Abstract
Background:Educating the younger population about cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and promoting their healthy lifestyle behavior are essential preventive approaches.Objective:To assess the knowledge about CVDs and healthy lifestyle behavior among freshmen college students, before and after the application of an educational program.Methods:A pre-test/post-test 6-month interventional educational study was conducted on first-year, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University students. Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Knowledge Level (CARRF-KL) and Healthy Lifestyle Behavior (HLSBS-II) scales were completed by the students before and after the intervention. The intervention included lectures, group discussions, and the participants’ preparation of action plans to change unhealthy lifestyle behaviors.Results:In the pre-intervention phase, 58.3% of the participants had “adequate” knowledge about CVDs and their mean total HLSBS-II score was 98.35 ± 6.50. Following the intervention, 99.2% of the participants acquired “adequate” knowledge about CVDs, with significant improvement in all aspects of the CARRF-KL score, p < 0.001. The “health responsibility” and “nutritional habits” subscale scores of the HLSBS-II improved significantly, p < 0.01. Participants with CVDs and/or positive family history had significantly higher total mean CARRF-KL scores than those without personal or family history of CVDs, p < 0.05. The total CARRF-KL showed a significant positive correlation with “health responsibility” and “nutritional habits” HLSBS-II subscales (p < 0.05).Conclusion:The applied educational program effectively improved the participants’ knowledge about CVDs and empowered them to improve their health responsibility and nutritional habits. Health education and promotion programs should be implemented and integrated within the curriculum of university students.
Highlights
Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) include groups of pathological disorders that affect the heart and/or blood vessels [1]
Written informed consent was obtained from the participants
The results showed that 51.7% were male participants; 55.0% were from rural areas; the parents of 85.0% had university-level education and above; the parents of 81.7% had a professional career; the family income of 48.3% was considered adequate; 73.3% were non-smokers; 93.3% had no cardiovascular diseases (CVDs); 90.0% had no other diseases; and 71.7% had no family history of CVDs
Summary
Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) include groups of pathological disorders that affect the heart and/or blood vessels [1]. Over the last few decades, CVDs have become a priority on the public health agenda as they have been found to be one of the primary causes of premature death and disability. They are considered the third leading cause of death among individuals 35-44 years of age, and rank as the fifth leading cause of death among those 15-35 years of age [2 - 5]. The CVDs are responsible for over 17.3 million deaths worldwide annually, representing 30% of global deaths in 2008. Educating the younger population about cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and promoting their healthy lifestyle behavior are essential preventive approaches
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