Patients' beliefs about the causes of heart disease: relationships with risk factors, sex and socio-economic status

Abstract

Causal beliefs about heart disease are strongly associated with risk factors. Effective communication about modifiable risk factors may influence causal beliefs and stimulate lifestyle change, thereby promoting secondary prevention.

Attitudes Toward Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Patients Referred to a Cardiac Rehabilitation Center: Importance of Psychological Attitudes

“…Although some studies indicate a small relationship between actual and perceived risk factors in patients (13), other studies show a strong relationship between patients' causal beliefs about CVD and its risk factors (14,15). In this regard, the role of psychological factors from the patients' perspectives is undeniable (16).…”

“…Astin and Jones (17) found that women identified stress as the main cause of their illness, while men identified it as the third cause of their illness after eating and smoking. Although the study by Perkins-Porras (14) did not explore a significant role for the psychosocial risk factors among patients' beliefs, based on other studies, patients view worry, depression and anxiety as psychological risk factors (18). Patients' beliefs, like stress, are related to both the current mood of the patients and their stressful life (14).…”

“…Although the study by Perkins-Porras (14) did not explore a significant role for the psychosocial risk factors among patients' beliefs, based on other studies, patients view worry, depression and anxiety as psychological risk factors (18). Patients' beliefs, like stress, are related to both the current mood of the patients and their stressful life (14). Patients believe that stress is a major cause of CVD and should always be avoided (19).…”

Those who perceive their disease as a physiological or psychological risk factor experience more anxiety at the beginning of the cardiac rehabilitation program

“…Finally, it seems that dispelling cardiac misconceptions and maladaptive beliefs (17) and maintaining effective treatment relationships based on changeable risk factors can alter the causal beliefs and the stressful lifestyle of cardiac patients, thereby improving secondary prevention (8). Meanwhile, enhancing patients' knowledge about their illness can alter their perception and, thus, maximize treatment benefits (9) and receptivity to intervention (18).…”

“…The findings of two studies showed a significant association between risk factors and the patients' causal attitudes toward their cardiac condition (8,9). Based on a report by Hirani (2005), at all the stages of experiencing a disease, a patient's cognitions or in other words, perception of the symptoms, search for the attributes of the underlying cause, and behavioral changes to influence the course and development of the illness, has a significant effect on the progression of the disease (10).…”