Table 3.

Themes and Supporting Quotes for Barriers to CVD Risk Factor Management

Pervasiveness of Unhealthy Options

“It’s really difficult in this world now cuz there’s so much junk food out there… Mother of male without dyslipidemia

“The fact that everyone around me usually eats junk food so it’s always there.” 18 y.o. female with dyslipidemia

“There’s probably not gonna be a lotta healthy options because its’s a school cafeteria….Some difficulties maybe trying to find something that’s gonna be a good choice versus something that’s a bad choice, especially when you’re surrounded by obviously bad choices.” 18 year old male without dyslipidemia

Negative Influence of Peers and Families

“I would say when she’s out with her friends and they’re driving around getting fast food and having a good time, that’s probably where she’s getting away from those recommendations.” Father of female without dyslipidemia

“Going over to friends’ houses. They always wanna eat junk food…I think it was very tempting to go over to their house a lot and eat their food.” 16 year old female without dyslipidemia

“In my family, when you change your routine, and most people around you, your support, doesn’t change their lifestyle, it’s harder to keep up with that [change].” 18 year old female with dyslipidemia

Parent Distrust of Medications

“I would prefer she wouldn’t have to. It would kind of bum me out, I guess if she had to take more medication or whatever. I would hope it would be something that she could have as a lifestyle. Have her lifestyle be so good that she didn’t have high cholesterol.” Mother of female without dyslipidemia

“It would just go into the pill box.” 19 year old male with dyslipidemia

Limited Teen Knowledge

“High blood pressure, like cholesterol, can be very bad for your health. I honestly haven’t heard much about it.” 16 year old girl without dyslipidemia

“I know that high cholesterol isn’t very good, but I don’t really know anything else about it.” 15 year old female without dyslipidemia

“…I know there’s the good, the bad, and then there’s triglycerides. The triglycerides is the fat in the blood. I think the LDL is the bad cholesterol. It clogs your arteries and can cause problems like heart attacks and strokes.” Mother of male without dyslipidemia

Teen Focus on the Present

“He doesn’t think about the consequences. There’s nothing you can do. When you have a teenager, they do what they want to do.” Mother of male without dyslipidemia

“I would make sure to listen to them[providers] and solve the problem as quickly as I can…” 15 year old boy without dyslipidemia