Knowledge about cardiovascular disease in Portugal.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize specific knowledge on cardiovascular disease, particularly stroke and myocardial infarction (MI), and its relationship with sociodemographic factors, health literacy and clinical history, among the Portuguese population.

METHODS: In a cross-sectional study conducted in 2012, a total of 1624 Portuguese-speaking residents of mainland Portugal, aged between 16 and 79 years, were assessed through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire.

RESULTS: Around 30% of participants were unable to estimate the risk of MI or stroke. On average, those who responded estimated that 34.2% and 35.6% of Portuguese will suffer a stroke or MI, respectively, during their lifetime. "Not smoking" (36.8%) and a "healthy diet" (32.8%) were identified as the most important behaviors for prevention of cardiovascular disease, and less than half of the participants responded that the most appropriate option in the presence of acute cardiovascular signs or symptoms was to call the emergency number. "Dependence on daily activities" (90.7%) and "impaired speech" (89.8%) were frequently recognized as consequences of stroke, while "heart failure" (86.4%) and "dependence on daily activities" (85.3%) were the most frequently identified consequences of MI. Overall, participants with adequate health literacy revealed more appropriate cardiovascular health-related knowledge.

CONCLUSIONS: There are important gaps in cardiovascular health-related knowledge in the Portuguese population. Health education strategies and practices should be sensitive to the differences in health literacy described herein, in order to improve cardiovascular health knowledge among the Portuguese population.