Abstract
Introduction: In 2008, cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounted for one in three deaths in the United States. Epidemiological analyses suggest that two or more risk factors are the indicator of high risk and/or poor CVD outcomes. Knowledge of heart attack and stroke symptomology has been the focus of much research based on the assumption that accurate identification of an event is critical to reducing time to treatment. There is a paucity of research showing a clear association between knowledge of heart attack and stroke symptomology, risk factors, and mortality rates. In this study, we hypothesized that high stroke and heart attack symptomology knowledge scores would correspond to lower stroke or CVD mortality rankings as well as to a lower prevalence of two or more CVD risk factors. Methods: State was the unit of analysis used to examine data from two different sources and combined into a customized database. The first source was a multiyear Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) heart attack and stroke symptom knowledge module database. CVD and stroke mortality data used came from the American Heart Association’s (AHA) 2012 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update. Spearman’s Rho was the test statistic. Results: A moderate negative correlation was found between high heart attack and stroke symptom knowledge scores and the percentage of adults with two or more CVD or stroke risk factors. Likewise, a similar correlation resulted from the two variables, high heart attack and stroke symptoms knowledge score and CVD mortality rank. Conclusions: This study demonstrated a significant relationship between high heart attack and stroke symptom knowledge and lower CVD mortality rates and lower prevalence of two or more CVD risk factors at the state level. Our findings suggest that it is important to continue education efforts regarding heart attack and stroke symptom knowledge. Pharmacists are one group of health care providers who could enhance the needed public health education efforts.
Highlights
In 2008, cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounted for one in three deaths in the United States
Two data sources were used for this study: a multiyear Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) heart attack and stroke module database and the CVD and stroke mortality data from the American Heart Association (AHA) 2012 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update
West Virginia had the highest percentage of adults with high heart attack and stroke symptom knowledge scores; whereas, Oklahoma had the lowest percentage of adults with a high heart attack and stoke symptom knowledge score
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounted for one in three deaths in the United States in 2008 [1]. These risk factors can be used to calculate a person’s potential risk for a CVD event (heart attack or stroke). There is a paucity of research showing a clear association between knowledge of heart attack and stroke symptomology, risk factors, and mortality rates. We were interested in examining whether or not US whose adults had high knowledge scores regarding heart attack and stroke symptoms had a correspondingly lower prevalence of CVD risk factors and lower CVD and stroke mortality rates. We hypothesized that high stroke and heart attack symptomology knowledge scores would correspond to lower stroke or CVD mortality rankings as well as to a lower prevalence of two or more CVD risk factors
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