Family History and Its Impact on Heart Disease in Older Adults in India
Author Information
Author(s): Ahmed Waquar, Dixit Priyanka, Halli Shiva
Primary Institution: School of Health Systems Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India
Hypothesis
Does family medical history of cardiovascular disease interact with hypertension and diabetes to affect the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases among older adults in India?
Conclusion
The study found that family medical history significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases in individuals with hypertension and diabetes.
Supporting Evidence
- The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases was significantly higher among individuals with both family history and hypertension.
- Individuals with diabetes and family history of cardiovascular diseases had a higher prevalence of chronic heart diseases.
- Family medical history can help identify individuals at higher risk for cardiovascular diseases.
Takeaway
If your family has a history of heart problems and you have high blood pressure or diabetes, you might be at a higher risk for heart disease too.
Methodology
The study used data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave 1 (2017–2018) and applied an additive model to assess interactions.
Potential Biases
Potential recall bias due to reliance on self-reported medical history.
Limitations
The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, and self-reported data may introduce recall bias.
Participant Demographics
Participants were older adults aged 45 years and above, with a significant proportion being female (54%) and from rural areas (70.1%).
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.002
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 0.87–3.74
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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