Introduction:
Chronic disease causes significant morbidity and mortality across the lifespan. Public health approaches that reduce or prevent risk factors along with effective management of chronic diseases can improve health. This study describes trends of chronic conditions and related risk factors among reproductive aged women.
Methods:
Data from the 2011-2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a representative state-based telephone survey of health behavior in US adults, were analyzed among 265,544 women of reproductive age, 18-44 years. We estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) using predicted marginals to assess trends over time for 12 chronic conditions and related risk factors accounting for age, race/ethnicity, education, and health care coverage.
Results:
From 2011-2017, estimates of the following decreased: smoking (20.7%—15.9%;
P-value
<0.001), gestational diabetes (3.1%—2.7%; 0.003), and high cholesterol (19.0%—16.7%, 2011-2015; <0.001). Whereas the estimates increased for depression (20.4%—24.9%; <0.001), and obesity (24.6%—27.6%; <0.001). There were no differences over time for heavy alcohol consumption, binge drinking, diabetes, pregnancy-related high blood pressure, or high blood pressure. In the adjusted analysis, WRA were more likely to report asthma (APR=1.06; 95%CI=1.01—1.11), physical inactivity (1.08; 1.04—1.12), obesity (1.15; 1.11—1.19), and depression (1.29; 1.25—1.34) in 2017 compared to 2011. They were less likely to report high cholesterol (0.89; 0.85—0.94; 2011-2015), smoking (0.86; 0.82—0.89); and gestational diabetes (0.84; 0.75—0.94).
Conclusions:
Future research should examine why some chronic conditions and related risk factors improved while others worsened. That research may support the development of targeted interventions to promote improvements and reverse the worsening trends in chronic disease and related risk factors, potentially preventing adverse reproductive and long-term health outcomes among women of reproductive age.
Trends in Selected Chronic Conditions and Related Risk Factors Among Women of Reproductive Age: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2011–2017
