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Survey: Canadian women unaware of CVD risk factors, symptoms
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Results of a recent study on CVD awareness revealed that most women in Canada are unaware of the risk factors and symptoms of CVD, and many underestimate their own risk for the illness.
The survey was undertaken in the spring of 2013 by the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. Researchers collected a sample of 208 telephone-based and 1,446 online responses from Canadian women aged 25 years and older.
The women responded to questions about symptoms and risk factors of CVD as well as their ability to identify effective prevention methods from a provided list of possible actions. Women were also asked to indicate their perceived level of CVD knowledge.
Awareness of symptoms, risk factors
Less than half of the women were able to identify the major symptoms of CVD. Forty-three percent correctly indicated chest pain as a major symptom, 38% shortness of breath or difficulty breathing on exertion and 29% spreading pain to the neck, shoulder or arm. Women aged older than 55 years were more likely to correctly identify symptoms of CVD, according to the results.
The most frequently identified CVD risk factors by the women surveyed were obesity/overweight, inactivity and tobacco use. However, less than half of the women correctly identified smoking as a risk factor for CVD, and less than one-fourth recognized hypertension or elevated cholesterol as risk factors. Women aged 55 to 64 years and those with higher education and income levels were more likely to correctly identify CVD risk factors.
Overestimation of CVD knowledge
When the women rated their actual CVD knowledge, 30% classified their understanding as “low,” 45% as “medium” and 25% as “high.” About half (48%) of the women considered themselves as moderately informed about CVD, 43% well informed and 9% uninformed. Researchers noted that 80% of women with “low” actual CVD knowledge level perceived themselves as moderately informed or well informed, while 44% of women with a “medium” actual CVD knowledge level perceived themselves as well informed. Overall, CVD knowledge was overestimated by 41% of women surveyed, according to the researchers.
Underestimation of risk
The women surveyed were also provided information on self-reported medical risk factors. Fifty-eight percent were considered at low risk for CVD, 25% at moderate risk and 17% at high risk. Sixty percent of women at high risk for CVD perceived themselves to be at low or moderate risk and 15% of those at moderate risk perceived themselves to be at low risk. According to the researchers, 15% of women underestimated their actual CVD risk, according to the results.
Lifestyle factors indicated a high risk for CVD among 40% of women surveyed, medium risk among 34% and low risk among 26%. Most women at high risk (78%) considered themselves to be at low or moderate risk and 31% of those at moderate risk considered themselves at low risk. According to the researchers, 39% of women underestimated their actual CVD risk according to lifestyle factors.
“Women are understudied, underdiagnosed and undertreated because of a lack of public and professional awareness of women’s coronary risk,” Lisa McDonnell, MSc, MBA, of the prevention and rehabilitation division at University of Ottawa Heart Institute in Ontario, Canada, said in a press release. “… The findings show that we absolutely need to increase awareness and knowledge, and to correct misperceptions concerning the incidence, prevalence and significance of CVD among women and health care providers.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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