Influence of expectations about symptoms on delay in seeking treatment during myocardial infarction

J A Johnson; K B King

doi:10.4037/ajcc1995.4.1.29

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Influence of expectations about symptoms on delay in seeking treatment during myocardial infarction

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Influence of expectations about symptoms on delay in seeking treatment during myocardial infarction

J A Johnson and K B King

American journal of critical care, Vol.4(1), pp.29-35

01/1995

DOI: 10.4037/ajcc1995.4.1.29

PMID: 7894552

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Abstract

Patients having cardiac symptoms often delay for hours before seeking treatment. Educational programs have had little impact on reducing this delay time. To identify symptoms expected by a patient during a myocardial infarction and to examine whether a discrepancy between expectations and experience influenced delay in seeking treatment. A retrospective, descriptive design was used. The setting was a large northeastern medical center. The convenience sample included 65 patients (mean age, 57; 74% men) after their first myocardial infarction. Data were collected with the Symptom Representation Questionnaire, a semi-structured interview guide that identified subjects' expectations about heart disease, actual symptom experience, and strategies used to manage the experience. The majority of subjects reported that they had expectations about the symptoms of heart disease that focused on location, intensity, associated symptoms, and quality. Expectations did not match the symptom experience of 74% of subjects. Subjects whose expectations did not match their experience delayed significantly longer before seeking treatment than subjects whose expectations did match their experience. Our results indicated that patients have expectations about symptoms of heart disease that may influence their behavior during a myocardial infarction.

Adult

Aged

Aged, 80 and over

Female

Humans

Male

Middle Aged

Myocardial Infarction - physiopathology

Myocardial Infarction - psychology

Patient Acceptance of Health Care

Patient Education as Topic

Retrospective Studies

Self Care

Set (Psychology)

Surveys and Questionnaires

Time Factors

Details

Title: Subtitle: Influence of expectations about symptoms on delay in seeking treatment during myocardial infarction
Creators: J A Johnson - University of Illinois at Chicago
K B King - University of Illinois at Chicago
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: American journal of critical care, Vol.4(1), pp.29-35
DOI: 10.4037/ajcc1995.4.1.29
PMID: 7894552
ISSN: 1062-3264
eISSN: 1937-710X
Grant note: 5 T32 NR007064-02 / NINR NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 01/1995
Academic Unit: Nursing
Record Identifier: 9984370462202771

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