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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality globally, and nurses play a crucial role in promoting preventive measures. However, the relationship between nurses' health perception and engagement in cardiovascular preventive activities (CVPA) remains underexplored.
This study determines the prevalence of CVPA among nurses and identify the relationship between their health perception and engagement in these practices.
A cross-sectional study was conducted at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Hospital from June to August 2015, involving 212 female nurses. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics and CVPA questionnaires based on the Malaysia NCD Surveillance-1 (MyNCDS-1) questionnaire. Activities included dietary habits, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and regular health checks. Health perception was assessed using a single-item question on a 4-point scale, later dichotomized into "good" (good/excellent) and "poor" (poor/fair). Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between health perception and CVPA.
Only 14.2% of nurses practiced all eight CVPA. 62.7% nurses who perceived their health as good were significantly more likely to engage in CVPA (OR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.03–4.22). Non-smoking and non-alcohol consumption were the most common practices, while consuming five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily was the least practiced.
The study highlights a low prevalence of CVPA among nurses, with a significant association between health perception and engagement in preventive practices. Improving nurses' health perceptions may enhance CVPA, benefiting both their well-being and their role in patient care.
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