Abstract:
Background: Medical and surgical HIV-positive patients
are at risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Surgical
patients are admitted to hospital for a few days around
the time of their surgeries, allowing suffi cient opportunity
for health promotion interventions. Health promotion
could improve CVD knowledge and encourage
lifelong healthy behaviours. However, this approach
requires that baseline CVD knowledge fi rst be established.
This study sought to determine the knowledge
of CVD in HIV-positive South African (SA) surgical
patients.
Methods: This was a prospective pilot survey of HIVpositive
surgical patients who attended a tertiary hospital
in Durban, South Africa, between 1 October 2016
and 31 March 2017. Patients completed 2 questionnaires:
(1) a demographic characteristics questionnaire,
and (2) a CVD knowledge questionnaire (identifying risk
factors and signs/symptoms of myocardial infarction
and stroke). All data were analysed using descriptive
statistical methods.
Results: The study sample consisted of 39 HIV-positive
surgical patients. Correct responses for the items on
the CVD knowledge questionnaire ranged between
0.0% and 61.5% for risk factors, and between 0.0% and
89.7% for signs/symptoms.
Conclusion: Knowledge of CVD risk factors and signs/
symptoms in this study was less than desirable. Levels
of CVD knowledge are likely a function of educational
attainment.
