ABSTRACT
Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a significant global health concern, contributing to a substantial burden of morbidity and mortality. Some of the risk factors for CVDs are modifiable such as harmful use of alcohol, physical inactivity, tobacco use, obesity and poor diet. Despite the growing burden of CVD in developing countries, limited research has focused on the knowledge, risk perception, and prevalence of risk factors among young adults, particularly university students. Undergraduates represent a unique population with lifestyle patterns and behaviors that can influence their cardiovascular health.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, risk perception, and prevalence of risk factors for CVD among undergraduates in the University of Benin, Nigeria.
Methodology: This study employed a cross-sectional design and was carried out among 616 undergraduates selected from all the faculties of the university using stratified sampling technique. An interviewer administered, structured questionnaire was utilized to collect data on knowledge, risk perceptions and prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were also done.
Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25. Descriptive analysis summarized knowledge, risk perception, and risk factor prevalence. Association between knowledge, perception, with prevalence of risk factors were examined using chi-squared tests and Fisher's exact tests. Level of significance was set at p<0.05.
Result: Seventy-five percent of respondents had good knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors. Low perceived severity of cardiovascular risk factors was found in 280 (45.5%) of respondents, while 487 (78.2%) had good perceived efficacy. Eighty-eight percent of respondents met WHO recommendations for physical activity, 39 (6.3%) were current smokers, 139 (22.6%) were current drinkers and majority (95.8%) had inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables. Hypertension was seen in 47(7.6%) of respondents while 103 (20.0%) were overweight/obese. Five hundred and thirty-seven (87.1%) of respondents had at least one risk factor.
Conclusion: Majority of respondents showed good knowledge of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. While almost half of the participants had a low perception of the severity of CVD, most of them had good perceived efficacy. Most of respondents had normal blood pressure and anthropometric measurements. A significant number of the respondents met the physical activity recommendations set by the World Health Organization. Most of them did not consume alcohol or smoke, but they did not have an adequate intake of fruits and vegetables. A large proportion of respondents had at least one risk factor for CVD.
Keywords: Cardiovascular, undergraduate, knowledge, perception, prevalence.
