Risk perception of cardiovascular disease among Turkish adults: a cross-sectional study

AIM: The aim of the study was to determine in adults the risk perception for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the associated factors. BACKGROUND: CVDs are the leading cause of death globally. In adults, perceptions related to the risk for CVDs have a considerable effect on decision-making processes related to one’s own health. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 453 adult people from April to June 2019 in İzmir, Turkey. Data were collected with a sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire, perception of risk of heart disease scale (PRHDS), and health perception. FINDINGS: The mean PRHDS score of adults was 48.88 ± 8.12. The risk perception for CVD was influenced by variables that were age, gender, education, marital status, employment status, health perception, familial cardiovascular disease history, chronic disease status, smoking status, and body mass index. Although CVDs are the most prominent cause of disease-related death in the world, risk perception for CVD was found to be low among the individuals included in this study. This finding indicates the importance of informing individuals about CVD risk factors, raising awareness, and training.