Reliable and valid assessment of subjective risk perception is a crucial part of cardiovascular
disease (CVD) prevention and rehabilitation. Since the recently developed Attitudes
and Beliefs about Cardiovascular Disease (ABCD) Risk Questionnaire complies with these
requirements, the aim of the present study was to investigate the psychometric properties
of the Hungarian version of the measure.Community-based cross-sectional observational
study PARTICIPANTS: In sum, 410 (M=49.53 years, SD=8.09) Hungarian adults (inclusion
criteria: aged 35 and above, not under treatment with a psychiatric disorder) were
included in the present study (female: n=277, 67.6%; college or university-level education:
n=247, 60.2%).We translated the ABCD Risk Questionnaire into Hungarian and checked
its psychometric properties and validity indices.Internal consistency, explorative
and confirmative factorial validity. Associations with sociodemographic and health-related
characteristics, as well as with measures of mental health (depressive symptoms, perceived
stress and well-being).Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a three-factor
solution, corresponding to the original subscales of Risk Perception, Perceived Benefits
and Healthy Eating Intentions, with a moderate correlation between the latent constructs.
The respondents' level of knowledge on CVD risk factors was largely independent of
their subjective risk perception. The results also provided evidence on the weak-to-medium
associations between mental health indices and CVD-related perceptions. Based on the
results, a shortened scale version was also suggested.This study confirms the factorial
structure, internal consistency and validity of the Hungarian version of the ABCD
Risk Questionnaire in a non-English-speaking community sample. The ABCD Risk Perception
Questionnaire is a parsimonious and psychometrically adequate measure to assess CVD-related
attitudes and knowledge in the general population. Further research is needed in socioeconomically
more diverse and in clinical samples, as well as in longitudinal intervention studies.
