Assessment of self-reported cardoimetabolic risk awareness among physicians

ABSTRACT

Lack of coronary artery disease [CAD] risk factors [RFs] knowledge and orientation among physicians would indicate a defect in their attitude towards primary preventive strategies. To assess the prevalence and the awareness of self-reported major and life-style CAD risk factors among physicians working in Medina, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May 2008 to January 2009 to screen a stratified random sample of 209 physicians aged 41.8 +/- 9.1 years. Using a p re-coded questionnaire, the prevalence and awareness of CAD major and life-style RFs were self-reported by the participants. Life-style RFs were more prevalent than major RFs among physicians [86% Vs 48.8%], 41.2% of the physicians were having combined RFs increasing their future risk of CAD. Female physicians lost their gender protection despite being significantly younger than males [39.9 +/- 8.1 Vs 42.6 +/- 9.4 years, p < 0.00], however they had longer duration of diabetes [6.7 +/- 6.4 vs 5.6 +/- 4.3 years, p < 0.000] and hypertension [8.5 +/- 6.8 Vs 7.98 +/- 7] years, p < 0.00]. Less than 10% of physicians were unaware of their serum lipids with no gender difference. Physicians were likely to be aware of their serum lipids if they had hypertension [p = 0.3] or family history of diabetes [p = 0.04]. While physicians who were unaware of their serum lipids tend to consume more dairy products [P = 0.02]. Life-style RFs are prevalent among physicians working in Medina together with substantial unawareness of their lipid profile this indicates a need for increasing their awareness about lipid screening programs and initiating healthy lifestyle modifications as essential primary preventive strategies to minimize their future risk of CAD