Which is why a new study will seek to unlock the reasons behind the heart health gap between people who live in metropolitan areas and regional areas.
“It has long been understood that the further a person lives away from an urban setting, the poorer their health outcomes and the increased likelihood of a premature death,” Echuca Regional Health executive director of community services Cynthia Opie said.
“And the reason for the inequity in health is due, very simply, to access to care.”
The 2017 Heart of Inequality report from the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research found people living in regional, rural or remote Australia are 90 per cent more likely to die from heart conditions caused by high blood pressure than people living in metropolitan areas.
The new study, by Monash University’s School of Rural Health, will analyse how health literacy following a heart attack can reduce the risk of subsequent cardiac events.
“High blood pressure is largely caused by lifestyle factors, including poor nutrition (particularly diets high in salt intake), low levels of physical activity, tobacco smoking and excessive alcohol consumption,” Ms Opie said.
According to the 2019 Active Living Census, two in every three adults are overweight or obese in Campaspe Shire, putting them at an increased risk of experiencing high blood pressure.
“Regular health checks that enable a monitoring of blood pressure offer an opportunity to assess lifestyle factors, provide education and support lifestyle modification,” she added.
Ms Opie said health education was “absolutely paramount” to reducing the risk of poor heart health.
“Globally, the five biggest killers: heart disease, obesity, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer, are largely preventable through intervening early with lifestyle modification and addressing underlying trauma,” she said.
Echuca Regional Health offers an early intervention program for people at risk of heart disease or diabetes, known as the Life! Program.
Anyone who feels they may be at risk of high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes can self-refer to the program.
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