PURPOSE
This comparative descriptive study was to identify gender differences in delay seeking treatment and related experiences in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
METHODS
Ninety-seven participants were recruited from a tertiary hospital.
RESULTS
Mean age of 47 women was 71.5±13.3 while that of men was 55.0±10.9 (p<.001). More women lived alone and were jobless, less educated, and poorer than men. Men were likely to be 'current smokers' and drink alcohol, however viewed themselves healthier than women (p=.030). Women's hospital stay was 9.23±21.04 days while men's was 4.86±2.72 days (p=.014). More women had been diagnosed with hypertension (p=.040). Women appeared to report significantly less pain (6.46±3.1) than men (8.44±1.8). More men described their pain as sudden onset (p=.015) and chest pain as major symptom (p=.034) than women. More women were found alone upon onset of symptoms (p=.023) and had important reasons for delay seeking treatment (p=.021) than men. Median time from onset of symptoms to seeking medical service was 1.5 hours for men and 5.1 hours for women (p=.003). Median time taken from onset of symptoms to hospital for therapy was 3.5 hours for men and 9.1 hours for women (p=.019).
CONCLUSION
This study findings that women reported less pain and delayed in seeking treatment, suggest needs for strategies targeting women at risk of AMI.

Citations

• Predictors of anticipated coping behavior at myocardial infarction symptom onset among a nationwide sample of Korean adults
  Kyong Sil Park
  Epidemiology and Health.2021; 43: e2021006.     CrossRef
• Blood Pressure Awareness and Knowledge of Cardio-Cerebrovascular Diseases in South Korean Women with Hypertension
  Yeo Won Jeong
  Healthcare.2021; 9(3): 360.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
This study was designed to identify meaningful themes related to the recognition of lifestyle risk factors and barriers in seeking treatment following an acute event of first-time acute myocardial infarction.
METHODS
A methodological mixed method of thematic content analysis and a quantitative analysis was used. The sample consisted of 120 male patients < 65 years of age who agreed to be in the study were interviewed using a semi-structured during 2008-2009. Data were analyzed according to the procedure of thematic content analysis and the meaningful themes were coded into SPSS data for quantitative analysis.
RESULTS
Pre-hospital delay greater than three hours reported by 58.3% (n=70) of the sample and similarly 63.3% had no recognition about their symptoms as cardiac in origin. The mean number of risk factors was 3.9+/-1.8 out of 11 when lifestyle and psychosocial factors were included. From the interview data among the 70 patients delayed greater than three hours, thirty-five themes categorized into 12 main themes influenced the delayed decision which was identified according to personal-cognitive, socio-cultural, and contextual factors.
CONCLUSION
Health care providers should consider these themes in designing individual interventions to make lifestyle changes and to facilitate more prompt decisions to seek care.