Associations between family history of cardiovascular disease, knowledge of cardiovascular disease risk factors and health behaviours.

The objective of the study was to examine associations between family history of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD), knowledge of CVD risk and protective factors, and health behaviours. The design was via administration of a questionnaire to 307 participants from four general practice centre waiting rooms in the Sydney West area. The most recognised CVD risk factor was smoking (97.7%) and the most recognised CVD protective factor was omega-3 fatty acids (78.5%). After adjustment for age, sex, education attainment and personal history of CVD, a strong family history of premature CVD was associated with being more likely to interpret a blood pressure of 130/85 as a CVD risk factor (OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.07-7.14), but less likely to identify being an ex-smoker (compared with never having smoked before) as a risk factor (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.12-0.90). Those with a strong family history of premature CVD, on average, had smoked 0.82 pack years more than those with an average family history of premature CVD (s.e. 4.22, P=0.04). In conclusion, there continues to be both strengths and deficits in the community's overall knowledge of CVD risk and protective factors, and a strong family history of premature CVD appears to be an independent risk factor for smoking.