Changes in health beliefs after labelling with hypercholesterolaemia.
BACKGROUND
Patients' health beliefs influence their willingness to comply with medical advice. In an earlier study, it was found that men with a previous history of information on risk factors for ischaemic heart disease expressed more feelings of threat to their health than did men without this experience. As anxiety may have adverse effects, such as making patients avoid the desired action, this could complicate adequate patient treatment.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the impact on health beliefs caused by participation in a screening programme for risk factors for ischaemic heart disease, including individualized information to patients with hypercholesterolaemia.


METHODS
A random sample of middle-aged, urban men participating in a health screening completed a questionnaire on socioeconomic factors, medical history, lifestyle, and health beliefs. Blood pressures and plasma cholesterol values were measured. Four months after the initial screening, hypercholesterolaemic men and controls completed the questionnaire again.


RESULTS
In a univariate analysis, no differences in health belief indices were found between cases and controls at the baseline screening. Controls achieved lower values of the indices "perceived control over illness" and "medical motivation" at follow-up. In a matched case-control design, the differences in "medical motivation" increased between cases and controls because controls reported lower values. "Perceived threat to health" did not change, and it is suggested that this is due to the supportive information to the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Individualized and supportive patient information on risk factors for cardiovascular disease does not increase patients' perceptions of threat.
Troein
Margareta
M
Department of Community Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden. margareta.troein@smi.mas.lu.se
Råstam
Lennart
L
Selander
Staffan
S
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D010349:Patient Compliance; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology