Bernt Lindahl|Margareta Norberg|H Johansson|Kristina Lindvall|Nawi Ng|Maria Nordin|Steven Nordin|Ulf Näslund|Amanda Persson|Davide Vanoli|Peter Schulz
Health literacy is independently and inversely associated with carotid artery plaques and cardiovascular risk
Umeå University|Umeå University|Umeå University|Umeå University|Umeå University|Umeå University|Umeå University|Umeå University|Umeå University|Umeå University|Università della Svizzera italiana
aims health literacy degree individuals understand act upon health information may pivotal role prevention cardiovascular disease cvd low health literacy potentially explaining poorer adherence prevention guidelines investigated associations health literacy ultrasounddetected carotid atherosclerosis cardiovascular risk factors methods baseline data crosssectional analysis randomized controlled trial integrated within vsterbotten intervention program northern sweden used included 3459 individuals aged 40 50 years 1 conventional risk factor aged 60 years old participants underwent clinical examination blood sampling carotid ultrasound assessment intimamedia wall thickness cimt plaque formation answered questionnaire health literacy brief health literacy screen european systematic coronary risk evaluation framingham risk score calculated results 20 participants low health literacy low health literacy independently associated presence ultrasounddetected carotid artery plaques adjustment age education odds ratio 95 confidence interval 154 128185 demonstrating similar level risk smoking health literacy associated cimt men low health literacy associated higher cvd risk scores sensitivity analyses low health literacy set 9 30 study sample respectively yielded essentially results conclusions low health literacy independently associated carotid artery plaques high level cvd risk scores presenting health information fashion understood patients may improve preventive efforts