Screening for ischaemic heart disease risk factors at a health fair: low attendance by those at highest risk.

Among people attending a heart disease screening project at a Health Fair in Sheffield, only 22 of 425 (5.2%) lived in areas with more than 25% of the population belonging to social classes IV or V. The incidence of heart disease is known to be particularly high in these areas, where 15.1% of the total population live. By analysis of the attendance rates from districts other than those immediately adjacent to the site of the Health Fair, we found that the strength of this inverse correlation increased, suggesting that the problems of access are probably greater for people living in deprived areas than for others.