Interregional differences in health in Slovenia. I. Estimated prevalence of selected cardiovascular and related diseases.

AIM: To determine estimates of prevalence of selected cardiovascular and related diseases (myocardial and brain infarction, angina pectoris, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity) in western, central, and eastern regions of Slovenia.
METHODS: A national survey on health status and health behavior of the adult population included 15,379 Slovene inhabitants, aged 25-64. The overall response rate to a mailed questionnaire was 63,8%, and finally 9,043 questionnaires were eligible for analysis. The prevalence rates per 100 of population were determined, and chi-square test was used for global assessment of interregional prevalence differences. Logistic regression was carried out for sex and age adjusted assessment.
RESULTS: The highest prevalence was confirmed in eastern Slovenia and the lowest in western Slovenia, with the exception of myocardial infarction, whose prevalence was lowest in central Slovenia. Differences were statistically significant for brain infarction (west: 0.5, center: 0.8, east: 1.1; p=0.045), angina pectoris (west: 3.5, center: 5.0, east: 6.9; p<0.001), hypertension (west: 15.6, center: 19.2, east: 20.0; p<0.001), and obesity (west: 12.5, center: 14.1, east: 16.8; p<0.001), but not in myocardial infarction (west: 1.3, center: 1.2, east: 1.5; p=0.583) and diabetes (west: 3.5, center: 4.5, east: 4.6; p=0.097).
CONCLUSION: Our study globally confirmed the hypothesis of existence of interregional differences in the prevalence of selected cardiovascular and related diseases.