Abstract
Background: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the leading cause of death globally. Preventing and controlling modifiable risk factors can minimize incidence of IHD and/or improve outcomes. This study aims to assess the IHD-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of individuals in residential care centers in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 264 individuals living in residential care centers in Jeddah, KSA, in July 2018. The data were collected by an interviewer-administered questionnaire. All data were entered into Microsoft Excel 2010 and were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 for Windows. Frequencies and chi-square tests were used for analysis. Results: The survey showed that 243 (92%) of participants had sufficient knowledge of IHD, and 21 (8%) had an average level of knowledge. A total of 236 (89.4%) participants had good attitudes, and 28 (10.6%) had average attitudes toward IHD. Additionally, 227 (86.0%) showed positive practices toward lowering their risk of IHD, and 37 (14%) had neutral practices. When the KAP levels of the IHD patient group, which comprised only 35 participants, were assessed, 34 (97.1%) IHD patients were found to have sufficient knowledge of their condition, and 34 (97.1%) had good attitudes. Furthermore, 33 (94.3%) participants showed positive practices toward their condition. Conclusion: The findings at the end of the study showed that the majority of participants who live in residential care centers have sufficient knowledge of and demonstrate positive attitudes and practices toward IHD. However, advanced community-directed IHD prevention programs are recommended for those who live in residential homes, as they are considered a vulnerable group.