AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF SOCIOECONOMIC RISK FACTORS AMONG PATIENTS OF RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE, ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) is a disease of developing countries where it inflects significant burden dis-proportionality. We investigated the role of socio-economic and environmental risk factors for RHD.
METHODS:· This was descriptive cross-sectional conducted at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad by including the patients coming to cardiology out door patient department through convenient sampling technique. Study was approved from ethical committee of Pakistan institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad and written consent was taken prior to start the interview.
RESULTS: In this study, the average age of patient with rheumatic heart disease was 29.4 years, male predominance of patients was observed. 67% of subjects had income below Rs. 20,000. Average BMI of subjects was 22.4±4.04. It was observed that 75.25 % of people lived in houses with an area of less than 5 marla. Average area of house was found to be 5.12±2.8 marla. Overcrowding was noticed in 60.8 % of the subjects.
CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of RHD and Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) in Pakistan. The major findings of this study were that Overcrowding, poor hygienic conditions, low socio-economic status, are major risk factors for RHD. In order to address this alarming situation, platforms like Pakistan Pediatric Cardiac Society and Pakistan Pediatric Association need to be mobilized for health promotion regarding awareness of the disease.