Educational status, XXXX , and coronary risk factor prevalence in a rural population of India.

@entity1 @entity101 @entity28 @entity301 @entity551
OBJECTIVE: To define the association between educational level and prevalence of @entity301 and coronary risk factors in India. DESIGN: Total community cross sectional survey with a doctor administered questionnaire, physical examination, and electrocardiography. SETTING: A cluster of three villages in rural Rajasthan, western India. SUBJECTS: 3148 residents aged over 20 (1982 @entity1 , 1166 @entity1 ) divided into various groups according to years of formal schooling. RESULTS: Illiteracy and low educational levels were associated with less prestigious occupations (agricultural and farm labouring) and inferior housing. There was an inverse correlation of educational level with age (rank correlation: mean -0.45, @entity1 -0.49). The prevalence of @entity301 (diagnosed by electrocardiography) was significantly higher among uneducated and less educated @entity1 and showed an inverse relation with education in both sexes. Among uneducated and less educated @entity1 there was a higher prevalence of the coronary risk factors smoking and @entity101 . Educational level showed a significant inverse correlation with @entity551 . Logistic regression analysis with adjustment for age showed that educational level had an inverse relation with prevalence of electrocardiographically diagnosed @entity301 (odds ratio: @entity1 0.82, @entity1 0.53), @entity101 ( @entity1 0.88, @entity1 0.56), and smoking ( @entity1 0.73, @entity1 0.65) but not with hypercholesterolaemia and @entity28 . The inverse relation of @entity301 with educational level abated after adjustment for smoking, physical activity, body mass index, and blood pressure (odds ratio: @entity1 0.98, @entity1 0.78). CONCLUSION: Uneducated and less educated @entity1 in rural India have a higher prevalence of @entity301 and of the coronary risk factors smoking and @entity101 .
