HDL-knowledge in the lay public: results of a representative population survey.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the extent of the general public's knowledge concerning HDL-cholesterol and to identify the role of gender, age, population size of the locality and socio-economic factors.


METHODS
Cross-sectional population-based telephone survey.


METHODS
Austrian general population.


METHODS
Nine hundred and ninety nine subjects aged 16 years or over, randomly selected from the official telephone directory in Austria.


RESULTS
13.9% of the 999 participants were familiar with the term HDL-cholesterol, correctly identified HDL-cholesterol as the favourable cholesterol component and indicated that HDL-cholesterol should be high rather than low. Knowledge of HDL-cholesterol increased with population size of the locality, total net income of the household and educational level. Respondents in bigger localities had their HDL-cholesterol measured more frequently. Older people and males reported making significantly more attempts to positively influence their HDL-cholesterol level. 29.6% of those respondents familiar with the term HDL-cholesterol reported having had their HDL-cholesterol measured at some point. Physicians, newspapers and television were identified as the most important sources of information on HDL-cholesterol by 79.7, 19.9 and 10.3% of the study subjects, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Although measuring HDL-cholesterol plays a major role in the assessment of cardiovascular risk, public knowledge about HDL-cholesterol is scarce.
Dorner
Thomas
T
Institute of Social Medicine, Centre for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. thomas.dorner@univie.ac.at
Fodor
J George
JG
Lawrence
Kitty
K
Ludvik
Bernhard
B
Rieder
Anita
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001317:Austria; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL