Patient characteristics and risk factors of participants and non-participants in the NOR-COR study

Abstract

Objectives. We aim to compare patient characteristics and coronary risk factors among participants and non-participants in a survey of CHD patients. Methods. A cross-sectional study explored characteristics and risk factors in patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction and/or revascularization. Study data collected from hospital medical records were compared between participants (n = 1127, 83%) and non-participants (n = 229, 16%), who did not consent to participation in the clinical study. Results. Non-participants showed statistically higher prevalence of women (28% versus 21%), ethnic minorities (6% versus 3%), patients living alone (26% versus 19%), depression (19% versus 6%), anxiety (9% versus 3%), hypertension (54% versus 43%) and diabetes (24% versus 17%). Significantly higher multi-adjusted odds ratios were found for Charlson comorbidity index 3.4 (95% confidence interval (CI), 2.8, 4.3) and depression 14.5 (4.4, 121.5) in non-participants. Conclusions. Non-participants do have higher prevalence of important coronary risk factors compared to participants, and risk factor control may thus be overestimated in available prevention studies. Patients with somatic comorbidity and depression appear to be at particular risk of non-participation in the present study. New strategies accounting for the causes of nonadherence are important to improve secondary prevention in CHD.

Keywords:

• Coronary heart disease
• non-participation
• coronary risk factors
• patient characteristics

Acknowledgments

The NOR-COR project originates from and is based at Department of Medicine Drammen Hospital and the study is funded and carried out at the sections for cardiology at Drammen and Vestfold Hospitals. The concept is developed by the project in close collaboration with communities at the University of Oslo, with methodological expertise in behavioral sciences. The authors thank study patients and all study personnel in the NOR-COR Research group for their invaluable help in completing the study.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Funding

The study was funded by research grants from the participating hospitals.