PURPOSE
This study examined knowledge about cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and its relationship to health behaviors among middle-aged postmenopausal women with CVD risk factors.
METHODS
The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study. One hundred and thirty-six postmenopausal women were recruited from outpatient departments of four hospitals. The women were 60.69±6.5 years old. Self-reported questionnaires were administered, and waist-hip ratios (WHR) were measured.
RESULTS
Among the women, 72.8% reported hypertension, 19.1% reported diabetes, 33.8% reported hypercholesterolemia, and 24.2% reported angina pectoris. Moreover, 73.9% of the women reported not knowing of CVD prevention, and only 26.1% reported exercising regularly. A majority of the women (80.9%) had a WHR > 0.85. Multiple linear regression analysis after adjusting for age and marital status indicated that the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke increased (p<.001). Waist-hip ratio≤0.85 (p=.022) and living with family members (p=.006) were significant predictors of healthier behaviors (R²=0.21, p<.001). Knowledge of CVD and health behaviors were not correlated.
CONCLUSION
Obese women and women who live alone are no more likely to practice health behaviors aimed at CVD prevention than their counterparts in the sample. Education and exercise interventions are needed, especially for obese women, to promote healthy behaviors among middle-aged postmenopausal women with CVD risk factors.

Citations

• The Effects of Health Status and Social Support on Happiness in Middle­Aged Women
  Bok Hui Baek, So Young Choi
  Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing.2024; 38(1): 16.     CrossRef
• The Moderating Effect of Mental Health on the Relationship Between Cardiovascular Disease Awareness and Health Behaviors of Middle-Aged Korean Chinese Workers With Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Korea
  Yu Zhu Zhang, Seon Young Hwang
  Journal of Transcultural Nursing.2023; 34(2): 131.     CrossRef
• Blood Pressure Awareness and Knowledge of Cardio-Cerebrovascular Diseases in South Korean Women with Hypertension
  Yeo Won Jeong
  Healthcare.2021; 9(3): 360.     CrossRef
• Factors related to the Identification of Middle-Aged Women Who are Disadvantaged by Cardio-cerebrovascular Disease
  Moon Jung Kang, Jee Seon Yi, Chang Seung Park
  Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing.2018; 24(2): 185.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the discharge education program on compliance with the sick role behavior for patients having undergone cerebrovascular surgery.
METHOD
Research was done using a posttest only design. The subjects were 60 patients who were admitted to the neurosurgery unit at C.N.U. Hospital in G. City and were divided into the experimental and control groups. The discharge education program were intervened two times in the experimental group by the researcher; the first one was at the time of discharge using a booklet about knowledge related to disease and compliance, and the other one was a telephone education session after a week from discharge. Data were collected two times by interview and telephone using questionnaires from January 19, to June 10, 2000. The first one was at hospital before discharge, and the other one was one month later from discharge. Data were analysed by chi-square, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation.
RESULTS
The experimental group showed a higher score of compliance(t=2.772, p=.008) than those of the control group, but knowledge about CVD was not significant between the two groups(p>.05).
CONCLUSION
The discharge education program was effective on the compliance of the patients having undergone cerebrovascular surgery.