Table 2.

Results of students’ knowledge assessment towards cardiovascular risk factors at University of Gondar, Ethiopia, 2017 (N = 423)

Items used to assess knowledge towards cardiovascular disease	Correct responses	Correct N (%)	Incorrect N (%)
People can easily know by themselves when they have heart disease	F*	45 (10.6%)	378 (89.4%)
If you have a family history of heart disease you are at risk for developing heart disease	T#	120 (28.4%)	303 (71.6%)
The older a person is, the greater their risk of having heart disease	T	308 (72.8%)	115 (27.2)
Smoking is a risk factor for heart disease	T	375 (88.7%)	48 (11.3)
A person who stops smoking will lower their risk of developing heart disease	T	300 (70.9%)	123 (29.1)
High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease	T	320 (75.7%)	103 (24.3)
Keeping blood pressure under control will reduce a person’s risk for developing heart disease	T	306 (72.3%)	117 (27.7)
High cholesterol is a risk factor for developing heart disease	T	329 (77.8%)	94 (22.2)
Eating fatty foods does not affect blood cholesterol levels	F	354 (83.7%)	69 (16.3)
If your ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) is high you are at risk for heart disease	F	226 (53.4%)	197 (46.6)
If your ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) is high you are at risk for heart disease	T	266 (62.9%)	157 (37.1)
Being overweight increases a person’s risk for heart disease	T	292 (69%)	131 (31)
Regular physical activity will lower a person’s chance of getting heart disease	T	378 (89.4%)	45 (10.6)
Only exercising at a gym in an exercise class will help lower a person’s chance of developing heart disease	F	127 (30%)	296 (70)
Walking and gardening are considered exercise that will help lower a person’s chance of developing heart disease	T	296 (70%)	127 (30)
Diabetes is a risk factor for developing heart disease	T	259 (61.2%)	164 (38.8)

^*F = false;

^#T = True.