Cardiovascular disease risk factor knowledge in young adults and 10-year change in risk factors: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study.

Full Abstract

This study's objective was assessment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor knowledge in young adults, its association with 10-year changes in risk factor levels, and variables related to risk factor knowledge. A total of 4,193 healthy persons (55% female, 48% Black; mean age=30 years) from four urban US communities were queried about risk factor knowledge in 1990-1991 and were reexamined in 2000-2001. Of six risk factors considered (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, overweight, sedentary lifestyle, and unhealthy diet), participants mentioned a mean of two; more than 65% were not aware of any risk factors, and less than 35% recognized being overweight as a risk factor. After adjustment, variables associated with mentioning more than two CVD risk factors versus one or fewer were Black race (OR=0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI):
0.44, 0.61), having a high school education or less (OR=0.88, 95%

CI:
0.80, 0.95), having one or two (vs. zero) risk factors (OR=1.27, 95%

CI:
1.05, 1.53), and having three or more (vs. zero) risk factors (OR=1.79, 95%

CI:
1.35, 2.38). More knowledge was marginally associated with less increase in body mass index 10 years later (p=0.06) but was unrelated to other risk factor changes. Knowledge of CVD risk factors was very low in these young adults but increased with the presence of risk factors. Knowledge alone did not predict 10-year changes in risk factors.

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Author information

Author/s: Lynch, Elizabeth B (EB); Liu, Kiang (K); Kiefe, Catarina I (CI); Greenland, Philip (P);

Affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611-4402, USA. bethlynch@northwestern.edu

Grants: N01-HC-48047 (Agency:United States NHLBI) ; N01-HC-48048 (Agency:United States NHLBI) ; N01-HC-48049 (Agency:United States NHLBI) ; N01-HC-48050 (Agency:United States NHLBI) ; N01-HC-95095 (Agency:United States NHLBI) ; T32 HL069771 (Agency:United States NHLBI)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Multicenter Study; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: American journal of epidemiology (Am J Epidemiol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Dec; vol 164 (issue 12) : pp 1171-9

Dates: Created 2006/12/05; Completed 2007/01/19; Revised 2007/12/03;

PMID: 17038418, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult - psychology
African Continental Ancestry Group - psychology
Body Mass Index
Cardiovascular Diseases - ethnology; etiology
European Continental Ancestry Group - psychology
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

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