Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
Background: Health volunteers can have a great effect by training the population about prevention
of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and lifestyle modification. This study evaluated the health volunteers’
knowledge following the “Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP)” that was performed between 2000
and 2006. Materials and Methods: In this study, 491 females were selected among health volunteers
in the Isfahan and Najafabad districts as intervention areas and Arak as a reference area through
2000-2001 until 2006. They participated in training courses on CVD, its complications, methods
of prevention of risk factors control as well healthy lifestyle promotion. The health volunteers’ level
of knowledge was assessed before and after training. Results: Before intervention, there was no
significant difference between the scores of health volunteers in the intervention and the control
regions in terms of knowledge about recognizing the symptoms, complications and prevention
of CVD and relevant risk factors and healthy lifestyle. However, their knowledge scores increased
significantly in the fields of CVD (β = 0.13, P = 0.04), hypertension (β = 0.18, P = 0.009), healthy
nutrition (β = 0.19, P = 0.007), appropriate physical activity (β = 0.17, P = 0.01) and dealing with
stress (β = 0.16, P = 0.02) after trainings. Conclusion: The 6 year interventional program of IHHP
showed that training health volunteers on prevention of CVD, their risk factors and modification of
lifestyle continued to be effective even in a long time.
Keywords
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