Socioeconomic risk factors for cerebrovascular, ischemic heart and hypertensive mortality in Japan.

The effects of a wide variety of socioeconomic factors on the mortality from cerebrovascular, ischemic heart and hypertensive diseases in 46 prefectures in Japan for the years 1970 and 1975 were analyzed by stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results indicated the following risk factors for the three major vascular causes of death in males and females in the two years: (1) rural residence for cerebrovascular disease (and employment and high income in females); (2) rural and urban residence for ischemic heart disease (in 1970 only); and (3) low income for hypertensive disease. The mortality from cerebrovascular disease within 46 prefectures was significantly higher in rural than urban areas in males and females in the two years, whereas the mortality from ischemic heart disease was higher in urban areas. The results were compared with recent data in Western countries. It is indicated that socioeconomic factors play important roles in the mortality from vascular causes of death as well as biological risk factors.