Related Experiment Videos
Rural-urban differences in college students' cardiovascular risk perceptions
Demetrius A Abshire1, Janessa M Graves2, Robin M Dawson1
1College of Nursing, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
Journal of American College Health : J of ACH
|March 26, 2019
Summary
Rural college students perceive lower risk for high blood pressure compared to urban peers. Targeted interventions may be needed to increase hypertension awareness in rural student populations.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Public Health
- Health Disparities
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death globally.
- Understanding variations in risk perception between rural and urban populations is crucial for targeted public health initiatives.
- College students represent a unique demographic for studying health perceptions and behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate disparities in the perception of cardiovascular risk factors between college students residing in rural and urban areas.
- To identify specific cardiovascular risk factors where perception differences are most pronounced.
- To inform the development of tailored health education programs for college students.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study involving college students from rural and urban Kentucky counties.
- Participants self-reported their perceived risk for developing conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
- Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and logistic regression to compare risk perceptions, adjusting for demographic and health-related variables.
Main Results:
- Rural college students demonstrated significantly lower odds of perceiving a high risk for developing high blood pressure compared to their urban counterparts (OR: 0.32).
- This association between rural residence and lower perceived risk for hypertension was attenuated after accounting for healthcare access.
- No other significant rural-urban differences in perceived cardiovascular risk were identified in this cohort.
Conclusions:
- Rural college students may underestimate their risk for developing high blood pressure.
- Healthcare access appears to play a role in the observed differences in hypertension risk perception.
- Public health strategies should consider enhancing hypertension awareness among rural college students to mitigate potential future cardiovascular events.