Cardiovascular disease knowledge and risk perception among underserved individuals at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor awareness and knowledge are believed to be prerequisites for adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine knowledge of CVD risk factors and risk perception among individuals with high CVD risk.


METHODS
The sample consisted of inner city and rural medically underserved patients at high risk of CVD. To be eligible for the trial, subjects were required to have a 10% or greater CVD risk on the Framingham risk score. Knowledge of CVD was assessed with a 29-item questionnaire created for this study. Subjects also rated their perception of risk as compared with individuals of their own sex and age.


RESULTS
Data were collected from 465 subjects (mean [SD] age, 60.5 [10.1] years; mean [SD] Framingham risk score, 17.3% [9.5%]). The mean (SD) CVD knowledge score was 63.7% (14.6%), and mean (SD) level of risk perception was 0.35 (1.4). Men and women had similar Framingham risk scores, but women perceived their risk to be significantly higher than that of their male counterparts. Women were also more knowledgeable than men about CVD. Urban participants had significantly higher actual risks than did their rural counterparts (18.2% [10.7%] vs 16.0% [8.9%], respectively; P = .01) but were significantly less knowledgeable about heart disease and also perceived their risk to be lower.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate a low perception of risk and cardiovascular knowledge especially among men and inner city residents. Innovative educational strategies are needed to increase risk factor knowledge and awareness among at-risk individuals.
Homko
Carol J
CJ
Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. homkoc@temple.edu
Santamore
William P
WP
Zamora
Linda
L
Shirk
Gail
G
Gaughan
John
J
Cross
Robert
R
Kashem
Abul
A
Petersen
Suni
S
Bove
Alfred A
AA
D001294:Attitude to Health; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008571:Men / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology