title: What does the lay public know about heart failure? Findings from the Heart Failure Awareness Day Initiative.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One critical factor enhancing the implementation of successful diagnostic and therapeutic strategies into clinical practice is awareness among the lay public. We describe awareness in a contemporary, multinational convenience sample of subjects attending the Heart Failure Awareness (HFA) Day Initiatives in 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analysed 2,438 subjects (Germany 33%, Lithuania 42%, Romania 8%, Slovenia 17%) : 53% were female, 58% were aged >60 years, 11% (had) worked in the medical sector, 82% heard about HF before. Shortness of breath and tiredness were correctly identified as symptoms of heart failure in 71% and 61%, but only 52% recognized swelling of feet and legs as a clinical sign; 31% considered heart failure a normal symptom of old age, and only 38% realized the particularly poor prognosis after a heart failure related hospitalization. Subjects who had heard about heart failure before had a lower prevalence of common misbeliefs about HF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In subjects participating in the HFA Day initiative 2013, the level of awareness was unsatisfactory, and important misconceptions remain. The educational and awareness activities for both the population at large and also for decision makers should be broadened and intensified.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Störk
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Science, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Ausra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kavoliuniene
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila, University and Emergency Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Dragos
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vinereanu
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Petar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seferovic
authors.affiliation: University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dickstein
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Anker
authors.affiliation: University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Gerasimos
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Filippatos
authors.affiliation: Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Pjotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ponikowski
authors.affiliation: General Hospital Celje, Celje, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Mitja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lainscak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D063189:Symptom Assessment / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards
keywords: Heart failure; awareness; population; prevention