title: Patient awareness of the risks for heart disease posed by air pollution.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to assess patient awareness of the coronary heart disease (CHD) risks posed by air pollution.
  
  
  METHODS
  We distributed a questionnaire to 500 patients at a University of Michigan cardiology clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than half of patients (n = 264, 53%) did not believe that air pollution was "proven" or "likely" to cause CHD, whereas a similar percentage (n = 284, 57%) were not previously aware of its association with CHD. Most patients (n = 459, 92%) reported that a health care provider had not informed them of the potential CHD risks posed by air pollution nor discussed ways to lower their exposure (n = 471, 94%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients were mostly unaware of the CHD risks posed by air pollution. These findings suggest that a serious knowledge gap exists among at-risk patients regarding this important CHD risk factor and support the need for educational efforts targeting patients and health care providers alike.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Nowka
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Bard
authors.forename: Melvyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubenfire
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Brook
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001364:Awareness; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011634:Public Health; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter