British Heart Foundation

Independent Sector Organisation

OFHS260029

The aim of this study is to further the understanding of the cohort of people in the UK that live with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and it’s risk factors. This is a broad project and can be divided into objectives: • investigating the differences in prevalence of CVD between different demographic groups • investigating the differences in prevalence of cardiovascular disease between different areas of the country • An analysis of the lifestyle and wellbeing of the cohort, and how this varies between demographic groups • An analysis of patterns of interaction with healthcare services of the cohort – including volumes of hospital attendances and medicines prescribed in primary care, and how this varies between demographic groups This analysis has a focus on health inequalities – understanding how the burden of cardiovascular disease and its impacts on quality of life and on healthcare needs vary between different groups. Over 8 million people are living with CVD in the UK, and it causes around a quarter of all deaths annually. The burden of CVD falls unevenly across the population, with persistent disparities linked to socioeconomic status and geography, and some evidence of disparity between ethnic groups. This study will further evidence the socioeconomic and geographic inequalities present in the burden of CVD and its risk factors. Limited and inconsistent information is currently available on the prevalence of CVD and it’s risk factors across the whole UK. It will also provide an assessment of the quality of life and wellbeing of people living with CVD. Evidence suggests that wellbeing is protective against CVD. Having CVD can impact on people’s wellbeing, such as their mental health. Managing mental health challenges is a key unmet need for this group. This analysis will provide evidence to support improvement in this area and give previously unseen insights into how inequalities may be present in wellbeing. Analysing patterns of healthcare utilisation can give us insights into how CVD is being managed in the population, and how much healthcare resource is being used to manage CVD, and whether this differs between groups.

CVD is highly prevalent and a leading cause of death in the UK. The burden of CVD does not affect all groups and areas equally. Understanding how this burden varies can support targeted interventions to help those most at risk of developing CVD and ensure resources are allocated most effectively. Understanding how living with CVD impacts on people’s quality of life can help direct resources towards supporting the needs of those people. Again it is important to understand how different groups are affected so resources can be allocated most effectively. Understanding how people with CVD interact with healthcare services is important because it can indicate whether CVD conditions are being managed effectively in primary care and with elective treatment. Understanding how this differs between groups can help explain why there may be differences in outcomes, and therefore how to reduce those differences.

Public Health Research

01/06/2026

24/04/2026

TRE