The influence of social support on risk of acute cardiovascular diseases in female population aged 25–64 in Russia

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of social support (SS) and its influence on the relative risk (RR) of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke in the female population aged 25–64 in Russia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Under the third screening of the WHO “MONICA-psychosocial” programme, a random representative sample of women aged 25–64 (n=870) were surveyed in Novosibirsk. SS was measured according to the methods of the Berkman–Sym test [indices of close contacts (ICC) and index of social network (SNI)]. From 1995 to 2010, women were followed for 16 years to observe the incidence of MI and stroke. RESULTS: The prevalence of low levels of ICC and SNI in women aged 25–64 was 57.1 and 77.7%, respectively. Low levels of ICC and SNI were associated with poor self-rated health and awareness about their health, adverse behavioral habits, high job strain and family stress. Rates of MI and stroke development were higher in married women with low ICC and SNI who were being in class “hard manual work”. Over a 16-year study period, the RR of MI in women with low ICC compared to those with high ICC was 4.9 times higher, and the risk of stroke was 4.1 times higher. Low level of SNI increased MI risk in 2.9 times, risk of stroke in 2.7 times. CONCLUSION: Majority of women aged 25–64 years in Russia have low social support which is associated with poor self-rated health, low awareness about the health that increases the risk of MI and stroke in 2.7–4.9 times in groups of “married” and “hard physical work”.