Abstract 14833: The Association Between Cardiovascular Disease Knowledge and Risk Factors Among African American Breast Cancer Survivors in the Deep South

Abstract

Introduction: African American breast cancer survivors in the Deep South have a disproportionately high burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. This is due, in large part, to multiple potentially modifiable CVD risk factors that are disproportionately high in this group, such as high blood pressure, obesity, and poor dietary habits. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between CVD risk factors and heart disease knowledge among African American breast cancer survivors in the Deep South. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that the key CVD risk factors (smoking, BMI, physical activity, healthy diet, total cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar) will be positively associated with heart disease knowledge score. Methods: The Heart Disease Knowledge Questionnaire was used to assess the participants’ knowledge of heart disease and heart disease risk factors. Questions from My Life Check were used to assess the participants CVD risk factors. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to determine which CVD risk factors and demographic characteristics can predict the participants’ heart disease knowledge score. Results: Seventy African American breast cancer survivors living in the Deep South enrolled in the study. A research team member administered the questionnaires over the phone. The mean age of the participants was 56.76 years (± 10.36) and 42.9% had a college degree or higher level of education. Results of a multivariate regression analysis showed that the number of healthy diet score components was the only cardiovascular health metric that was statistically significantly associated with heart disease knowledge score (p = .01). Education level was the only demographic characteristic that was statistically significantly associated with heart disease knowledge score (p = .004). Conclusions: Our results indicate that women with more knowledge of heart disease and higher levels of education are more likely to have better cardiovascular health metrics. Our findings underscore the need to disseminate and implement health education interventions aimed at increasing knowledge of modifiable CVD risk factors that are targeted towards African American breast cancer survivors in the Deep South.