Cardiovascular health awareness, risk perception, behavioural intention and INTERHEART risk stratification among middle-aged adults in Malaysia

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine
• Main Authors: Siew-Keah Lee, Ang-Lim Chua, Clement Heng Yew Fong, Ban Hao Brian Cong, Wen Ling Ng, Jing Feng Kong, Yik-Ling Chew, Kai Bin Liew, Yang Shao
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2024
• Subjects: cardiovascular risk; knowledge; risk perception; behavioural intention; interheart; middle-aged; lifestyle; physical activity; psychosocial stress; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.4103/apjtm.apjtm_645_23; https://doaj.org/article/5718a1e478fb470d9c9dcf3d90e0d48a

Objective: To investigate the interrelationship between cardiovascular health awareness, risk perception, behavioural intention, and INTERHEART risk stratification in a middle-aged adult population in Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional survey with convenience sampling was conducted during November 2022 and January 2023. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing cardiovascular health awareness, risk perception of cardiovascular diseases, behavioural intention towards adopting healthy habits, and INTERHEART risk stratification score (IHRS) based on established risk factors. A total of 602 respondents were included in the final analysis. Data were analysed with independent t-test/one-way ANOVA or Mann- Whitney/Kruskai-Wailis to test the differences, Pearson correlation or linear regression test to analyze the association of independent and dependent variables. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between medical knowledge related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and knowledge related to CVD risk prevention, risk perception, behavioural intention and IHRS (P<0.05, Pearson correlation). Notably, individuals with higher IHRS tended to have lower knowledge related to CVD and CVD risk prevention, risk perception, and behavioural intention. Males, laborers, active/former smokers, individuals with lower household income and educational levels, those involved in occupations not related to the healthcare sector, and those who did not receive the CVD health brochure or are unaware of health self-assessment tools are likely to have lower levels of knowledge, risk perception, and poorer behavioural intention regarding cardiovascular health (P<0.05, one-way ANOVA). While educational level, smoking status, awareness about CVD poster, self-assessment tools were repeatedly significantly associated with knowledge related to CVD and CVD risk prevention, risk perception, behavioral intention and/or IHRS (P<0.05, linear regression). Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of ...