Cardiovascular diseases and women: knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in the general population in Italy.

Luisa Maria Roberta Tedesco,Italo Francesco Angelillo,Francesco Napolitano,Gabriella Di Giuseppe

doi:10.1155/2015/324692

Luisa Maria Roberta Tedesco, Italo Francesco Angelillo + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/324692

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Abstract

Background. The objectives of the study were to document knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of women regarding cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and the determinants associated. Materials and Methods. The cross-sectional survey was conducted among a random sample of 830 women older than 18 years from the general population in Italy. Results. Almost all participants reported having heard about CVDs, and among them 89.4% and 74.7% identified smoking and high cholesterol level as risk factors. Only 26.5% identified the main CVDs risk factors. Women more knowledgeable were married and better educated and self-perceived a worse health status. Only 23% knew the main CVDs preventive measures and this knowledge was significantly higher in women who are unemployed, who are more educated, who have received information about CVDs from physicians, and who know the main risk factors. Respondents with lower education, those with at least three children, those who self-perceived a worse health status, and those who need information were most likely to have a positive attitude toward the perceived risk of developing CVDs. Women with two or three children or more were at high risk profiles 49% and 56% lower than women with one child. Conclusions. Educational programs are needed among women as support to improve knowledge and appropriate behavior about CVDs.

Highlights

It is well established that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the general population of many developed and developing countries [1,2,3,4,5] and several modifiable lifestyle risk factors, including unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, cigarettes smoking, alcohol consumption, and body mass, are at an alarming level
To date very little attention, to the best of our knowledge, has been given to the issue of women’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward CVDs [9,10,11,12]. In this current investigation, conducted among a large sample of women from the general population in Italy, the primary objective was to document the level of knowledge, the attitudes, and the reported behaviors regarding CVDs and the second objective was to examine the extent to which determinants are associated with these outcomes
The age of the women ranged from 21 to 67 years, the average age was 38 years, almost all were married (91.7%), about one in five had a college degree, more than three-quarters had more than one son, almost half reported employment, and only 1.1% reported a personal history of CVD

Summary

Introduction

It is well established that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the general population of many developed and developing countries [1,2,3,4,5] and several modifiable lifestyle risk factors, including unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, cigarettes smoking, alcohol consumption, and body mass, are at an alarming level. These risk factors have been identified which act in variable combinations with other genetic, physiologic, and environmental components to influence the incidence of CVDs or affect the short/long-term outcome of the disease. Educational programs are needed among women as support to improve knowledge and appropriate behavior about CVDs

Objectives

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Results

Conclusion