title: Perceived and actual stroke risk among men with hypertension.
abstract: The purposes of this study were to determine whether there is a significant correlation between the perceived and actual stroke risk among hypertensive patients and to identify patient characteristics associated with inaccurate estimation of stroke risk. The authors performed a cross-sectional analysis of 296 men with hypertension who were enrolled in the Veterans Study to Improve the Control of Hypertension (V-STITCH). A patient's actual stroke risk was calculated using the Framingham stroke risk (FSR); patients' perceived risk was measured according to a self-reported 10-point risk scale. The median 10-year FSR was 16%, but the median perceived risk score was 5 (range, 1 [lowest] to 10 [highest]). There was no significant correlation between patients' perceived risk of stroke and their calculated FSR (Spearman rho=-0.08; P=.16; 95% confidence interval, -0.19 to 0.03). Patients who underestimated their stroke risk were significantly less likely to be worried about their blood pressure than patients with accurate risk perception (12.4% vs 69.6%; P<.0001). The lack of correlation between hypertensive patients' perceived stroke risk and FSR supports the need for better patient education on the risks associated with hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham VAMC, Durham, NC 27705, USA. power017@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: Eugene Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Oddone
authors.forename: Janet M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Grubber
authors.forename: Maren K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Hayden B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Bosworth
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011594:Psychometrics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012938:Social Perception; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014728:Veterans