Original scientific paper
The perception and knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors among medical students
Željko Reiner
; Department of Internal Medicine University Hospital Centre Zagreb, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Zdenko Sonicki
; Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Eugenia Tedeschi-Reiner
; Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Aim To assess perceptions, knowledge, and awareness of
cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among medical
students (freshmen and graduating students).
Methods A descriptive cross-sectional survey based on
an anonymous self-administered questionnaire was conducted
in 2008 on 443 medical students – 228 freshmen
on their enrollment day and 214 students on the day of
their final exam at the University of Zagreb School of Medicine,
Croatia.
Results The perception and knowledge of some CVD risk
factors, eg, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, and metabolic
syndrome as well as of lipid-lowering therapy important
for CVD prevention was significantly better among
graduating students but was still not sufficient. Only 66%
of graduating students reported that they would prescribe
lipid-lowering therapy to high risk patients. Disappointingly,
many graduating students were smoking
(30.4%) and had low-awareness of obesity as an important
CVD risk factor.
Conclusion These results suggest an urgent need to improve
medical students’ knowledge of obesity and low
physical activity as important CVD risk factors and of the
methods for increasing low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol
and for smoking cessation. All this provides a rationale
for modifying the university core curriculum to include
more information concerning these issues.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
84164
URI
Publication date:
15.6.2012.
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