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- Henriksson, Catrin, 1961-
(författare)
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Coronary Heart Disease and Early Decision Making, from Symptoms to Seeking Care : Studies with Focus on Pre-hospital Delay in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients
- 2011
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Despite several investigations and interventions aimed at decreasing the time from symptom onset to medical care seeking in acute myocardial infarction patients, the delay time is still too long for best treatment outcomes. In this thesis, investigations aimed at improving our understanding of the factors influencing delay time are evaluated, as well as attitudes to medical care seeking in patients, relatives and the general public. Additionally, an evaluation was performed to examine whether health-related quality of life had any influence on delay time and re-admissions. Participating patients, relatives and representatives of the general public were generally knowledgeable about acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and its symptomatology. The majority of participants knew about the importance of receiving fast treatment when an AMI occurs. Despite people’s knowledge, several patients and relatives felt uncertain of symptom origin and how to act at symptom onset. Patients commonly consulted an additional person when symptoms did not disappear. However, people appeared to act more appropriately if someone else had chest pain compared to self-experienced symptoms. In patients who had suffered from more than one AMI, poor total health status increased the risk of delaying for more than two hours, but no independent association was found between total health status and re-admissions within the first year post-AMI.
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| 2. |
- Henriksson, Catrin, et al.
(författare)
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Influence of health related quality of life on time from symptom onset to hospital arrival and the risk of readmission in patients with myocardial infarction
- 2014
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Ingår i: Open heart. - : BMJ. - 2053-3624. ; 1:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Despite increased awareness of the importance of early treatment in acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the delay from symptom onset to hospital arrival is still too long and rehospitalisations are frequent. Little is known about how health-related quality of life (HRQL) affects delay time and the frequency of readmissions. METHOD: We used quality registers to investigate whether patients' HRQL has any impact on delay time with a new AMI, and on the rate of readmissions during the first year. Patients with AMI <75 years, with HRQL assessed with EQ-5D at 1-year follow-up, and who thereafter had a new AMI registered, were evaluated for the correlation between HRQL and delay time (n=454). The association between HRQL and readmissions was evaluated among those who had an additional AMI and a new 1-year follow-up registration (n=216). RESULTS: Patients who reported poor total health status (EQ-VAS ≤50), compared to those who reported EQ-VAS 81-100, had tripled risk to delay ≥2 h from symptom onset to hospital arrival (adjusted OR 3.01, 95% CI 1.43 to 6.34). Patients scoring EQ-VAS ≤50 had also a higher risk of readmissions in the univariate analysis (OR 3.08, 95% CI 1.71 to 5.53). However, the correlation did not remain significant after adjustment (OR 1.99, 95% CI 0.90 to 4.38). EQ-index was not independently associated with delay time or readmissions. CONCLUSIONS: Aspects of total health status post-AMI were independently associated with delay time to hospital arrival in case of a new AMI. However, the influence of total health status on the risk of readmissions was less clear.
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| 3. |
- Henriksson, Catrin, et al.
(författare)
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Knowledge about Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) and attitudes to medical care seeking : a comparison between patients and the general public
- 2012
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Ingår i: Open Journal of Nursing. - : Scientific Research Publishing, Inc.. - 2162-5336 .- 2162-5344. ; 2:4, s. 372-378
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Patients with acute myocardial infarction often have long decision times before seeking medical care. The decision time is influenced by knowledge of AMI-symptoms, psychological factors and the response of people near the patient to the symptoms.Aim:To investigate and compare the knowledge of AMI, intended actions in response to AMI-symptoms and attitudes toward seeking medical care of patients and the general public. Method: This was a multicentre study with descriptive and comparative design, using questionnaires as an instrument. The population consisted of AMI-patients and representatives of the general public.Results: There was good knowledge about typical AMI-symptoms among the participants. The majority thought an AMI always starts suddenly. Patients did not know more about the time-dependency of treatment outcome than the general public. A greater proportion of the general public would contact an additional person before consulting medical professionals.Conclusions: Patients had no better knowledge about AMI than the general public, but would more commonly act appropriately in case of AMI-symptoms.
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| 4. |
- Henriksson, Catrin, et al.
(författare)
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Knowledge and attitudes toward seeking medical care for AMI-symptoms
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Cardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-5273 .- 1874-1754. ; 147:2, s. 224-227
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Time is crucial when an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) occurs, but patients often wait before seeking medical care. Aim: To investigate and compare patients' and relatives' knowledge of AMI, attitudes toward seeking medical care, and intended behaviour if AMI-symptoms occur. Methods: The present study was a descriptive, multicentre study. Participants were AMI-patients <= 75 years (n = 364) and relatives to AMI-patients (n = 319). Questionnaires were used to explore the participants' knowledge of AMI and attitudes toward seeking medical care. Results: Both patients and relatives appeared to act more appropriate to someone else's chest pain than to their own. Patients did not have better knowledge of AMI-symptoms than relatives. Women would more often contact someone else before seeking medical care. A greater percentage of elderly (65-75 years), compared to younger individuals, reported that they would call for an ambulance if chest pain occurred. Conclusions: There were only minor differences between patients and relatives, regarding both knowledge and attitudes. It seems easier to act correctly as a bystander than as a patient. Therefore, in order to decrease patients' delay time it is important to educate relatives as well as patients on how to respond to symptoms of an AMI.
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