Which Measures of Health Status Assessment are the Most Significant in Organized Cohorts with Low Current Cardiovascular Risk? The Screening Study of Penitentiary Staff in Saratov Region, Russia.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to compare different methods of health status assessment in organized cohort of penitentiary employees in Saratov Region, Russian Federation. MATERIALS AND METHODS 1,014 penitentiary employees (81.8% male) aged 33.4±6.8 years were included in the cohort study. All participants underwent an annual preventive health examination in the Center of Medical and Social Rehabilitation of Russian Federal Penitentiary Service in Saratov Region. The prevalence of common cardiovascular risk factors was assessed. Risk Score and the number of fulfilled health metrics proposed by American Heart Association (AHA) were calculated for each participant. RESULTS It is shown that penitentiary staff in Saratov Region is characterized by low current risk score (1.2±0.8%), but high prevalence of such risk factors as increased body weight and obesity (51%), tobacco use or passive smoking (81%), and unhealthy diet (55%). 98.4% of participants had the Score level of ≤5%, but only 4.5% of penitentiary staff met the ideal cardiovascular health (they met all seven AHA health metrics). One fifth of the participants met three or less AHA health metrics. A statistically significant correlation between the risk Score and the number of fulfilled AHA health metrics is revealed (Chi-square = 5.1, p=0.024). The probability of fulfilment of less than 5 AHA health metrics in subjects with medium risk score is shown to be almost twofold greater than in subjects with low risk Score. However, there are a lot of differences in the assessment of cardiovascular health by risk Score and AHA health metrics. CONCLUSION AHA health metrics are more preferable than the risk Score or assessment of separate cardiovascular risk factors for preventive management in organized cohorts with low current cardiovascular risk such as penitentiary staff in Saratov Region.