A psychosocial comparison of 35- and 55-Year-old men and women in Sweden and Estonia: The Swestonia cardiovascular risk factor study

Abstract

During the past decade, the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) has declined in the United States and in Western Europe, but has increased in Eastern Europe and in many non-European countries. This study is a baseline comparison of psychosocial factors in a random sample of 35-year-old and 55-year-old men and women from Tartu, Estonia and Sollentuna, Sweden, who will be followed longitudinally to investigate CHD risk. One hundred men and women from each country in each age group were invited by letter to participate in a study of risk factors for CHD. Complete data were available for 279 Estonians and 272 Swedes. All participants were given the same physical examination and answered the same self-report questionnaires concerning demographics, lifestyle, and psychosocial factors. In general, Swedish men and women in both age groups rated their quality of life higher than Estonians. Self-reported health and depressive symptoms, both of which have predicted CHD risk, were also worse in Estonians than in Swedes. The psychosocial differences found here, together with the lack of major differences in traditional risk factors, reflect the results found in other East-West comparisons. Implications for CHD risk are discussed.