Social factors, health policy, and environment: implications for cardiovascular disease across the globe

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of deaths worldwide, with 80% occurring in low- and middle-income countries. These countries are characterized by rapid urbanization, poorly funded health systems, poor access to prevention and treatment strategies, and increasing age and a higher prevalence of chronic disease. Rapid urbanization has contributed to the significant environmental and societal changes affecting daily life habits and cardiovascular health. There is growing awareness that environmental and social exposures and policies can influence CVD directly or through behavioural risk factors. However, much of this knowledge comes from studies in high-income countries and is applied to low- and middle-income countries without evidence to indicate this is appropriate. This state-of-the-art review will present and synthesize key findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology study and related studies that have aimed to understand the environmental, social, and policy determinants of cardiovascular health in countries across varying levels of economic development through an urban/rural lens. Emerging from these findings are future policy and research recommendations to accelerate the reduction of the global burden of CVD.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
European Heart Journal
Published
2025-04-22
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf212
Citations
14
Primary Topic
Air Quality and Health Impacts
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
16.80

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Social factors, health policy, and environment: implications for cardiovascular disease across the globe

Clara K Chow, Adrianna Murphy, Salim Yusuf, Martin McKee et al.
14 citations
European Heart Journal
Air Quality and Health Impacts
16.80
article

Social factors, health policy, and environment: implications for cardiovascular disease across the globe

Clara K Chow, Adrianna Murphy, Salim Yusuf, Martin McKee, Scott Alexander Lear, Annika Rosengren, Sumathy Rangarajan, Michael D Brauer, Marjan Walli-Attaei, Perry Hystad, Blake Byron Walker
article en
14 citations

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of deaths worldwide, with 80% occurring in low- and middle-income countries. These countries are characterized by rapid urbanization, poorly funded health systems, poor access to prevention and treatment strategies, and increasing age and a higher prevalence of chronic disease. Rapid urbanization has contributed to the significant environmental and societal changes affecting daily life habits and cardiovascular health. There is growing awareness that environmental and social exposures and policies can influence CVD directly or through behavioural risk factors. However, much of this knowledge comes from studies in high-income countries and is applied to low- and middle-income countries without evidence to indicate this is appropriate. This state-of-the-art review will present and synthesize key findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology study and related studies that have aimed to understand the environmental, social, and policy determinants of cardiovascular health in countries across varying levels of economic development through an urban/rural lens. Emerging from these findings are future policy and research recommendations to accelerate the reduction of the global burden of CVD.

European Heart JournalVol. 46(30)
The University of Sydney (AU), Oregon State University (US), University of British Columbia (CA), Simon Fraser University (CA), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE), Population Health Research Institute (CA), Westmead Hospital (AU), University of Oxford (GB), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (GB), Faculty of Public Health (GB), Hamilton Health Sciences (CA), University of Gothenburg (SE), McMaster University (CA)
Pfizer, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Departamento Administrativo de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (COLCIENCIAS), Hamilton Health Sciences, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, International Development Research Centre, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, National Research Foundation, Indian Council of Medical Research, Public Health Agency, King Saud University, Saudi Heart Association, AFA Försäkring, Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação, Vetenskapsrådet, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi MARA, North-West University, Universidad de La Frontera, Uniwersytet Medyczny im. Piastów Slaskich we Wroclawiu, Servier, Independent University, Bangladesh, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Medical Research Council, Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape
Sustainable cities and communities
Openalex Percentile: Top 1%
Air Quality and Health Impacts
16.80
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.