Educational level and hypertension: how socioeconomic differences condition health care

Abstract

This is the first European study that has evaluated educational level in a large sample of hypertensive outpatients. We established the educational level of the hypertensive outpatients in our unit, and determined whether the awareness of hypertension and its organ damage was education-related. We analysed data from 812 consecutive outpatients (378 men, mean age 50 ؎ 10 years) with essential stage I-II hypertension. Subjects were subdivided into two categories: group A subjects were highly educated; group B subjects had a little education. Data were compared with educational level from the 1991 population census for the Campania region (ISTAT data) and with 200 type 2 diabetes patients (96 men, mean age 51 ؎ 9 years) from the nearest diabetes unit. For each hypertensive patient we considered clinical, echocardiographic and biochemical parameters. Data from the last census showed a high percentage (80%) of subjects with low education. The

Effects of Greek orthodox christian church fasting on serum lipids and obesity

“…This was an unexpected result since higher education is associated with better health care and awareness whereas low educational level has been related to unfavorable lipid profile [49], all-cause and CAD mortality [50] and hypertension [51]. …”

Impacts of diabetes and hypertension on the risk of hospitalization among less educated people

“…A European study suggested that uneducated people are more knowledgeable of diabetes and its damage, as compared with hypertension and its risk factors. 18 A secondary analysis using data from the Canadian Heart Health Survey found that hypertensive patients receiving antihypertensive treatment but not achieving the target blood pressure at the 140/90 mm Hg level were more likely to be diabetic and of lower socioeconomic status as compared with those having controlled blood pressure. 19 Previous studies also found that hypertensive patients with low education were more likely to report non-adherence than those with high education, 20 and hospitalization rate was higher for patients with low medication adherence.…”

The hypertension-related organ damage: a poorly perceived danger in subjects with low education

“…6 We recently confirmed that the awareness of HT and its organ damage is education-related. 3 After establishing the educational level of 812 consecutive outpatients in our unit, we found that almost all (91%) had a high level of education.…”

“…HT and its organ damage are major risk factors for atherosclerotic disease, but is frequently ignored by patients with little education. [3][4][5] Increasing the awareness and detection of HT and its organ damage is one of the public health challenges set forth by recent guidelines. 6 We recently confirmed that the awareness of HT and its organ damage is education-related.…”

“…3 Here we have established the awareness of HT and the importance to evaluate the possible hypertensionrelated organ damage in a cohort of workers, with low educational level, not followed by our institution (with the disadvantage of a very low number of women).…”