title: Coronary heart disease: health knowledge and behaviour.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the current level of knowledge and understanding of CHD in the general public in Northern Ireland and to identify factors that are associated with higher knowledge levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six provincial centres in Northern Ireland.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data in the present study were collected using an interview administered questionnaire. 1,000 members of the general public were interviewed face-to-face. CHD knowledge was computed as a continuous variable, i.e. higher score represents better CHD knowledge.
  
  
  METHODS
  CHD knowledge in the general public in Northern Ireland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study respondents displayed limited knowledge and understanding of CHD. Study respondents who achieved higher CHD knowledge scores were more likely to report: exercising for 30 min three times or more per week, paying attention to their diet, being overweight, having a family history of CHD, living in a higher socioeconomic area (according to postcode) and having attended tertiary education. Respondents in the present study while recognising the role that community pharmacists had to play in helping patients manage their prescribed medicines, did not recognise the community pharmacists' role in other aspects of CHD detection or management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The deficit in CHD knowledge could translate into inadequate preventative behaviour patterns and suboptimal clinical outcomes. If community pharmacists wish to become increasingly involved in public health delivery relating to CHD they need to develop effective and accessible services and promote these to the public who at present do not recognise this role of the community pharmacist.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Yazid N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Al Hamarneh
authors.forename: Grainne E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Crealey
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: McElnay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009660:Northern Ireland; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010594:Pharmacies; D010595:Pharmacists; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult