Behavioral Risk Factors and Regional Variation in Cardiovascular Health Care and Death.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2018

Institution/Department

Maine Medical Center Research Institute; Center for Outcomes Research and Evalution; Cardiology

Journal Title

American journal of preventive medicine

MeSH Headings

Adult, Aged, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Health Behavior, Health Status, Humans, Maine, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Prevalence, Risk Factors, Risk Reduction Behavior, Risk-Taking

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Reducing the burden of death from cardiovascular disease includes risk factor reduction and medical interventions.

METHODS: This was an observational analysis at the hospital service area (HSA) level, to examine regional variation and relationships between behavioral risks, health services utilization, and cardiovascular disease mortality (the outcome of interest). HSA-level prevalence of cardiovascular disease behavioral risks (smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity) were calculated from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; HSA-level rates of stress tests, diagnostic cardiac catheterization, and revascularization from a statewide multi-payer claims data set from Maine in 2013 (with 606,260 patients aged ≥35 years), and deaths from state death certificate data. Analyses were done in 2016.

RESULTS: There were marked differences across 32 Maine HSAs in behavioral risks: smoking (12.4%-28.6%); poor diet (43.6%-73.0%); and physical inactivity (16.4%-37.9%). After adjustment for behavioral risks, rates of utilization varied by HSA: stress tests (28.2-62.4 per 1,000 person-years, coefficient of variation=17.5); diagnostic cardiac catheterization (10.0-19.8 per 1,000 person-years, coefficient of variation=17.3); and revascularization (4.6-6.2 per 1,000 person-years; coefficient of variation=9.1). Strong HSA-level associations between behavioral risk factors and cardiovascular disease mortality were observed: smoking (R

CONCLUSIONS: There is substantial regional variation in behavioral risks and cardiac utilization. Behavioral risk factors are associated with cardiovascular disease mortality regionally, whereas revascularization is not. Efforts to reduce cardiovascular disease mortality in populations should focus on prevention efforts targeting modifiable risk factors.

ISSN

1873-2607

First Page

376

Last Page

384

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