Public health General public awareness of heart failure: results of questionnaire survey during Heart Failure Awareness Day 2011
Key result
General public awareness of heart failure is high, but only ~30% recognize typical symptoms.
- n=850
Why the study?
General public views and awareness about heart failure and its disease burden relative to other chronic conditions are largely unknown.
Population
850 general public subjects visiting stands during European Heart Failure Awareness Day 2011 in 12 Slovenian cities
Comparison
Heart failure awareness and perceptions compared to other chronic diseases
Design
Cross-sectional survey using a 14-item questionnaire
Authors
Discussion
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Member takes
Implication
Low HF awareness and misperceptions among the public warrant caution in patient engagement; leaves open whether education campaigns alter outcomes.
Study Design
Type
Cross-Sectional (n=850)
Multicenter
Yes
Structured PICO
P
Population
850 adults from the general public in Slovenia surveyed during Heart Failure Awareness Day 2011 to assess their awareness, knowledge, and perceptions of heart failure.
E
Exposure
14-item questionnaire survey
O
Outcome
General public awareness about heart failure and its disease burden relative to common chronic diseasespatient reported
Despite high self-reported awareness of heart failure, the general public significantly underestimates its burden and severity compared to other chronic diseases like cancer.
Limitations
- Conduction of the survey alongside educational activities may have skewed responses due to immediate learning effects or socially desirable answers.
- Sample size is relatively small and limited to a single country.
Cite This Study
Lainščak et al. (2014) conducted a cross-sectional in Heart failure awareness (n=850). Heart failure awareness survey was evaluated on Proportion of respondents who have heard about heart failure. Although 83% of respondents had heard of heart failure, only 30% recognized its typical symptoms, and the condition was perceived as less burdensome than cancer or myocardial infarction.