Testing a model of delayed care-seeking for acute myocardial infarction

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2010

Publication Title

Clinical Nursing Research

Volume

19

Issue

1

Abstract

A theory-testing approach to the study of delay in seeking treatment for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was performed using a descriptive design with 135 AMI patients. Participants provided information pertaining to history of AMI, symptom congruence, responses to symptoms, cardiac symptom attribution, and AMI care-seeking delay. Structural equation modeling fit indices suggested that the independent predictors of AMI care-seeking delay were cardiac symptom attribution and emotion-focused coping. History of AMI had a direct relationship with AMI care-seeking delay, but its total effect through symptom attribution and symptom congruence was not significant. The total effect of symptom congruence on AMI care-seeking delay was significant. In conclusion, the study findings highlight the importance of targeting cardiac symptom attribution and emotion-focused coping in interventions that are aimed at reducing AMI care-seeking delay.

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