| dc.description.abstract | Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, with
sociodemographic, psychosocial, and socioeconomic risks often under-recognized,
particularly among women. In 2019, 35% of all deaths in women were due to
cardiovascular disease. In Kenya, cardiovascular disease is a significant public health
issue, with women being disproportionately affected due to unique risk factors and
limited healthcare access. This study aimed to evaluate the sociodemographic and
psychosocial risks associated with cardiovascular health among women in Kiambu,
Kenya. The study utilized cross-sectional design and was conducted at Kiambu and
Thika Level 5 hospitals. The target population comprised female patients aged 18
years and above residing in Kiambu County. A total of 400 women were included in
the sample, determined based on the prevalence rates reported by Wamai et al. (2015)
using the formula by William G. Cochran. Participants were selected through random
sampling. Data was collected after receiving approval from Kenya Methodist
University, NACOSTI, and the Kiambu County Government Department of Health.
Data collected was cleaned and coded using Excel. Statistical analysis was performed
with SPSS version 27. The results were presented in tables, percentages, and graphical
form. Cross-tabulation, as well as linear and logistic regression analyses, was
conducted to examine the relationship between predictors and cardiovascular disease
(CVD) diagnoses. The sociodemographic analysis of the study revealed that
individuals aged 19-43 years had a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with
cardiovascular disease (CVD), with a prevalence rate of 19.5%. Hypertension was
present in 31.3% of participants, with 33.5% reported having diabetes. Psychosocial
factors indicated that 13.8% of participants were diagnosed with depression, and
31.5% experienced high stress levels. Dietary patterns showed 24% consumption of
refined and 21% of fried foods. Furthermore, 27.5% of participants were unaware of
CVD, and 29.8% had not received nutritional education, as revealed through cross tabulation with CVD diagnoses. The logistic regression model for sociodemographic
factors showed a good fit (-2 Log-likelihood = 512.206), explaining 9.2% to 12.3% of
the variance. Psychological factors exhibited similar results, with 8.8% to 11.8%
variance explained. Dietary habits had positive correlation with cardiovascular disease
(R=0.243), while health literacy showed a weak positive correlation (R=0.150).
Clinical factors, including diabetes, BMI, and hypertension, had a strong positive
correlation (R=0.811), explaining 65.8% of the variability. In conclusion, this study
highlights the significant role of psychosocial, sociodemographic and clinical factors
in predicting cardiovascular disease, suggesting that public health interventions should
prioritize these areas to improve women's cardiovascular health in Kiambu. | en_US |
