State of health of "non-respondents" in population studies of ischaemic heart disease in Moscow and Kaunas.

The authors analyse the results of medical examination of males aged 40-59 years in Moscow and Kaunas, divided into "respondents" and "non-respondents" in a population study of ischaemic heart disease. Among non-respondents, a higher incidence was found of such risk factors of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) as arterial hypertension, smoking, low physical activity and personality type A. On the other hand, hypercholesterolaemia was more frequent among respondents. Among non-respondents in Moscow as well as in Kaunas, there was a tendency towards a higher incidence of IHD and its clinical forms, and a higher proportion was treated over a longer period of time as out-patients or at hospital. The study proved the need to check the state of health of non-respondents in every mass screening of the population.