Differences and Similarities in Rural Residents’ Health and Cardiac Risk Factors

Purpose: The current U.S. population exceeds three hundred million with approximately 20% living in non-urban rural areas. A higher percentage of rural residents have diagnosed heart disease and report poorer health compared to non-rural residents; however, it is not known whether risk factor modifi...

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Main Authors: Florence M. Weierbach, Bernice Yates, Melody Hertzog, Bunny Pozehl
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Rural Nurse Organization; Binghamton University 2013-05-01
Series:Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care
Online Access:https://rnojournal.binghamton.edu/index.php/RNO/article/view/159
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author Florence M. Weierbach
Bernice Yates
Melody Hertzog
Bunny Pozehl
author_facet Florence M. Weierbach
Bernice Yates
Melody Hertzog
Bunny Pozehl
author_sort Florence M. Weierbach
collection DOAJ
description Purpose: The current U.S. population exceeds three hundred million with approximately 20% living in non-urban rural areas. A higher percentage of rural residents have diagnosed heart disease and report poorer health compared to non-rural residents; however, it is not known whether risk factor modification for heart disease and health status differ based on degree of rurality. The purposes of this study were: 1) to compare differences in health status and cardiac risk factors between cardiac patients living in large and small/isolated rural areas, and 2) to compare the health status of rural cardiac patients with a national sample. Method: A secondary analysis using data from three separate studies was completed using a comparative descriptive design. The Cardiac Rehabilitation participant sample (n-191) included individuals 3 to 12 months post-cardiac event. The Arizona Heart Institute and Foundation Heart Test measured risk factors and the eight subscales of the Short-Form, Medical Outcomes study measured health status. Findings: No significant differences in health status were found; all participants rated their health moderately high. However, individuals in large rural areas reported significantly better general health than those in the normative sample. No differences in smoking, blood pressure, diabetes, or overweight/obese BMI were found between the two rural groups. Differences in exercise, and anger were present between the two groups. Significant differences were identified in waist circumference between the genders placing women at higher risk for heart disease. Conclusions: Identifying health status and cardiovascular risk factors of rural individuals informs interventions to be tested for rural residents. Key Words: Cardiac risk factors, Rural, Cardiac rehabilitation
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spelling doaj.art-8b5e55ba7bbb4e8f97902a3218a0d5ae2023-11-08T20:20:25ZengRural Nurse Organization; Binghamton UniversityOnline Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care1539-33992013-05-01131264910.14574/ojrnhc.v13i1.159151Differences and Similarities in Rural Residents’ Health and Cardiac Risk FactorsFlorence M. Weierbach0Bernice Yates1Melody Hertzog2Bunny Pozehl3East Tennessee State UniversityUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterPurpose: The current U.S. population exceeds three hundred million with approximately 20% living in non-urban rural areas. A higher percentage of rural residents have diagnosed heart disease and report poorer health compared to non-rural residents; however, it is not known whether risk factor modification for heart disease and health status differ based on degree of rurality. The purposes of this study were: 1) to compare differences in health status and cardiac risk factors between cardiac patients living in large and small/isolated rural areas, and 2) to compare the health status of rural cardiac patients with a national sample. Method: A secondary analysis using data from three separate studies was completed using a comparative descriptive design. The Cardiac Rehabilitation participant sample (n-191) included individuals 3 to 12 months post-cardiac event. The Arizona Heart Institute and Foundation Heart Test measured risk factors and the eight subscales of the Short-Form, Medical Outcomes study measured health status. Findings: No significant differences in health status were found; all participants rated their health moderately high. However, individuals in large rural areas reported significantly better general health than those in the normative sample. No differences in smoking, blood pressure, diabetes, or overweight/obese BMI were found between the two rural groups. Differences in exercise, and anger were present between the two groups. Significant differences were identified in waist circumference between the genders placing women at higher risk for heart disease. Conclusions: Identifying health status and cardiovascular risk factors of rural individuals informs interventions to be tested for rural residents. Key Words: Cardiac risk factors, Rural, Cardiac rehabilitationhttps://rnojournal.binghamton.edu/index.php/RNO/article/view/159
spellingShingle Florence M. Weierbach
Bernice Yates
Melody Hertzog
Bunny Pozehl
Differences and Similarities in Rural Residents’ Health and Cardiac Risk Factors
Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care
title Differences and Similarities in Rural Residents’ Health and Cardiac Risk Factors
title_full Differences and Similarities in Rural Residents’ Health and Cardiac Risk Factors
title_fullStr Differences and Similarities in Rural Residents’ Health and Cardiac Risk Factors
title_full_unstemmed Differences and Similarities in Rural Residents’ Health and Cardiac Risk Factors
title_short Differences and Similarities in Rural Residents’ Health and Cardiac Risk Factors
title_sort differences and similarities in rural residents health and cardiac risk factors
url https://rnojournal.binghamton.edu/index.php/RNO/article/view/159
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