Perceptions of cardiac risk among a low-income urban diabetic population.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the perception of risk for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a population of urban, low socioeconomic status (SES) patients with type-2 diabetes but no known CVD and to identify factors associated with perceived risk.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study enrolled 143 patients, predominantly middle-aged African American women, at urban community clinics. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, medical history, health behavior, depressive symptoms, and perception of risk for CVD were measured.


RESULTS
Seventy-five percent of participants perceived that they had a 50% or smaller risk of developing CVD. Increased levels of perceived risk for the development of CVD were significantly and independently associated with increased depressive symptoms, poorer perception of general health, and higher intake of dietary fat.


CONCLUSIONS
Comprehensive care for urban, poor, diabetic patients calls for effective communication of CVD risk and adequate treatment of depressive symptoms and traditional CVD risk factors.
Allen
Jerilyn K
JK
Hopkins University, 525 N. Wolfe Street, Rm. 304, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. jallen@jhmi.edu
Purcell
Alison
A
Szanton
Sarah
S
Dennison
Cheryl R
CR
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003153:Community Health Services; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D014504:Urban Health; D019037:Urban Health Services; D014505:Urban Population