Use of educational resources for cardiovascular risk reduction in the Stanford Five-City Project.

To investigate the extent to which individuals use health education resources for cardiovascular risk reduction, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 2,234 adults 18-74 years of age in four northern California cities. The purposes of the study were to (1) assess the use of 10 cardiovascular disease (CVD) intervention materials and programs, (2) compare use rates between the treatment and control communities of the Stanford Five-City Project, and (3) examine variation in use by type of intervention, risk factor, and sociodemographic status. The community level analyses indicate that up to one-third of adults had used interventions to modify CVD risk factors during a one-year period, and that communities with comprehensive risk reduction programs had higher rates of use, particularly for printed education materials. The subgroup analyses indicate substantial variability in use depending on sociodemographic status, with those at highest risk (men, older adults, and low socioeconomic groups) reporting the lowest use of CVD intervention materials and programs.