Amrita University

PI: Dr. KK Haridas*, Dr. R Krishna Kumar, Dr. Paul T Francis, Dr. Sanjeev Vasudevan*, Dr. Ajitha Kumari Sponsor: Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi Start Date: June 2006 Dept./Center: Cardiology KO. PR. 35 Cardiovascular Disease Surveillance Among Adivasi Population of Wayanad District India faces an impending epidemic of cardiovascular diseases. Major concern in this respect to our country is that CVDs are more likely to attack adults in their productive years of life. This has a profound and adverse effect on households, families and society. The prevalence of various cardiovascular ailments in Adivasi population has been poorly documented. The health care infrastructure for these people is also very limited. A cost effective preventive strategy will need to focus on bringing down the risk factors both in an individual and in population at large. With this aim this project was initiated in Wayanad District in Kerala which have high proportion of adivasis. Objective is to study the distribution and determinants of the cardiovascular disease frequency in the adivasi population and to create a model for performing disease surveillance in difficult to reach areas using telemedicine. The project team would visit the adivasi hamlets and screen for cardiovascular diseases The screening include measurement of height, weight, resting blood pressure, heart rate etc. and cardiac auscultation. Basic demographic data, income source, predominant diet, tobacco consumption and nutrition is also collected. Follow up will be done for patients with risk factors for CVD.