The effects of a cardiovascular disease prevention program on knowledge and adoption of a heart healthy lifestyle in Jordanian working adults

Abstract

Background: Improving cardiac related knowledge to further healthy lifestyles is the best preventive strategy against coronary heart diseases (CHD). Previous studies revealed a critical shortage in all-around cardiac related knowledge, plus an overall shortage in adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of an education, counseling and behavioral skill-building program in Jordanian working adults' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about CHD and adoption of a healthy lifestyle.

Methods: A non-equivalent quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention program that is based on Pender's Health Promotion Model. The Response Questionnaire and HPLP-II were used to measure subjects' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and adoption of healthy lifestyle.

Results: One hundred six subjects completed the posttest questionnaires. Experimental group showed significantly better cardiac related knowledge, better scores for attitudes, and better scores for the health responsibility, nutritional behaviors, interpersonal relationships and total HPLP-II score. Subject's beliefs, physical activity, spiritual growth and stress management were not improved significantly. Men had better scores in beliefs and women had better scores for health responsibility.

Conclusion: Individual commitment to healthier lifestyles should be encouraged, and researchers have to design and apply more specific interventions that are directed toward improving factors that are not significantly improved through traditional programs.