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Lay explanations for Kentucky's "Coronary Valley"
Egle Narevic1, Nancy E Schoenberg
1College of Social Work, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40536-0086, USA.
Journal of Community Health
|February 16, 2002
Summary
Most Kentuckians recognize smoking and poor diets as coronary heart disease (CHD) risks. Prevention should focus on removing barriers to behavior change, not just education.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology
- Health Behavior
Background:
- Kentucky and surrounding states exhibit high coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality rates, earning the nickname "Coronary Valley."
- Understanding public perception of CHD risk factors is crucial for addressing this regional health disparity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore lay perspectives on the causes of high coronary heart disease (CHD) rates in Kentucky.
- To identify factors influencing residents' understanding of CHD risk.
Main Methods:
- A statewide telephone survey was conducted with a random sample of 624 Kentucky residents in December 1999.
- Descriptive statistics were used to analyze respondents' explanations for high CHD rates.
Main Results:
- A majority of respondents identified smoking and poor diet as significant contributors to CHD.
- Older individuals and those with existing heart disease were more likely to cite stress and pollution as risk factors.
- Education showed a marginal effect on CHD explanations; gender, race, and community type had no significant impact.
Conclusions:
- Kentucky residents possess awareness of major CHD risk factors like smoking and diet.
- Future prevention strategies should prioritize addressing structural and informational barriers to behavior change, such as implementing smoking cessation programs.
- Traditional health education focusing solely on increasing knowledge of risk factors may be insufficient.