Dataset Information

Cardiovascular health through a sex and gender lens in six South Asian countries: Findings from the WHO STEPS surveillance.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sex and gender-based differences in cardiovascular health (CVH) has been explored in the context of high-income countries. However, these relationships have not been examined in low- and middle-income countries. The main aim of this study was to examine how sex and gender-related factors are associated with cardiovascular risk factors of people in South Asian countries.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of the World Health Organization's "STEPwise approach to surveillance of risk factors for non-communicable disease" or "STEPS" from six South Asian countries, surveys conducted between 2014-2019. The main outcomes were CVH as measured by a composite measure of STEPS-HEART health index (smoking, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, overweight/obesity, diabetes and hypertension), values ranging from 0 (worst) to 6 (best or ideal) and self-reported occurrence of cardiovascular disease (ie, heart attack and stroke). Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were performed. Multiple imputation with chained equations was performed.

Results

The final analytic sample consisted of 33 106 participants (57.5% females). The mean STEPS-HEART index score in the South Asian population was 3.43 [SD: 0.92]. Female sex (β: 0.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.01-0.08, P < 0.05) was significantly associated with better CVH compared to males. Being married (β_male = -0.30, 95% CI = -0.37, -0.23 vs β_female = -0.23, 95% CI = -0.29, -0.17; P < 0.001) and having a household size ≥5 (β_male = -0.15, 95% CI = -0.24, -0.06 vs β_female = -0.11, 95% CI = -0.16, -0.04; P < 0.01) were associated with poorer CVH, more so in males. Being married was also associated with high risk of CVD (OR_male = 2.54, 95% CI = 1.68-3.86, P < 0.001 vs OR_female = 1.19, 95% CI = 0.84-1.68, P = 0.31), significant in males.

Conclusions

Among the South Asian population, being female may be advantageous in having an ideal CVH. However, gender-related factors such as marital status and large household size were associated with poorer CVH and greater risk of CVD, regardless of sex.

SUBMITTER: Dev R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8876159 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Cardiovascular health through a sex and gender lens in six South Asian countries: Findings from the WHO STEPS surveillance.

Dev Rubee R Raparelli Valeria V Pilote Louise L Azizi Zahra Z Kublickiene Karolina K Kautzky-Willer Alexandra A Herrero Maria Trinidad MT Norris Colleen M CM

Journal of global health 20220226

<h4>Background</h4>Sex and gender-based differences in cardiovascular health (CVH) has been explored in the context of high-income countries. However, these relationships have not been examined in low- and middle-income countries. The main aim of this study was to examine how sex and gender-related factors are associated with cardiovascular risk factors of people in South Asian countries.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a retrospective analysis of the World Health Organization's "STEPwise approach t ...[more]

PMID: 35265330

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Project description:BackgroundHealth planning and priority setting with a gender lens can help to anticipate and mitigate vulnerabilities that women and girls may experience in health systems, which is especially relevant during health emergencies. This study examined how gender considerations were accounted for in COVID-19 pandemic response planning in a subset of countries in Africa.MethodsMulti-country document review of national pandemic response plans (published before July 2020 and as of March 2022) from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia, supplemented with secondary data on gender representation on planning committees. A gender analysis framework informed the study design and the Morgan et al. matrix guided data extraction and analysis.ResultsAll plans reflected implicit and explicit considerations of the impacts of the pandemic responses on women and girls. Through a gender lens, the implicit considerations focused on ensuring safety and protections (e.g., training, access to personal protective equipment) for community and facility-based health care workers and broad engagement of the community in risk communication. The explicit gender considerations, reflected in a minority of plans, focused on addressing gender-based violence and providing access to essential services (e.g., sexual and reproductive health care, psychosocial supports), products (e.g., menstrual hygiene products) and social protection measures. Women were underrepresented on the COVID-19 planning committees in all countries.ConclusionsThe plans reflected varying national efforts to develop pandemic responses that anticipated and reflected unique vulnerabilities faced by women, though subsequent plans reflected further consideration of gender-relevant impacts compared to initial plans. Embedding a gender lens in emergency preparedness planning furthers equity and could support anticipation and timely mitigation of negative outcomes for women and girls who are often further marginalized during health emergencies.

Dataset Information

Cardiovascular health through a sex and gender lens in six South Asian countries: Findings from the WHO STEPS surveillance.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Cardiovascular health through a sex and gender lens in six South Asian countries: Findings from the WHO STEPS surveillance.

Similar Datasets

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