VARIABILITY IN BEHAVIORAL RISK-FACTORS FOR HEART-DISEASE IN AN AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY

The variability of three behavioural risk factors for heart disease-he avy alcohol and tobacco consumption and physical inactivity-was assess ed in an Australian Aboriginal community, where heart disease death ra tes were high. Prevalence levels were assessed by comparison with thos e experienced by all adult Australians and by evaluating whether Abori ginal rates were influenced by underlying sociodemographic conditions. Relative risk ratios, odds ratios and logistic regression analysis we re used. A total of 159 males and 114 females participated. Compared t o all Australians, Aborigines are significantly more likely to drink f ive or more drinks on a drinking day, to be current smokers, and not t o participate in vigorous exercise. In the Aboriginal community, univa riate analysis indicates that: the odds of being a heavy drinker are s ignificantly higher for those in unsatisfactory health; odds of being a current smoker are significantly higher for those in unsatisfactory health or unemployed; odds of not participating in vigorous exercise a re significantly higher for those in unsatisfactory health, unemployed or without secondary education. Multivariate analysis shows that risk of being a heavy drinker is independently associated with sex, age, a nd health status; risk of being a current smoker is associated with he alth and employment status. The risk of not participating in vigorous exercise is significantly related to all sociodemographic variables ex amined. Reasons for these associations are discussed.