Monitoring and Dynamics of Health Status through the risk factors for Cardiovascular Disease in Luxembourg

The research project "Monitoring and DYNamics of health status through the Risk Factors for Cardiovascular disease - MDYNRFC" explores in Luxembourg the existence of social inequalities in health by emphasizing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. It aims to assess the influence of socio-economic and demographic (particularly gender) determinants and CVD risk factors on health transitions in patients with coronary diseases.
The main research questions are: Considering a patient population and a general population, what are the effects of socioeconomic inequalities on CVD risk factors ? By following up lower and higher social groups in both populations, which CVD risk factors change over time, in which direction and to what extent? What is the relationship between referring physicians and changes in the patients' CVD risk factors ?
Our research objectives are:
(1) To measure the evolution of the prevalence of physiological (overweight/obesity, cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes) and behavioral (smoking, physical activity) CVD risk factors according to socioeconomic and demographic characteristics among patients whoa re followed up in the INCCI survey [2008-2013] and among people followed up in the PSELL3/EU-SILC [2005-2008].
(2) To measure the effect of demographic (gender, nationality, marital status) and socioeconomic factors (educational level, professional status) on the changes of CVD risk factors.
(3) To identify changes in demographic and socio-economic characteristics (marital status, professional status) and their effect on CVD risk factors' evolution.
(4) To analyse the effects of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics on the prevalence of physiological (overweight, cholesterol, hypertension) and behavioural (smoking, physical activity) risk factors, and on the different CVD diagnoses.
(5) To assess the socio-economic difference between patients who modified or not their CVD risk factors according to their referring physicians' advice.
Longitudinal data stem from: (1) The 4 200 INCCI patients [2008-2009], invited to participate in a follow-up study scheduled for 2013. (2) The PSELL3/EU-SILC panel of 4 780 adults representing the Luxembourgish general population [2005-2008] that will be used as a control group. Additionally, cross sectional data will be derived from a survey inclined in the follow-up of the INCCI patients, about the existence of a referring physician (or family practitioner) in past years.
Statistical analyses: various alternative models that control individual effects (probit models, logit models, fixed effects models, random effects models, GEE analysis, etc.).
Research outcomes. The MDYNRFC findings will permit to identify common perspectives from comparison of two populations that wille able to develop evidence based programs of health promotion and prevention and medical training to reduce health inequalities. MDYNRFC presents a national and European scientific priority, a social and public health interest because the risk behaviors of CVD are modifiable by changes in lifestyle or habits.