DETERMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE LEVEL OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES USING CARRF-KL SCALE OF 1ST AND 3RD GRADE STUDENTS IN FACULY OF MEDICINE

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are still one of the most mortality disease all over the world and some of the risk factors of CVD are preventable. Although many students have knowledge of the risk factors of CVD, the perception level of medical students is still not enough so we aimed to describe knowledge level of CVD risk factors among faculty of medicine students. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We used the cardiovascular disease risk factors knowledge Level (CARRF-KL) for investigation. Three hundred ten students (168 students were in 1st grade and 142 in 3rd grade) volunteered our study. RESULTS: The average scores of the students was significantly higher in 1st grade than 3rd grade (24,40±3,07-22,71±4,36, p<0,001). The first four questions mean score in 3rd grade was significantly more than 1st grade (3,66±0,85-3,68±0,61; F:4,169; p= 0,006). For the questions 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28 mean score was interestingly significantly more in 1st grade than 3rd grade (13,64±1,89-12,15±2,62, F: 20,379; p<0,0001). For the questions 7, 8, 13, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 26 mean score was significantly more in 1st grade than 3rd grade again (7,11±1,35-6,89±1,72; F: 58,650; p<0,0001). CONCLUSIONS: We found mean CARRF-KL scale score was higher in our study students than literature but 1st grade answered betterly to most part of questions than 3rd grade but totally results were unsatisfactory. Smoking is the best known risk factor in contrast to diabetes mellitus at least one. In education knowledge regarding to chronic metabolic diseases like hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus should be stressed more efficiently