Ischaemic Heart Disease–Related Knowledge, Behaviours, and Beliefs of Indo-Canadians and Euro-Canadians: Implications for Physical Therapists

Purpose: To examine knowledge, behaviours, and beliefs related to ischaemic heart disease (IHD) of Indo-Canadians (ICs), thereby helping target health education strategies. Methods: In a cross-sectional descriptive/comparative study, 102 Indian-born Indo-Canadians (ICs) and 102 Canadian-born Euro-Canadians (ECs) completed a standardized questionnaire on IHD knowledge and lifestyle-related behaviours and beliefs. Results: Compared with ECs, ICs were less aware of IHD-risk factors. ICs' lifestyle practices and beliefs were consistent with having less perceived control over health than ECs. ICs reported more stress from various sources and resorted less to exercise for stress relief and more to religious/spiritual activities. Conclusions: In accordance with health belief theory, approaches to educating immigrants from collectivistic cultures such as India to assume responsibility for their personal health may need to be different from those used with ECs, which stress self-management. Such programmes may need to emphasize lifestyle-related health knowledge and beliefs as bases for health behaviour change.