What CVD risk factors predict self-perceived risk of having a myocardial infarction? A cross-sectional study.

Background: This study aims to identify predictors of self-perceived risk of myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: Among 564 men and women (50-65 years; randomly selected from the Swedish population), we assessed risk perception as relative self-perceived risk compared to others (lower, same, higher) and percentage ten-year absolute risk. Predictors (added blockwise) were identified using multinomial or linear regression, providing odds ratios (ORs) or β coefficients with their 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: The mean of self-perceived 10-year MI risk was 12%. Lower BMI (AOR 0.57, 95% CI: 0.44-0.75), low stress (AOR 2.51, 95% CI: 1.39-4.52), high level of physical activity (AOR 1.66, 95% CI:1.01-2.74), hypertension (AOR 0.42, 95% CI: 0.23-0.76), family history (AOR 0.38, 95% CI: 0.21-0.69), and poor general health (AOR 0.41, 95% CI: 0.19-0.89) predicted if respondents perceived their MI risk as lower. Poor general health (AOR 1.94, 95% CI: 1.01-3.73), family history (AOR 2.72, 95% CI: 1.57-4.72), and high cholesterol (AOR 2.45, 95% CI: 1.18-5.09) predicted if respondents perceived their MI risk as higher. Low level of self-perceived CVD knowledge and low numeracy predicted if respondents perceived their MI risk as the same as others. High cholesterol (B 6.85, 95% CI: 2.47-11.32) and poor general health (B 8.75, 95% CI: 4.58-13.00) predicted a higher percentage of perceived ten-year risk.

Conclusion: General health was a common predictor of self-perceived MI risk. Lifestyle factors (BMI, physical activity) and stress dominated the predictors for perceiving MI risk as lower than others, while high cholesterol predicted perception of high risk.