Awareness, risk perception and behavioural intention in patients with a myocardial infarction

Abstract

Introduction: Background: There is limited research on the association of awareness and risk perception of cardiovascular riskfactors with behavioural intention to adhere to lifestyle targets related to risk factors such as smoking, abdominal obesity, physicalinactivity, excessive alcohol intake and inadequate fruit and vegetable intake. The association of all risk factors concurrentlyand in patients who had a myocardial infarction less than one month ago has not been previously investigated. Objective: Todescribe the association of awareness and risk perception of cardiovascular risk factors with behavioural intention in respect toaforementioned lifestyle targets in patients within one month of hospitalization for a myocardial infarction.

Methods: In a cross-sectional observational study, 31 patients with a recent diagnosis of a myocardial infarction were included.Awareness, risk perception and behavioural intention were measured with a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using linearregression in which behavioural intention was divided into: risk factor not present, low and high intention.

Results: The mean score for awareness was 3.9 ± 1.5 (scale range from 0 to 14) and for risk perception -0.7 ± 1.4 (scale rangefrom -3 to +3). Awareness and risk perception of cardiovascular risk factors were not associated with behavioural intention insmoking, overweight, physical inactivity and insufficient intake of fruit and vegetables.

Conclusion: Patients with a myocardial infarction less than one month ago have a low awareness and low risk perception ofcardiovascular risk factors and this is not associated with behavioural intention to adhere to lifestyle targets related to risk factors.