Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Young Adults through the Nursing Diagnosis: A Cross-Sectional Study among International University Students

Four out of five deaths from cardiovascular disease are due to heart attacks and strokes in low- and middle-income countries. Early identification of risk factors in exposed individuals will help to develop interventions that may eliminate and/or reduce these risks and prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases. So, it is necessary to investigate the risk of impaired cardiovascular function in university students due to the increase in some risk factors and cardiovascular events in young adults, and to describe its epidemiology among international university students. For this, an observational cross-sectional study through interviews is designed. The clinical validity was addressed following the Fehring model. In addition, anthropometric data and results of laboratory tests were collected. The nursing diagnosis "Risk of impaired cardiovascular function" showed clinical validity, high sensitivity and specificity, as well as predictive values. Fehring ratio values were above 0.79 and Kappa Index above 0.72. The study showed a high frequency of this nursing diagnosis among university students, especially in students of Brazilian nationality. The main risks of impaired cardiovascular function found in 86.8% of students were: family history of cardiovascular disease, sedentary lifestyle, pharmacological agent, dyslipidemia, and insufficient knowledge. The most prevalent risk factors of the nursing diagnosis in the studied population were related to insufficient knowledge of modifiable health habits, such as sedentary lifestyle. The information provided is expected to serve as the basis for the planning and implementation of health actions aimed at reducing modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease.