Heart Disease Risk and Self-efficacy in Overweight and Obese Adults

- A reported family history of premature coronary heart disease (CHD) was associated with increased lifetime perceived CHD risk.
- The mean perceived CHD risk increased incrementally as the number of CHD risk factors increased.
- Individuals who are white, have a lower income, or have less education may require self-efficacy enhancement to achieve behavior change.
- The article includes resources for nurse practitioners to use in counseling patients with CHD.

Knowledge of risks, including a family history of premature coronary heart disease (CHD), and the self-efficacy to engage in healthy habits are essential for reducing CHD risk. A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted to examine the associations between sociodemographic characteristics; CHD risk factors; perceived CHD risk; and self-efficacy to adopt a low-fat, low-salt diet. Perceived risk varied by sex and family history status and increased with the number of risk factors. Self-efficacy differed by family history status, race, education, and income. Assessing and enhancing perceived risk and self-efficacy are integral components of patient counseling when attempting behavior change.