| Summary: | In the context of cardiovascular disease, health initiatives and efforts are aimed at
increasing awareness of those "at risk" about the causes of heart disease and the lifestyle
behaviours necessary to reduce risks. Despite being informed of their "at risk" status, many
individuals do not implement the necessary changes to their lifestyle to mitigate their
cardiovascular risk. This may be explained, in part,(by a mismatch between an individual's
perception of their risk and their actual risk. Individuals who have optimistic or pessimistic
biases about their true cardiovascular risk may be less likely to adopt heart healthful lifestyle
behaviours.
Using a cross-sectional, correlational design, 134 patients undergoing coronary
angioplasty were asked about their perceptions of risk of cardiovascular disease progression and
death. To determine the accuracy of these perceptions, the respondents' subjective perceptions
were compared to objective estimates of their risk relative to the severity of their cardiac disease.
To understand correlates of these perceptions, respondents were asked detailed questions about
their cardiac history, cardiovascular risk factors, current lifestyle behaviours, and
sociodemographic characteristics. Once the level of accuracy for the risk perceptions was
established (accurate, or optimistically or pessimistically biased), data were analysed to
determine the relationship between level of accuracy and the adoption of healthful lifestyle
behaviours.
The results of this study revealed that the respondents' perceptions varied in the level of
accuracy: 44.3% were accurate, 32.7% were optimistic, and 23.0% were pessimistic. Age and
duration of diagnosis emerged independently as the most significant factors contributing to level
of accuracy. The respondents with accurate perceptions of their risk had the shortest duration of
diagnosis; those with the longest duration of diagnosis were most likely to be pessimistic.
Younger respondents were more accurate in their risk perceptions; older respondents were most
likely to be optimistic. Level of accuracy was not related to the individual adopting healthful
lifestyle behaviours. Respondents holding accurate perceptions of their risk were neither more
nor less likely than respondents holding optimistically or pessimistically biased perceptions to
adhere to healthful lifestyle behaviours associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. === Applied Science, Faculty of === Nursing, School of === Graduate
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