Stroke risk factor knowledge in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women in New Mexico: implications for targeted...

Hispanic women in New Mexico have recently experienced an increase in age-adjusted mortality compared with non-Hispanic white women. Since patients' knowledge of stroke risk factors may affect risk factor control, the present study was undertaken to characterize stroke risk factor understanding in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women in New Mexico. We administered a stroke risk factor knowledge survey to 215 women hospitalized in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Patients were classified by each of three dichotomous groupings: stroke or nonstroke diagnosis; Hispanic or non-Hispanic white ethnicity; history of cardiovascular risk factors. The frequency of specific item responses was determined for each patient grouping. Two-way analysis of variance was used to determine whether composite knowledge score differed among patient groups. Stress was the attribute most commonly thought to be a risk factor for stroke. Although no ethnic differences were found on composite knowledge score, Hispanic women were significantly less likely to report hypertension as a stroke risk factor than non-Hispanic white women. We suggest that stroke risk factor understanding in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women in New Mexico is inadequate. Insufficient understanding of the consequences of hypertension, including stroke, may diminish the degree of hypertension control that patients achieve. Further study of the relationship between stroke risk factor understanding and health behavior could enhance prevention efforts.