Perceived risk of cardiovascular diseases in the Italian population: a baseline cross-sectional analysis of participants enrolled in the INNOPREV trial

Objective Cardiovascular disease (CVDs) is the leading cause of death globally. This study, within the Italian INNOPREV trial, explored cardiovascular risk perception in adults aged 40–69 years old at moderate-to-high risk of CVDs and its association with socio-demographic, behavioural, and clinical characteristics. Methods Cardiovascular risk perception was measured using the Health Beliefs Related to Cardiovascular Disease Scale (HBCVD; 25 items; four subscales: susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers). Mean HBCVD scores were compared across socio-demographic variables (sex, age, marital status, education level, employment status) and risk factors (smoking status, BMI, family history of cardiovascular conditions, SCORE2, and Life Essential, 8 score–LE8). Non-parametric tests (Wilcoxon or Kruskal–Wallis, as appropriate) were used. Results were summarized using forest plots, reporting mean scores with 95% confidence intervals and p-values. Results A total of 1,019 participants (52.11% males; mean age: 55 years old), and 988 questionnaires were successfully collected and analyzed. The mean overall HBCVD score was 62.30 ± 6.15 (out of 100). Employment status was the only sociodemographic variable associated with HBCVD (p = 0.035), with higher scores among homemakers/unemployed and lower scores among retired participants. HBCVD was also associated with BMI class (p = 0.003), family history of hypercholesterolaemia (p = 0.023), and LE8 score (p = 0.006). Scores increased with higher BMI in people with a family history of hypercholesterolaemia, and with poorer cardiovascular health based on LE8 score. Conclusions Risk perception of CVD was overall moderate and varied by socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors. These findings might support the development of tailored preventive strategies to enhance risk awareness and promote healthy behaviours.