title: Ischaemic heart disease-related knowledge, behaviours, and beliefs of indo-canadians and euro-canadians: implications for physical therapists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine knowledge, behaviours, and beliefs related to ischaemic heart disease (IHD) of Indo-Canadians (ICs), thereby helping target health education strategies.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional descriptive/comparative study, 102 Indian-born Indo-Canadians (ICs) and 102 Canadian-born Euro-Canadians (ECs) completed a standardized questionnaire on IHD knowledge and lifestyle-related behaviours and beliefs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with ECs, ICs were less aware of IHD-risk factors. ICs' lifestyle practices and beliefs were consistent with having less perceived control over health than ECs. ICs reported more stress from various sources and resorted less to exercise for stress relief and more to religious/spiritual activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In accordance with health belief theory, approaches to educating immigrants from collectivistic cultures such as India to assume responsibility for their personal health may need to be different from those used with ECs, which stress self-management. Such programmes may need to emphasize lifestyle-related health knowledge and beliefs as bases for health behaviour change.
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, The Mater Hospital, North Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Giselle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.
authors.forename: Lyn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jongbloed
authors.affiliation: School of Communication and Culture, Royal Roads University, Victoria, B.C.
authors.forename: Zhenyi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dean
keywords: attitude; health education; health promotion; myocardial ischemia; socioeconomic factors