title: Global public awareness of venous thromboembolism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data on public awareness about thrombosis in general and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in particular are limited. We aimed to measure the global awareness of thrombosis to address this gap.
  
  
  METHODS
  With Ipsos-Reid, from 22 July to 5 August 2014, we surveyed 800 respondents in their native language from each of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Thailand, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States to measure general awareness about thrombosis, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). In each country, respondents were distributed among three age groups: 18-39 years, 40-64 years, and over 65 years of age. Proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, the proportion of respondents that were aware of thrombosis, DVT and PE (68%, 44% and 54%, respectively) was lower than the proportion that was aware of other thrombotic disorders, such as heart attack and stroke (88% and 85%, respectively), and health conditions such as hypertension, breast cancer, prostate cancer and AIDS (90%, 85%, 82% and 87%, respectively). Although there was variation across countries, lower awareness was associated with younger age and being male. Only 45% (95% CI, 43.9-46.5) of respondents were aware that blood clots were preventable, and awareness of cancer, hospitalization and surgery as risk factors was low (16%, 25%, and 36%, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On a global level, public awareness about thrombosis overall, and VTE in particular, is low. Campaigns to increase public awareness about VTE are needed to reduce the burden from this largely preventable thrombotic disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wendelboe
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCumber
authors.affiliation: Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Hylek
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Buller
authors.affiliation: McMaster University and the Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Weitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raskob
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001364:Awareness; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D011639:Public Opinion; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: awareness; prevention; public health; risk factors; thrombosis; venous thromboembolism