Are women worrying about heart disease?
Women at risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) may not be worried about the disease. In this study, demographic, CAD-risk, and CAD-worry data collected from Durham Veterans' Affairs Medical Center women veterans were examined using bivariate and multivariate analysis with worry as the outcome. Excluding CAD patients (N = 64) and incomplete data (N = 17) of 328 women, 42% worried about CAD. Younger age, single marital status, obesity, family history, and hyperlipidemia were associated with worry. Of women with up to three risk factors, fewer than half worried about CAD. Higher-risk women were unconcerned about CAD. This could undermine prevention efforts.
Biswas
Mimi Sen
MS
The Center of Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Calhoun
Patrick S
PS
Bosworth
Hayden B
HB
Bastian
Lori A
LA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009657:North Carolina; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health