TY - JOUR
T1 - International comparison of awareness and attitudes towards coronary risk factor reduction
T2 - The HELP study
AU - Shepherd, James
AU - Alcalde, Victor
AU - Béfort, Paul André
AU - Boucher, Brigitte
AU - Erdmann, Erland
AU - Gutzwiller, Felix
AU - Van Hemert, Theo J.E.
AU - Jordan-Ghizzo, Isabelle
AU - Menotti, Alessandro
AU - Schioldborg, Per
AU - Thompson , David, R.
AU - Turner, Michael
AU - Umlauf, Bernd
PY - 1997/1/1
Y1 - 1997/1/1
N2 - Background An international survey was conducted to assess public awareness and attitudes to coronary heart disease and to establish the frequency with which certain health-related behaviours are practised in five European countries. Methods Members of the general public (n = 5013), individuals at increased risk of coronary disease (n = 2500), patients who had suffered a myocardial infarction (n = 1256) and members of their families (n= 1249) were interviewed in a study conducted in France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK. Questions were asked about respondents’ attitudes to their health and about their current health practices. Results The survey revealed a considerable degree of indifference to coronary heart disease, despite the possession of a reasonable level of knowledge of the risks involved, even among patients who had suffered a myocardial infarction. At the same time, respondents declared themselves satisfied with the quality of advice about coronary health that they obtained from the medical profession and regarded these sources of information as highly credible. Media health campaigns, by contrast, had comparatively little impact. Conclusion A survey of five European countries shows that individuals possess reasonable levels of knowledge about coronary heart disease. They also have access to sources of heart health information that are perceived as highly credible. Nonetheless, such information has a very limited impact on their practice of health-related behaviours.
AB - Background An international survey was conducted to assess public awareness and attitudes to coronary heart disease and to establish the frequency with which certain health-related behaviours are practised in five European countries. Methods Members of the general public (n = 5013), individuals at increased risk of coronary disease (n = 2500), patients who had suffered a myocardial infarction (n = 1256) and members of their families (n= 1249) were interviewed in a study conducted in France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK. Questions were asked about respondents’ attitudes to their health and about their current health practices. Results The survey revealed a considerable degree of indifference to coronary heart disease, despite the possession of a reasonable level of knowledge of the risks involved, even among patients who had suffered a myocardial infarction. At the same time, respondents declared themselves satisfied with the quality of advice about coronary health that they obtained from the medical profession and regarded these sources of information as highly credible. Media health campaigns, by contrast, had comparatively little impact. Conclusion A survey of five European countries shows that individuals possess reasonable levels of knowledge about coronary heart disease. They also have access to sources of heart health information that are perceived as highly credible. Nonetheless, such information has a very limited impact on their practice of health-related behaviours.
KW - CHD prevention
KW - Consumer survey
KW - Health promotion
KW - International comparison
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=15644362869&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 9865670
AN - SCOPUS:15644362869
SN - 1350-6277
VL - 4
SP - 373
EP - 384
JO - Journal of Cardiovascular Risk
JF - Journal of Cardiovascular Risk
IS - 5
ER -