Cardiovascular risk factor changes in the Kilkenny Health Project

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Abstract
The Kilkenny Health Project was a community research and demonstration programme which aimed to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease in a county in the south-east of Ireland with a total population of approximately 70 000. The health promotion programme was carried out in Kilkenny from 1985 to 1992. Outcome evaluation was by means of population surveys of independent samples of men and women aged 35 to 64 years in Kilkenny (n approximately 800) and in the reference county (n approximately 600) in 1985/1986 and in 1990/1991. Survey methods for health behaviour questionnaires and risk factor measurements were similar to those of the WHO MONICA Project. Mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) declined significantly (P−1 by 0·09 mmol. 1−1 and from 6·00 by 0·44 mmol. 1−1 (Pm−2 and from 26·8 by 1·0 kg. m−2 (Pm−2 (P<0·01) in women in the intervention and reference counties. Overall, changes in risk factor levels were similar in the intervention and reference counties. There were sign reductions (P<0·01) in the 5-year risk of a coronary heart disease (CHD) event as estimated using the Dundee Risk Score in men and women in both counties. This was consistent with the decline in CHD mortality at national level between the two surveys. The reasons why greater changes over time were not detected in the intervention compared to the reference area are discussed.

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