The study findings revealed that the mean age of the participants was 35.41 years which ranging from 20-70 years. This finding nearly similar with a study conducted in Buea, Cameroon. The predominance of young and middle-aged adults in community-based surveys may reflect the age group that is more socially and economically active and therefore more accessible during data collection [15]. Regarding gender, 63.4% of the participants were female, while 36.6% were male. This female predominance differs from several previous studies conducted in Bangladesh and other countries, where male participants constituted the majority (17; 18). The higher proportion of women in the present study may be attributed to the community-based data collection process, as women, particularly housewives, were more likely to be available at home during the survey period.

The majority (92.0%) of the participants were Muslims, whereas only 8.0% were Hindus. This finding reflects the religious composition of Bangladesh, where Islam is the predominant religion, and is consistent with national demographic statistics and previous community-based studies conducted in Bangladesh [9, 10]. Most participants (86.6%) were married. Similar findings have been reported in community-based studies from Bangladesh, where married adults constituted the majority of the study population [10]. The high proportion of married participants may be explained by the inclusion of adults from established households within the selected communities.

With regard to educational status, 39.3% of the participants had completed higher secondary education or above, followed by 30.4% with secondary education. This educational profile is comparable to previous studies conducted in Jordan and among immigrant communities, where a considerable proportion of participants had completed secondary or higher education [11, 16]. Educational attainment is recognized as an important determinant of health literacy and may influence awareness and adoption of healthy behaviors related to cardiovascular disease prevention. In terms of occupation, nearly half (44.6%) of the participants were housewives, followed by service holders (33.9%). This occupational distribution is expected in community-based studies conducted in Bangladesh, where women are commonly engaged in household responsibilities rather than formal employment [19]. The predominance of housewives may also explain the higher proportion of female participants, as they were more readily available for interviews during daytime data collection.

The mean monthly family income was BDT 20,812.50 ± 9,706.99, indicating that most participants belonged to the middle-income group. This finding is consistent with the socioeconomic profile reported in previous Bangladeshi studies, which identified income as an important determinant of health-seeking behavior and the utilization of preventive healthcare services [10, 19]. The present study also found that 63.4% of the participants had no family history of cardiovascular disease, whereas 36.6% reported a positive family history. Similar observations were reported by Aminde et al. (2017), who found that many community members had no known family history of cardiovascular disease. However, the absence of a reported family history does not necessarily indicate a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, as many individuals may be unaware of their family members' medical conditions or may have undiagnosed cardiovascular risk factors [15].

The present study demonstrated that community people had a moderate level of awareness regarding cardiovascular disease (CVD), as (62.5%) of the participants answered awareness question correctly. with a mean awareness score of 11.66 ± 2.92 out of a possible 20. This shows the lack of awareness among community people in Bangladesh. This research findings were similar with other study conducted in general population and university students and opposite from previous study had poor awareness and other have high awareness regarding cardiovascular diseases [15; 11; 20]. In this study among the participant’s more than fifty participants know that cardiovascular diseases are group of disorders of the heart and circulatory system and 76% knows that CVD are non-communicable disease which was consistent with previous study conducted in Jordan [11]. Although more than half of the participants answered most awareness questions correctly, considerable knowledge gaps remained regarding specific types of CVD, risk factors, and emergency management. These findings suggest that awareness of cardiovascular disease among community people in Bangladesh remains suboptimal. Similar levels of awareness have been reported in community-based studies conducted in Cameroon and Jordan, where participants demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of common cardiovascular risk factors but had limited understanding of disease classification and prevention [11, 15]. However, the present findings are lower than those reported among urban populations with higher educational attainment, where overall cardiovascular health awareness was considerably better [20].

The present study found that 58.0% of participants correctly identified cardiovascular disease as a group of disorders affecting the heart and circulatory system. Similarly, 55.4% recognized coronary heart disease as a type of CVD. However, awareness of less common cardiovascular conditions was poor; only 31.3% correctly identified deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism as cardiovascular diseases, and only 25.9% recognized rheumatic heart disease as a form of CVD. Comparable findings were reported by Mukattash et al. (2012), who observed that participants were generally familiar with common cardiovascular diseases but had limited knowledge of less frequently discussed conditions. This discrepancy may reflect the greater emphasis placed on coronary heart disease in public health campaigns compared with other cardiovascular disorders [11].

Regarding cardiovascular risk factors, the majority of participants correctly recognized stress (83.9%), raised blood pressure (78.6%), unhealthy diet (73.2%), high cholesterol (71.4%), and smoking (67.0%) as important contributors to cardiovascular disease. These findings are consistent with previous studies conducted in Cameroon and Jordan, which also identified hypertension, smoking, unhealthy diet, and psychological stress as the most commonly recognized cardiovascular risk factors [11, 15]. The relatively high level of awareness of these risk factors may be attributed to increased dissemination of health information through healthcare providers, television, social media, and other public health campaigns. In the present study majority of the participants had low level of awareness regarding the following item of awareness related questionnaire – diabetes mellitus, physical inactivity and positive family history. This result is consistent with other study conducted in Jordan [11].  

In contrast, awareness regarding several important modifiable risk factors remained inadequate. Less than half of the participants correctly identified diabetes mellitus (49.1%), physical inactivity (47.3%), and a positive family history of cardiovascular disease (43.8%) as risk factors. Furthermore, only 33.9% recognized inadequate consumption of fruits and green leafy vegetables as contributing to cardiovascular disease. Similar deficiencies have been reported in previous studies conducted in Jordan and Cameroon, where participants demonstrated limited understanding of diabetes, family history, and sedentary lifestyle as cardiovascular risk factors [11, 15]. These findings indicate that health education programs should place greater emphasis on these less well-recognized but clinically important risk factors.

With respect to the recognition of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction, 71.4% of participants correctly identified chest, arm, or shoulder pain as a symptom of heart attack, while 49.1% recognized shortness of breath as a warning sign. These findings are broadly consistent with previous studies conducted in Jordan and Pakistan, where chest pain was the most frequently recognized symptom, whereas awareness of atypical symptoms was considerably lower [11, 21]. Adequate recognition of warning symptoms is essential because delayed identification often contributes to postponed healthcare seeking and poorer clinical outcomes.

The present study also found that 81.3% of participants understood that intermittent chest pain requires urgent medical attention. However, 51.8% incorrectly believed that the timing of treatment is not important in acute myocardial infarction. This finding highlights a significant knowledge gap regarding the importance of early reperfusion therapy and the concept that "time is muscle." Similar misconceptions have been reported in previous community-based studies, where delays in seeking medical care were associated with limited public awareness of the urgency of myocardial infarction treatment [21, 15]. Improving public knowledge about the need for immediate medical attention after the onset of heart attack symptoms should therefore be a priority for cardiovascular health promotion programs in Bangladesh. Overall, the findings indicate that although community people possess reasonable knowledge of common cardiovascular diseases and several major risk factors, substantial deficiencies remain regarding specific cardiovascular conditions, modifiable risk factors, and emergency management of acute myocardial infarction. Strengthening community-based health education through primary healthcare services, mass media campaigns, and targeted awareness programs may improve cardiovascular health literacy and promote early recognition and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

The present study found that community people demonstrated a moderate level of cardiovascular disease (CVD) preventive practice, with a mean preventive practice score of 2.18 ± 0.38 out of a maximum score of 4. This finding indicates that although participants adopted some healthy behaviors, overall adherence to recommended preventive practices was insufficient. Similar findings have been reported in Ethiopia and Malaysia, where participants demonstrated moderate levels of cardiovascular disease prevention practices despite having reasonable knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors [22, 23]. These findings suggest that awareness alone may not always translate into healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Regular physical activity is one of the most effective strategies for preventing cardiovascular disease. However, the present study revealed that 80.4% of participants never performed physical exercise three to five days per week. This finding is consistent with previous studies conducted in Nigeria and Ethiopia, which reported low levels of regular physical activity among community populations ([20, 22]. A sedentary lifestyle remains an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and may be influenced by limited awareness, lack of motivation, occupational demands, insufficient recreational facilities, and cultural practices. Public health interventions promoting regular exercise should therefore be strengthened at the community level. These indicate that participants had no desire to engage in exercise.

Regarding dietary practices, 63.4% of participants reported that they never avoided fatty foods, indicating poor adherence to dietary recommendations for cardiovascular disease prevention. In contrast, encouraging findings were observed for other healthy dietary behaviors, with 43.8% of participants always consuming green leafy vegetables and fruits and 42.0% consistently avoiding excessive salt intake. These findings partially agree with previous studies, which demonstrated that although many individuals recognize the importance of a healthy diet, adherence to dietary recommendations remains inconsistent [22, 23]. Differences in dietary practices may be related to food preferences, affordability, cultural habits, and limited nutritional counseling.

The present study also found that 82.1% of participants reported never smoking, indicating a relatively favorable preventive behavior. This finding contrasts with studies from Nigeria, where tobacco use was more common among adults [18]. The low prevalence of smoking observed in this study may reflect the higher proportion of female participants, cultural norms discouraging tobacco use among women, and increasing public awareness regarding the harmful effects of smoking through national tobacco control initiatives.

Routine health screening practices were generally poor among the participants. More than half (50.9%) had never undergone blood glucose testing, while 80.4% had never checked their cholesterol level. Furthermore, approximately one-third rarely monitored their blood pressure or body weight, and only a small proportion regularly consulted healthcare providers. These findings are comparable to those reported by Oguoma et al. (2014), who observed inadequate utilization of preventive health services in rural communities. Limited access to healthcare facilities, financial constraints, insufficient awareness regarding routine screening, and the absence of symptoms may contribute to poor participation in preventive health examinations.

Regular consultation with healthcare professionals plays an important role in the early detection and management of cardiovascular risk factors. In the present study, only 9.8% of participants reported always consulting healthcare providers, while 38.4% rarely sought professional advice. Similar findings have been reported in developing countries, where preventive healthcare utilization remains low because of limited accessibility, financial barriers, and inadequate health education [22]. Strengthening primary healthcare services and promoting regular health check-ups may improve preventive behaviors and facilitate early identification of cardiovascular risk factors.

The present study examined the relationship between selected socio-demographic characteristics, awareness, and preventive practices regarding cardiovascular disease (CVD) among community people. The findings revealed that educational level, occupation, monthly family income, and awareness of cardiovascular disease were significantly associated with preventive practice, whereas age, gender, religion, marital status, and family history of cardiovascular disease were not significantly associated.

Educational status showed a statistically significant association with preventive practice (F = 5.17, p = .002). Participants who had completed higher secondary education or above demonstrated better preventive practices than those with lower educational attainment. This finding is consistent with the study by Workina et al. (2022), which reported that individuals with higher educational levels were more likely to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors and engage in cardiovascular disease prevention. Higher educational attainment may improve health literacy, increase access to health information, and enhance individuals' ability to understand and implement preventive recommendations. Similarly, Mukattash et al. (2012) reported that education was positively associated with knowledge and health-related behaviors concerning cardiovascular disease.

Occupation was also significantly associated with preventive practice (F = 4.39, p = .006). Service holders achieved the highest preventive practice scores, whereas day laborers had the lowest scores. This finding is comparable to previous studies indicating that occupational status influences health-related behaviors through differences in education, socioeconomic status, working conditions, and access to healthcare services [22]. Individuals employed in formal sectors may have greater exposure to health education, workplace wellness programs, and financial resources that facilitate healthier lifestyle choices.

Monthly family income demonstrated a significant positive correlation with preventive practice (r = .35, p < .001). Participants with higher household incomes reported better cardiovascular disease preventive practices than those with lower incomes. This finding agrees with previous research showing that socioeconomic status plays an important role in adopting healthy behaviors and utilizing preventive healthcare services [19, 22]. Higher income enables individuals to purchase healthier foods, participate in regular medical check-ups, afford diagnostic screening, and access healthcare services more easily than lower-income populations.

The present study further demonstrated a significant positive relationship between awareness and preventive practice (r = .31, p = .001), indicating that participants with greater awareness of cardiovascular disease were more likely to engage in preventive behaviors. This finding supports the concept that health knowledge contributes to positive behavioral change by improving individuals' understanding of disease risk factors and encouraging healthy lifestyle practices. Similar findings have been reported by Workina et al. (2022), who observed that greater knowledge of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors was associated with better preventive practices among diabetic patients. Increased awareness may enhance motivation, improve self-efficacy, and promote adherence to recommended lifestyle modifications for cardiovascular disease prevention [22]. In contrast, no statistically significant relationships were observed between preventive practice and age (p = .08), gender (p = .308), religion (p = .17), marital status (p = .65), or family history of cardiovascular disease (p = .78). These findings suggest that preventive behaviors were relatively similar across these demographic groups within the study population. Similar observations have been reported in several community-based studies, where demographic characteristics alone were insufficient predictors of preventive health behaviors after considering educational and socioeconomic factors [15, 18]. This may indicate that health education and access to preventive resources have a greater influence on cardiovascular disease prevention than demographic characteristics alone.

Overall, the findings indicate that socioeconomic and educational factors play an important role in promoting cardiovascular disease preventive practices. Individuals with higher education, stable occupations, higher family income, and better awareness demonstrated significantly healthier preventive behaviors. These results emphasize the importance of strengthening community-based health education programs, improving health literacy, and increasing access to affordable preventive healthcare services, particularly among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Interventions targeting these modifiable determinants may contribute to improved cardiovascular disease prevention and reduced disease burden in Bangladesh.