THE ALBERTA-HEART-HEALTH-SURVEY - METHODS AND RESULTS

OBJECTIVE: The Alberta Heart Health Survey is a population-based inves tigation of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor prevalence and aw areness among Albertans 18 to 74 years of age. DESIGN: A stratified, t wo-stage, replicated probability sample design developed by Statistics Canada was used to select 3437 individuals (2740 were located) from t he Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan enrollment list. Trained communi ty health nurses (n = 36) from 13 public health units conducted home i nterviews (n = 2237, response rate 82%) and subsequent clinic visits ( n = 1993) from February to June 1990, using a core protocol common to similar studies conducted in other provinces, as part of the Canadian Heart Health Initiative. SETTING: The home interview collected data on individual and household demographic characteristics, smoking, alcoho l consumption, physical activity, treatment and control of high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol, and family history of CVD. Clinic visits included blood collection for analysis of total plasma cholest erol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high density lipoprot ein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides; weight, height, waist and hip ci rcumference, and two blood pressure measurements. Standardized protoco ls were used. Lipid analyses were conducted by the Lipid Research Labo ratory, University of Toronto. Data management and analysis were condu cted at the University of Alberta. MAIN RESULTS: The overall risk fact or prevalence estimates were: high blood pressure 14%; smoking 27%; to tal cholesterol of at least 5.2 mmol/L, 36%; HDL cholesterol less than 0.9 mmol/L, 10%; LDL cholesterol of at least 3.4 mmol/L, 29%; body ma ss index 25 or more, 51%; sedentary lifestyle 37%. One or more of the three major risk factors (smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cho lesterol) occurred in 57% (70% in those with 12 years of education or less). CONCLUSIONS: While the prevalence rates for the major risk fact ors are among the lowest in Canada, they are unacceptably high. A mult ifactorial coordinated public health approach to reduce CVD risk facto r levels in the population is required.