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Gender differences in health conditions and socio-economic status of adults with congenital heart disease in a developing country

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2012

Bahareh Eslami ,
Örjan Sundin ,
Gloria Macassa ,
Hamid Reza Khankeh  and
Joaquim J. F. Soares
Bahareh Eslami*
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden Department of Research, Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Örjan Sundin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Institution for Social Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden
Gloria Macassa
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden Department of Occupational and Public Health Sciences, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden Division of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Hamid Reza Khankeh
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Joaquim J. F. Soares
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden Division of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
*
Correspondence to: Dr B. Eslami, MD, Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Holmgatan 10, SE-851 70 Sundsvall, Sweden. Tel:+46 (0) 760 850 667; Fax:+46 (0) 60 14 89 10; E-mail: Bahareh.eslami@miun.se
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Abstract

Background

Providing appropriate care for adults with congenital heart disease requires the evaluation of their current situation. There is limited research in Iran about these patients, particularly in relation to gender differences in the demographic/socio-economic and lifestyle factors, as well as disease parameters.

Materials and methods

The sample consisted of 347 congenital heart disease patients in the age group of 18–64 years, including 181 women, assessed by an analytical cross-sectional study. The patients were recruited from the two major heart hospitals in Tehran. Data were collected using questionnaires.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 33.24 years. Women were more often married and more often had offspring than men (p < 0.001). Educational level and annual income were similar between women and men. Unemployment was higher among women (p < 0.001), but financial strain was higher among men (p < 0.001). Smoking, alcohol, and water-pipe use was higher among men than among women (p < 0.001). Cardiac factors, for example number of cardiac defects, were similar among women and men, except that there were more hospitalisations owing to cardiac problems, for example arrhythmia, among men. Disease was diagnosed mostly at the hospital (57.4%). Most medical care was provided by cardiologists (65.1%). Only 50.1% of patients had knowledge about their type of cardiac defect.

Conclusion

Gender differences exist in the socio-economic and lifestyle characteristics of adults with congenital heart disease, in some cases related to the disease severity. Our findings also point to the need for interventions to increase patients’ knowledge about, and use of, healthier lifestyle behaviours, irrespective of gender. Furthermore, providing appropriate jobs, vocational training, and career counselling may help patients to be more productive.

Keywords

Grown-up with congenital heart diseaselifestylesocio-demographic status
Type
Original Article
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 23 , Issue 2 , April 2013 , pp. 209 - 218
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

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