Knowledge of coronary heart disease risk factors among students of Warsaw universities
Olszewski, R.; Nowak, A.; Adamus, J.
Polski Merkuriusz Lekarski Organ Polskiego Towarzystwa Lekarskiego 13(78): 487-489
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 1426-9686 PMID: 12666448 Document Number: 550641
Prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most effective way in fighting with epidemic of this illness in our country. Risk factors of CHD are divided into modifying and non-modifying. General knowledge of cardiac risk factors in young population is the most important point in prophylactic. Our aim was to elucidate knowledge of cardiovascular disease risk factors in students. We distributed a questionnaire to 544 students (264 women and 280 men) of 3 Universities in Warsaw in the middle age 22 +/- 0.79. The survey contained 22 answers: general risk factors (obesity--O, high cholesterol level--Ch, smoking--S. hypertension--HA, wrong diet--D, family history--F, life style--S, age--A, diabetes--DM, male--M, down limbs arteriosclerosis--DLA, myocardial infarction in family under 55 years old-MI) and wrong answers (allergic, female, mobile phone...). Data were taken under analyze. Right risk factors were mentioned by the following number of students: O--92%, Ch--89%, S--85%, HA--75.8%, D--71%, F--65.2%, DM--50.4%, M--49.3%. DLA--36.9%, MI--36.0%. General knowledge of modifying cardiac risk factors, not including diabetes, is high among polish students. However, the knowledge is poor about non-modifying factors, like gender, age, early MI in family. The results of our study let us hope that the students will correctly use their knowledge to reduce risk of CHD in their families.