Knowledge and Protective Health Behaviors Concerning Risk Factors for Coronary Heart Disease among Baghdad University Students

Abstract

Background: Coronary heart disease, a gradual buildup of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries, occurs asa result of several risk factors with 75% attributable to lifestyle choices.Objectives: To evaluate knowledge and behaviour of Baghdad University students concerning coronaryheart disease and to identify the relationship between demographic characteristic data with student’sknowledge and health behavior.Methodology: A cross-sectional design study utilizing a stratified random sampling method. Students ofall colleges of Baghdad University (BU) in Baghdad City were included. The respondents were randomlyselected from each college. The sample size was 200. Knowledge, health behaviour questionnaire wasdeveloped and distributed to the respondents involved. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS version20.0.Results: The majority of the study were female who accounted for (54%) of the total participants whilemale constituted (46%). Most of the study participants (35%) were ages between 20 and 21 years old.Study participants’ distribution in equal forms on colleges twenty-five percent for each college. (28.5%) ofthe students were first class. The majority of students (76.5%) were single and the remainder was married.Majority (79%) lived in urban areas while the rest (21%) lived in rural areas.Conclusions: findings of study shows that, undergraduate students have poor knowledge regarding riskfactors for coronary heart diseases, as well as results demonstrate overall students have good behaviourtoward preventive measurement about risk factors of CHD.