Original Research

The relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and knowledge of cardiovascular disease in African men in the North-West Province

Adele Burger, Ronel Pretorius, Carla M.T. Fourie, Aletta E. Schutte
Health SA Gesondheid | Vol 21 | a1023 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v21i0.1023 | © 2016 Adele Burger, Ronel Pretorius, Carla M.T. Fourie, Aletta E. Schutte | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 10 October 2017 | Published: 11 October 2016

About the author(s)

Adele Burger, Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, South Africa
Ronel Pretorius, School of Nursing Science, North-West University, South Africa
Carla M.T. Fourie, Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, South Africa
Aletta E. Schutte, Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University; Medical Research Council Unit for Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease, North-West University, South Africa

Full Text:

PDF (312KB)

Abstract

Background: South Africa has an established high prevalence of cardiovascular disease(CVD), particularly amongst urban African communities. However, it was unknown whether African men's CVD knowledge was associated with their CV health profiles.

Objective: To investigate the possible relationships between CV risk factors and CVD knowledge in a group of African men.Method: Questionnaires were completed by 118 African men from the North-West Province, South Africa, and health screening, including anthropometry, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar and cholesterol measurements, were done.

Results: The mean CVD knowledge score was 75%. Participants' mean BP was 146/92 mmHg, falling within hypertensive ranges. Their mean fasting blood glucose of 5.8 ± 2.0 mmol/L exceeded the normal cut-off value of 5.6 mmol/L. There was a lack of association between CV risk factors and CVD knowledge, except for a borderline significant association between triglycerides and CVD knowledge (r ¼ 0.167; p ¼ 0.071), implying that men with higher CVD knowledge had higher levels of triglycerides.

Conclusion: Despite African men's high CV risk and a relatively good understanding of CVD risk factors, there was no significant correlation between their CV risk factors and CVD knowledge.


Keywords

Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular risk factors; Knowledge; African

Metrics

Total abstract views: 2680
Total article views: 895

 

Crossref Citations

1. Stress and the cardiovascular system performance: current state of the problem (literature overview)
Y. Y. Shushkovska, O. І. Afanasiuk, V. I. Shmaliy
Reports of Vinnytsia National Medical University  vol: 27  issue: 3  first page: 489  year: 2023  
doi: 10.31393/reports-vnmedical-2023-27(3)-22