Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here): Background: Despite emphasis on establishing cardiovascular health (CVH) early in life with an intergenerational approach, it remains unknown if child health professionals are aware of the American Heart Association (AHA) framework and recommendations.
Methods: Survey design included: 1) Likert scales of AHA CVH framework awareness (Simple 7 (LS7) and/or Life’s Essential 8 (LE8), 2) a knowledge assessment, and 3) introduction of the LE8 framework with mixed methods assessment of perceived attitudes and practice implications. The survey was distributed via professional organizations (American Academy of Pediatrics, Regional Academic Pediatric Association, National Med-Peds Residents Association) to members with a gift card incentive and snowball sampling approach. Response rate (RR) reporting was limited by organizational dissemination with snowball sampling, but was calculated by number of opened surveys (link clicks). Descriptive statistics summarized results.
Results: There were 221 respondents to the awareness items with 169 surveys fully completed (91.7, and 70.1% of opened surveys), from across all US regions (34 states + Puerto Rico), who were mainly senior residents or practicing physicians in general pediatrics or Med-Peds (33±7yrs, 68% female). Most were “not aware at all” of either framework (64.5, 68%, Figure). Mean knowledge score was 40% (3.2/8). While majority (56.1%) reported increased need to clinically address CV risk over time, only 37.3% were comfortable addressing risk/counseling in pediatric practice (most often diet, physical activity). Over half found the framework valuable for pediatric patients and adult caregivers (54.1, 55.2%, Figure) and ~¾ reported that knowledge of it would change their practice, including for patient education, risk stratification, and sub-specialty engagement. Nearly all (92.4%) felt a joint AHA-Pediatrics organization CVH collaboration (e.g., task force, statement) would be valuable.
Conclusions: Most pediatric professionals surveyed reported no awareness of the AHA CVH framework, but valued its utility in working with children and caregivers in practice, highlighting a need for engagement of child health professionals in LE8 dissemination and implementation.