| Summary |
This study compared the incidence, in terms of numbers and weighted severity, of cardiovascular risk factors of premenopausal clerical workers to premenopausal housewives. It also determined if there was a significant relationship between stress and the other risk factors of this target population and if an association existed between their level of cardiovascular risks and demographic data. The data were collected from approximately 104 premenopausal female volunteers between 18 and 49 years of age. A modified version of the Cardiovascular Risk Factor Questionnaire and the Psychosocial Scales utilized in the Framingham Heart Study were used to collect the data. These instruments provided information on the incidence and significance of major risk factors for atheroslerotic cardiovascular disease as well as data on behavioral types, reaction to anger, situational stress, job mobility, and cultural mobility. The tools were administered at six industrial settings and five parent-teacher organizations from local schools in eastern North Carolina. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics with comparison of means at .05 level of significance. independent t-tests, Pearson Correlation of Coefficients, and cross tabulations with Qii-Square Analysis. The results of the analysis showed that all three of the research hypotheses failed to be rejected. Thus, there was no difference in the reported incidence of the number and weighted severity of the risk factors among premenopausal clerical workers compared to premenopausal housewives. Both groups were found to be at medium risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Next, there was no association between the perceived stress levels and incidence of cardiovascular risk factors of premenopausal clerical workers and housewives. Finally, no significant relationship existed between the demographic data and the incidence of cardiovascular risk factors of these two groups. |
