[Psychosocial and nutritional risk factors for cardiovascular disease--longitudinal cohort study. Assumptions, goals and methods of the screening survey].

In Poland after two decades of increase in mortality due to Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), the trend reversed and CHD mortality has decreased since 1992. Dynamic change in CHD mortality reflects changes in the incidence and can not be explained by improvement in the acute medical care. Neither could it be explained by changes in the exposure to known cardiovascular disease risk factors i.e. smoking, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension. There was a coincidence of decreasing trend in CHD mortality with rapid political and socioeconomic reforms in the country, which influenced lifestyle and the psychosocial environment of the individuals. Results of the studies indicate that health inequalities could be partially explained by psychosocial factors. Other studies suggested that favorable changes in diet and in alcohol consumption could contribute to favorable changes in health of the Polish population. The long term goal of the present project is to assess the relationship between the risk of coronary heart disease and 1) psychosocial factors, 2) type of diet (consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and, 3) alcohol consumption. Assumptions and goals of the project as well as methods of the initial screening, in which a representative sample of men and women at age 45-64 years, residents of Cracow was examined, are described.