EFFECTS OF A PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY CURRICULUM ON BEHAVIORAL CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS AND KNOWLEDGE OF MEDICAL-STUDENTS

We evaluated a Preventive Cardiology Academic Award (PCAA) program des igned to integrate preventive cardiology concepts into the medical sch ool curriculum. Diet, preventive cardiology knowledge, preventive card iology attitudes, exercise behavior, and body mass index were compared at entrance to medical school and during the graduation year. Complet e data were available on 94 students (65 men and 29 women). Similar da ta from students who graduated in 1987, prior to the introduction of t he PCAA curriculum, served as a control. Women showed a significant en hancement in attitude towards cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, while both men and women significantly increased their knowledge abou t CVD prevention. The frequency of planned physical activity decreased significantly in both sexes and men showed a significant increase in body mass index. Men significantly reduced total calories, percent of calories from fat and saturated fat and dietary cholesterol and increa sed fiber intake. In women, the only significant reduction was in tota l calories. In comparison to the control class that did not have the p rogram, men receiving the PCAA curriculum reduced dietary cholesterol, dietary fat, saturated fat and monounsaturated fat. Changes in these dietary parameters were nonsignificant for women in comparison to the control class women. Additional analyses showed no systematic secular trends in dietary or other variables in classes entering from 1986 to 1990. We conclude that the PCAA curriculum changes have favorably affe cted the preventive cardiology knowledge, attitudes and diet of medica l students.