Perceptions of control over heart disease in people with an inherited predisposition to raised cholesterol

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to describe the perception of control over heart disease, and the likely antecedents of this perception, in 340 people with an inherited predisposition to premature coronary heart disease. Dependent variables were self-efficacy and response efficacy. Independent variables were history of heart disease and current symptoms, current cholesterol level, emotional state, and causal attributions. Overall, levels of perceived personal control (self-efficacy) were moderately high and treatment was perceived to be effective (response efficacy). Predictors were having a lower current cholesterol level, not experiencing symptoms of angina, lower anxiety, lower depression, and perceiving chance as less important and cholesterol as more important in causing a potential heart attack. Thus, previous and current experience together with causal attributions and emotional state are related to perceptions of control over heart disease in at-risk patients. These findings highlight the need to know more about the antecedents of perceiving control over disease.

Public Awareness of Genetic Influence on Chronic Disease Risk: Are Genetic and Lifestyle Causal Beliefs Compatible?

“…This is perhaps not surprising given that their personal experience may lead them to be more likely to state that the disease runs in families or to state that the disease is inherited to some extent. Our findings are consistent with clinical studies which have shown that individuals at increased personal or family history-based risk of heart disease have tended to hold stronger genetic causal beliefs about the disease [25,26,27]. A family history is strongly associated with individual risk and, therefore, people are correct to infer that genes contribute to their heart disease risk.…”

Awareness of lifestyle risk factors for cancer and heart disease among adults in the UK

“…First, awareness of the role of lifestyle in causing heart disease is low even in these high risk populations [17,18,37,38]. Second, these populations have tended to have stronger beliefs that hereditary, genetic or biological factors cause heart disease than lifestyles [15,38,37].…”

“…First, awareness of the role of lifestyle in causing heart disease is low even in these high risk populations [17,18,37,38]. Second, these populations have tended to have stronger beliefs that hereditary, genetic or biological factors cause heart disease than lifestyles [15,38,37]. Although the views of the general public may differ substantially from the views of people already with or at high risk of heart disease, we found little evidence in the present study to suggest that people with a familial risk of heart disease held significantly different beliefs about the roles of lifestyle from people at average risk.…”

Being at risk for cardiovascular disease: Perceptions and preventive behavior in people with and without a known genetic predisposition

“…There is also some support that identifying a genetic predisposition to CVD strengthens genetic attributions of CVD while weakening attributions to behavioral causes (Marteau et al, 2004;Senior, Weinman, & Marteau, 2000). There is some evidence that the provision of genetic risk information increases perceived efficacy of medication (Marteau et al, 2004;Phelan, Yang, & Cruz-Rojas, 2006;Senior & Marteau, 2007;Senior, Marteau, & Weinman, 2005;Wright, Weinman, & Marteau, 2003) and decreases the perceived efficacy of a healthy lifestyle (Marteau et al, 2004;Senior & Marteau, 2007). Only a few studies have examined the role of having a family history of CVD and/or an identified genetic predisposition to CVD in relation to preventive behavior.…”