CHOLESTEROL SCREENING IN THE ELDERLY - CHANGING ATTITUDES

The purpose of this study was to assess an elderly population's (60-80 years old) attitudes toward health prevention and lifestyle change wi th a particular emphasis on cholesterol screening and management. A fr ee cholesterol screen was offered to participants in exchange for comp letion of a 21-item questionnaire (including medical history, risk fac tors, attitudes on preventive health, eating patterns and demographic information). This study provides evidence for increasing awareness of elevated cholesterol levels as a risk factor for coronary heart disea se. It also demonstrates that there is an attitude of willingness to m odify dietary cholesterol and fat intake within this mobile elderly po pulation.