. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. United States Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division (2011). New York City Based 2010 Census Tract Relationship Files.

9 Demographic Analysis. New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. (2008). New York City Community Health Survey. Bureau of Epidemiology Services.