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Roma coronary heart disease patients have more medical risk factors and greater severity of coronary heart disease than non-Roma

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Public Health

Abstract

Objectives

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common cause of mortality and morbidity world-wide. Evidence on ethnic differences between the Roma and non-Roma regarding medical risk factors is scarce. The aim of this study was to assess differences in medical risk factors and the severity of CHD in Roma compared with non-Roma CHD patients, adjusted for gender, age and education.

Methods

Six hundred seventy four patients were included in this cross-sectional study (132 Roma, 542 non-Roma). Data on medical risk factors, symptoms, medication and severity of CHD were obtained from medical records. After matching Roma and non-Roma according to education, linear and logistic regression analyses with adjustments for gender and age were used.

Results

Compared with non-Roma, Roma patients had significantly more risk factors and more severe types of CHD. They were treated less frequently with statins and beta-blockers, were more frequently left on pharmacotherapy and surgically revascularised. These differences remained after controlling for education, gender and age.

Conclusions

Roma CHD patients have a worse risk profile at entry of care and seem to be undertreated compared with non-Roma CHD patients.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Slovak Society of Cardiology, year 2005. This work was supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under contract No. APVV- 20-038305 (20 %) and APVV-0220-10 (60 %). Furthermore, this work was partially supported by the Agency of the Slovak Ministry of the Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic for the Structural Funds of the EU under project No. ITMS: 26220120058 (20 %).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. East Slovakian Institute for Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Cardiology Clinic, Ondavska 8, Kosice, 040 01, Slovak Republic

    A. Sudzinova, M. Studencan & H. Vargova

  2. Graduate School Kosice Institute for Society and Health, Safarik University, Kosice, Slovak Republic

    A. Sudzinova, I. Nagyova, J. Rosenberger, H. Vargova & J. P. van Dijk

  3. Department of Social Medicine, Medical Faculty, Institute of Public Health, Safarik University, Kosice, Slovak Republic

    I. Nagyova

  4. Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Non-medical Study Programmes, Comenius University, Martin, Slovak Republic

    Z. Skodova

  5. Department of Community and Occupational Health, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    B. Middel, S. A. Reijneveld & J. P. van Dijk

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  1. A. Sudzinova
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  2. I. Nagyova
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  3. M. Studencan
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  4. J. Rosenberger
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  5. Z. Skodova
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  6. H. Vargova
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  7. B. Middel
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  8. S. A. Reijneveld
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  9. J. P. van Dijk
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Correspondence to A. Sudzinova.

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Sudzinova, A., Nagyova, I., Studencan, M. et al. Roma coronary heart disease patients have more medical risk factors and greater severity of coronary heart disease than non-Roma. Int J Public Health 58, 409–415 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-013-0462-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-013-0462-5

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