RISK PREDICTION AND EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN RURAL INDIA: THE RISHI VALLEY PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

This PhD project investigated ways to modify successful strategies for preventing cardiovascular disease, in affluent countries such as Australia, for use in disadvantaged populations. There were two major findings regarding a disadvantaged population in rural India. First, although traditional risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes are important, non-traditional risk factors such as sleeping hours and multiple children also lead to cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes. Second, ‘Globorisk’ is the best available tool for assessing risk of a person having a cardiovascular event. Clinicians now have better evidence on how to manage their patients in similar settings.