Cardiovascular Disease
Conditions
Brief summary
The present research project aims to assess, through a survey, awareness of general and sex/gender-specific cardiovascular risk factors, as well as the perception of the risk of developing further cardiovascular diseases, among patients in secondary prevention.
Detailed description
Despite the well-established impact of various factors, some of which are specific to biological sex and/or gender, on the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, awareness of these factors and perception of cardiovascular risk remain insufficient in the general population. This is even more evident among women, who demonstrate limited knowledge of risk factors (including sex-specific factors such as early menopause, gestational diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, and systemic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders) and a markedly underestimated perception of cardiovascular risk, as shown in several studies conducted in primary prevention samples. To date, however, there are no available data on awareness and risk perception, among either men or women in secondary prevention, investigating the potential influence that a prior cardiovascular event may exert on perceived risk of recurrence and on knowledge of risk factors, including those specific to sex and gender. Based on assumptions derived from various Health Behavior Theories, the cognitive and emotional changes that occur following an acute event should enhance both knowledge and risk perception and, consequently, influence health-related behaviors and decision-making. However, healthcare professionals do not always observe such changes after an acute event. This shift would be particularly critical among women who, compared to men in secondary prevention, exhibit lower rates of treatment adherence and reduced participation in follow-up programs, behaviors that increase their likelihood of recurrence and contribute to poorer long-term outcomes.
Interventions
OTHERNo intervention
There is not an intervention
Sponsors
Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SpA
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Male or female participants aged ≥ 18 years at the time of signing informed consent. * Individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), defined as at least one of the following: * Ischemic heart disease (e.g., documented myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass grafting, or ≥50% coronary stenosis in at least two coronary territories); * Cerebrovascular disease (e.g., documented ischemic stroke; transient ischemic attack, primary intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage are not qualifying conditions; carotid stenting or endarterectomy); * Peripheral arterial disease (e.g., peripheral arterial intervention, stent placement, surgical revascularization, lower limb amputation due to obstructive disease, or intermittent claudication with ABI \<0.90 in the past 12 months); * Atherosclerotic aortic disease (e.g., abdominal or descending thoracic aortic aneurysm). * Signed informed consent.
Exclusion criteria
* Inability or difficulty in completing the questionnaires in Italian and/or functional illiteracy. * History of or current severe psychiatric disorder that could compromise the reliability of questionnaire responses. * Refusal or withdrawal of informed consent.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Awareness of cardiovascular risk factors | At enrollment | Mean cardiovascular risk factor knowledge score, defined as the total number of correctly identified cardiovascular risk factors. |
| Self-reported risk perception of CVD | At enrollment | Defined as percentage of categorical variables (low, medium, high) |
| Self-reported comparative risk perception | At enrollment | Individual subjective evaluation of their own risk relative to a reference group (individuals of the same age and of the same or opposite biological sex), measured as a categorical variable (lower/equal/higher/unknown) (Self-reported comparative risk perception). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Differences among females and males in self-assessed risk perception | At enrollments | Difference in mean cardiovascular risk factor knowledge score between females and males . Distribution of self-perceived cardiovascular risk level (low/medium/high) according to biological sex. (self-assessed risk perception) |
| Differences among females and males in self-reported comparative risk perception | At enrollment | Differences among females and males in Individual subjective evaluation of their own risk relative to a reference group (individuals of the same age and of the same or opposite biological sex), measured as a categorical variable (lower/equal/higher/unknown) (Self-reported comparative risk perception). |
| Comparisons between responders in primary and secondary prevention | At enrollment | Differences in data on awareness of cardiovascular risk factors and perception of cardiovascular risk among women with findings from previous studies conducted in primary prevention. |
Countries
Italy
Outcome results
None listed