Women with a history of preeclampsia had low awareness of their cardiovascular risk, though CVD knowledge positively correlated with risk perception (r = 0.434, p = 0.000).
Cross-Sectional (n=246)
Yes
Women with a history of preeclampsia significantly underestimate their future cardiovascular disease risk, highlighting a critical need for targeted health education prior to hospital discharge.
Effect estimate: r = 0.434
p-value: p=0.000
Preeclampsia has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the preeclamptic women were unaware of this link. Therefore, this study aims to assess women’s knowledge and perception of future CVD after preeclampsia. This study used a cross-sectional descriptive design. Two hundred and forty-six women with a preeclampsia history were recruited from the Al Salam MCH Center and Suez Canal University Hospital. Data were collected during March 2022 using a socio-demographic questionnaire, an Adapted Coronary Heart disease knowledge tool for preeclamptic women, and The Perception of Risk of Heart Disease Scale (PRHDS). Most women (96%) were unaware of the relationship between CVD and preeclampsia. The women had a low CVD knowledge level (10.26 ± 6.08) as well as a low perception of cardiovascular disease risk (37.15 ± 7.22). There was a significant positive correlation between CVD knowledge and CVD risk perception (r = 0.434, p = 0.000). This study found that preeclampsia survivors underestimated their CVD risk. Based on these findings, preeclamptic women should receive health education sessions on CVD risk and prevention from their nurses and obstetricians. The hospital pre-discharge plan must contain these sessions in written and electronic formats to help women remember and follow CVD risk reduction measures.
Hussien et al. (2023) conducted a cross-sectional in History of preeclampsia (n=246). History of preeclampsia was evaluated on Correlation between cardiovascular disease knowledge and cardiovascular disease risk perception (r = 0.434, p=0.000). Women with a history of preeclampsia had low awareness of their cardiovascular risk, though CVD knowledge positively correlated with risk perception (r = 0.434, p = 0.000).