Cardiovascular Diseases, Metabolic Syndrome and Health Behaviours of Postmenopausal Women Working in Agriculture

The topic I have chosen is “Cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome and health behaviours of postmenopausal women working in agriculture”. The aim of this study was “to examine the impact of occurrence of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome on the frequency of the health behaviours in postmenopausal women working in agriculture”. The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a disorder that is caused by the increased occurrence of obesity in an individual.

In this study, a total number of 810 postmenopausal women, between the ages of 46-70 were examined. The researchers became assessing the individual from at least 12 months from their last menstrual period. There were exclusion factors for this study which were if the individuals took drugs, excess alcohol or any disease with symptoms relating to dementia. With a larger group of individuals taking part in the study the results obtained should be significant. The usage of the age range should give the researchers an understanding of the metabolic syndrome and how that may play an important factor in the individual's cardiovascular health.

The method of the study was to obtain medical information about individuals and medical history. Medical examination of the individuals took place the presence and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, dyslipidaemia and the age and date of their last menstrual cycle. This information provided a detailed medical history of the individuals allowing certain participants to be ruled out. The individuals also took part in comparison tests in which the Inventory of Health Behaviour amongst the individuals with and without cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome. The women were placed into four group according to the presences of CVDs and MS: both MS and CVDS, only CVDS, only MS and neither CVDs nor MS.

Factors such as blood pressure, blood glucose and waist circumference were all measured. The association of the metabolic syndrome was based on the definition was provided by with the International Diabetes Federations in 2005. The federations list five factors in which three factors must be met for an individual to be diagnosed with the metabolic syndrome. Set guideline for diagnosis gives a baseline of what researcher should be wary about when analysing the results thus making them diagnosis specific. Using factors that have already been set aid in the search for results and ensure that the results are reliable and specific to the study.

To analyse the results a statistical analysis approach was used, using SPSS. The average of the data (M) with the standard deviation (SD) for continuous variable and the absolute (n) and relative numbers (%) of the occurrence of the variables. The researcher used the X2 test to compare the variables and F analysis of variance test to compare the data from the four groups of women examined. The data with numerous about of comparison was conducted using the least significant difference test. For data to be considered as statistically significant the P value was set at p

The statistical approach in answering this question set by the researchers within this study is appropriate methods to interpret the results obtained. Identifying the average of the population gives an indication of the overall projection of the results and provides an indication of what the possible outcomes maybe with other analysis techniques. Standard deviation provides the dispersion of the individual observations about the average. To compare variable an X2 test was conducted, as it is used to compare the distribution of the variable within a large sample or group. Using a large sample size for the X2 test reduces the type II error thus providing a more valid observation of the data. The use of the F analysis was to analyse the equality of the variances; however, it can be used to conduct an ANOVA. An ANOVA is used to compare two or more means, in an F-test ANOVA can be used to access whether or not the expected values of the variables within the groups differ from one another. A student t-test should have been conducted as it is the comparison of the mean of two groups. A study conducted by Gardner-sood et al (2015) on the cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome showed that the X2 and t-test were used to exam the data. However, within this current study, a t-test would not be valid as there were more than two groups being examined, the statistical analysis chosen by Pinkas et al (2017) is appropriate in answering the question presented by the study.

The study states that the there was a difference in postmenopausal women who had CVDs or MS in comparison to those without or who those diagnosed with both CVDs and MS. Women who were diagnosed with CVDs or MS had a higher probability of reducing their stress load, resting more often reduced consumption of sugars and fats, and limited their physical effort. This was shown as the P value for all of these factors were p

The conclusion of the study does reflect the result obtained as it states that postmenopausal women diagnosed with CVDs or MS performed more health behaviours in comparison to those that have one or those without any disorders. It also states that frequency acquired by those women who were healthy and those with MS and CVDs was not sufficient. It also suggests that programmes should be introduced to promote a healthy life and prevent any disorders to healthy women and to programmes help relieve some symptoms for postmenopausal women diagnosed with CVDs and MS, to help maintain their physical functions.