Other Titles
Cardiovascular Issues: Engaging Risk and Care [Session]
Abstract
Session presented on Saturday, November 7, 2015:
Background: Young adults in the United States are not realistic about their health and eating habits; one-third do not understand the association between their current health behaviors and the impact on their future cardiovascular disease risk.
Purpose: To assess a college population of young adults' knowledge and perception of cardiovascular risk factors and to screen for their cardiovascular risks and cluster subgroups with similar characteristics.
Conceptual Framework: The conceptual models guiding this study were the Health Belief Model and the Information, Motivation and Behavioral Skills Model.
Method: A descriptive research study was conducted in 158 college students, who attended a Midwestern university. The average age of the participants were 24.33 years old (ages 19-39). Participants' socio-demographics, knowledge (Heart Disease Fact Questionnaire) and perception (Health Beliefs Related to Cardiovascular Disease) of cardiovascular risk factors, and biomarkers (random blood glucose, blood pressure, lipid panels, height and weight) were assessed. The Pooled Cohort risk equations and 30-yearcardiovascular diseaseassessments were generated for cardiovascular risk estimates. Hierarchical clustering analysis was used to identify subgroups of high risk individuals.
Results: College students were knowledgeable (M =13.9, SD =2.30) about cardiovascular risk factors, but did not perceived themselves at risk for cardiovascular disease. There were no significant relationships found between knowledge and perception of cardiovascular risk factors. Knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors was correlated with the lifetime risk estimates rho =.17, p =.048, and perception of cardiovascular risk factors were positively associated with the 30-year cardiovascular disease estimates rho =.16, p =.048. The average lifetime risk assessment (31.4%) was higher compared to the average 30-year cardiovascular disease assessment (4.8%). The cluster technique identified white, single males with a family history of heart disease, overweight/obese, hypertensive, and occasionally (weekly) consumed red meats were considered the higher risk group to target for cardiovascular risk reduction intervention compared to other subgroups.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated that high knowledge level of cardiovascular risk factors is not sufficient to maintain an optimal cardiovascular risk estimates, but changing perception ofcardiovascular risk factors may play a bigger role in long-term cardiovascular risks. It also identified a high risk subgroup of a population that should be targeted for cardiovascular risk reduction.
Sigma Membership
Pi Gamma at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Risk Assessments, College Students, Cardiovascular Risk Factors
Recommended Citation
Tran, Dieu-My T. and Zimmerman, Lani M., "Cardiovascular risk factors among college students: Knowledge, perception and risk assessment" (2016). Convention. 184.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2015/presentations_2015/184
Conference Name
43rd Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Conference Year
2015
Rights Holder
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Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Cardiovascular risk factors among college students: Knowledge, perception and risk assessment
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Session presented on Saturday, November 7, 2015:
Background: Young adults in the United States are not realistic about their health and eating habits; one-third do not understand the association between their current health behaviors and the impact on their future cardiovascular disease risk.
Purpose: To assess a college population of young adults' knowledge and perception of cardiovascular risk factors and to screen for their cardiovascular risks and cluster subgroups with similar characteristics.
Conceptual Framework: The conceptual models guiding this study were the Health Belief Model and the Information, Motivation and Behavioral Skills Model.
Method: A descriptive research study was conducted in 158 college students, who attended a Midwestern university. The average age of the participants were 24.33 years old (ages 19-39). Participants' socio-demographics, knowledge (Heart Disease Fact Questionnaire) and perception (Health Beliefs Related to Cardiovascular Disease) of cardiovascular risk factors, and biomarkers (random blood glucose, blood pressure, lipid panels, height and weight) were assessed. The Pooled Cohort risk equations and 30-yearcardiovascular diseaseassessments were generated for cardiovascular risk estimates. Hierarchical clustering analysis was used to identify subgroups of high risk individuals.
Results: College students were knowledgeable (M =13.9, SD =2.30) about cardiovascular risk factors, but did not perceived themselves at risk for cardiovascular disease. There were no significant relationships found between knowledge and perception of cardiovascular risk factors. Knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors was correlated with the lifetime risk estimates rho =.17, p =.048, and perception of cardiovascular risk factors were positively associated with the 30-year cardiovascular disease estimates rho =.16, p =.048. The average lifetime risk assessment (31.4%) was higher compared to the average 30-year cardiovascular disease assessment (4.8%). The cluster technique identified white, single males with a family history of heart disease, overweight/obese, hypertensive, and occasionally (weekly) consumed red meats were considered the higher risk group to target for cardiovascular risk reduction intervention compared to other subgroups.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated that high knowledge level of cardiovascular risk factors is not sufficient to maintain an optimal cardiovascular risk estimates, but changing perception ofcardiovascular risk factors may play a bigger role in long-term cardiovascular risks. It also identified a high risk subgroup of a population that should be targeted for cardiovascular risk reduction.
Description
43rd Biennial Convention 2015 Theme: Serve Locally, Transform Regionally, Lead Globally.`