Abstract
Background
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main health problem in Poland. We decided to use modern social marketing methods to present the current epidemiological situation to political and key opinion leaders in Poland.
Materials and methods
The surveys were carried out in the following groups: members of the Polish parliament, members of the executive bodies of the two largest trades unions in Poland, participants at the Polish Hygiene Society Congress, representatives of the health insurance board in the district of Pomerania, and press and radio journalists. The study consisted of a questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure measurements, and cholesterol and glucose level tests. The results were presented to examined subjects individually and in the form of an educational conference held on the same day.
Results
In the examined groups of political and opinion leaders awareness of one's own blood pressure was declared by 40.6–86% of the subjects, increased blood pressure was found in 36–43.5%, overweight or obesity (body mass index 25kg/m2) in 40.6–67.3%, smoking was declared by 16.5–30%. The results were compared with those obtained in corresponding age groups in the general population.
Conclusion
The idea of presenting the current epidemiological burden caused by CVD in Poland by means of an assessment of individual and collective CVD risk among political and opinion leaders appeared to be an effective method of education and constructive lobbying for the fight against an epidemic of myocardial infarctions and strokes in Poland. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 13:319–324 © 2006 The European Society of Cardiology
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