Poster Presentation
Thursday, July 12, 2007
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Thursday, July 12, 2007
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Women's Treatment-Seeking Behavior For Acute Myocardial Infarction: Knowledge Or Perception
Hanem F. Mohamed, PhD(c), MSN, RN1, Faye A. Gary, EdD, RN, FAAN1, Diana L. Morris, PhD, RN, FAAN2, Marilyn "Lynn" J. Lotas, RN, PhD1, Mark Carlson, MD3, and Hossein Yarandi4. (1) Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA, (2) Frances Payne Bolton Shool of Nursing, Case Western Reserve Unviersity, Cleveland, OH, USA, (3) Cardiology, School of Medicin, Celeveland, OH, USA, (4) Center for Health Research, Wayne State University, Celeveland, OH, USA
| Learning Objective #1: Identidy women's treatment-Seeking behavior for symptoms of Acute Myocardial Infarction |
| Learning Objective #2: Assess women's knowldge of symptoms of AMI and explain how women perceive their symptoms seriousness |
Thirty-eight percent of women who have an AMI will die within one year (AHA, 2003). This staggering mortality rate may in part be due to the age of women who have an AMI. It may also be due to women’s response for early symptoms of an AMI. Many of women do not recognize heart disease as a major killer, are unaware of risk factors and symptoms, and perceive them as being less serious. As a result, women may engage in other treatment seeking behaviors prior to accessing medical care, which may account for poorer outcomes. The study purposes are to assess women's knowledge of AMI risk factors and symptoms, to understand how women percieve their symptoms seriousness, and how their perception affect their treatment-seeking behavior and access to health care. Leventhals’ Self-Regulation Theory is used to guide this study. The theory describes the mental and emotional processes that an individual uses to evaluate changes in body sensations and determine the coping process to solve health-threatening problems. A convenience sample of 120 adult women who have had a first time AMI will be recruited when they are physiologically stable and within 2-5 days post MI. A correlational cross-sectional design and path analysis will answer the following questions: (1) To what extent do women have knowledge of AMI risk factors and symptoms? (2) What are the relationships between knowledge of AMI risk factors and symptoms, perception of symptoms seriousness and treatment-seeking behavior in women with first time AMI? Prior to hospital discharge women will be interviewed using the knowledge of AMI risk factors and symptoms questionnaires developed from the American Heart Association, Response To Symptoms Questionnaire, Profile of Mood State, and review of medical records.