[Knowledge, behavior and attitude with respect to cardio-vascular diseases]

972 males and females more than 25 years old were asked by a self-questionnaire about cardiovascular disease (CVD): what do they know and how? What do they think they should do to prevent it? What do they personally do? What do they expect from physicians, society, people themselves? Findings indicate that CVD is regarded as an important problem by most of people. One in two subjects worries about heart disease. 70 p. 100 know at least one cardiovascular disease (infarct more often). 40 p. 100 can quote causes of CVD, emphasizing eating-habits, smoking and drinking, way of life. A correspondences analysis allows to establish a typology of responses: it makes appear clear differences in information according to social class, differences in concern about CVD linked namely with personal disease's experience, differences in psychological attitudes towards CVD's risk. Findings lead to set the problem of turning preventive knowledge into effective changes in health behaviour.