Patients' Understanding of their Heart Attack and the Impact of Exposure to a Media Campaign on Pre-Hospital Time

Shrikar R. Tummala; Ahmad Farshid

doi:10.1016/j.hlc.2014.07.063

Patients' Understanding of their Heart Attack and the Impact of Exposure to a Media Campaign on Pre-Hospital Time

Shrikar R. Tummala, Ahmad Farshid^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have a limited understanding of AMI symptoms and risk factors. This can lead to delays in the recognition of an AMI and hospital presentation. We aimed to assess patients' understanding of their AMI symptoms and risk factors and also assess the impact of exposure to a media campaign on their pre-hospital time. Methods: We surveyed 100 AMI patients admitted to the Canberra Hospital. We asked them about their AMI symptoms and risk factors and the impact of the National Heart Foundation (NHF) advertisements on their AMI experience. Results: Only 26% of patients recognised that they were having an AMI. In 34% of cases, an ambulance was called. There was no significant difference in the median pre-hospital time between patients who encountered the NHF advertisements and those who had not (133. minutes vs. 137. minutes, p. = 0.809). Only 22% of patients could identify all of their personal AMI risk factors. Conclusions: Most AMI patients do not initially recognise their condition nor do they call for an ambulance. Exposure to the NHF advertisements had no significant influence on reducing pre-hospital time in this cohort. Most patients have a limited understanding of AMI risk factors and causes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	4-10
Number of pages	7
Journal	Heart Lung and Circulation
Volume	24
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlc.2014.07.063
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2015

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10.1016/j.hlc.2014.07.063

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title = "Patients' Understanding of their Heart Attack and the Impact of Exposure to a Media Campaign on Pre-Hospital Time",

abstract = "Background: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have a limited understanding of AMI symptoms and risk factors. This can lead to delays in the recognition of an AMI and hospital presentation. We aimed to assess patients' understanding of their AMI symptoms and risk factors and also assess the impact of exposure to a media campaign on their pre-hospital time. Methods: We surveyed 100 AMI patients admitted to the Canberra Hospital. We asked them about their AMI symptoms and risk factors and the impact of the National Heart Foundation (NHF) advertisements on their AMI experience. Results: Only 26% of patients recognised that they were having an AMI. In 34% of cases, an ambulance was called. There was no significant difference in the median pre-hospital time between patients who encountered the NHF advertisements and those who had not (133. minutes vs. 137. minutes, p. = 0.809). Only 22% of patients could identify all of their personal AMI risk factors. Conclusions: Most AMI patients do not initially recognise their condition nor do they call for an ambulance. Exposure to the NHF advertisements had no significant influence on reducing pre-hospital time in this cohort. Most patients have a limited understanding of AMI risk factors and causes.",

keywords = "Acute myocardial infarction, Ambulance transport, Media campaign, National Heart Foundation, Pre-hospital time, Risk factors",

author = "Tummala, {Shrikar R.} and Ahmad Farshid",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2014 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ).",

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N2 - Background: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have a limited understanding of AMI symptoms and risk factors. This can lead to delays in the recognition of an AMI and hospital presentation. We aimed to assess patients' understanding of their AMI symptoms and risk factors and also assess the impact of exposure to a media campaign on their pre-hospital time. Methods: We surveyed 100 AMI patients admitted to the Canberra Hospital. We asked them about their AMI symptoms and risk factors and the impact of the National Heart Foundation (NHF) advertisements on their AMI experience. Results: Only 26% of patients recognised that they were having an AMI. In 34% of cases, an ambulance was called. There was no significant difference in the median pre-hospital time between patients who encountered the NHF advertisements and those who had not (133. minutes vs. 137. minutes, p. = 0.809). Only 22% of patients could identify all of their personal AMI risk factors. Conclusions: Most AMI patients do not initially recognise their condition nor do they call for an ambulance. Exposure to the NHF advertisements had no significant influence on reducing pre-hospital time in this cohort. Most patients have a limited understanding of AMI risk factors and causes.

AB - Background: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have a limited understanding of AMI symptoms and risk factors. This can lead to delays in the recognition of an AMI and hospital presentation. We aimed to assess patients' understanding of their AMI symptoms and risk factors and also assess the impact of exposure to a media campaign on their pre-hospital time. Methods: We surveyed 100 AMI patients admitted to the Canberra Hospital. We asked them about their AMI symptoms and risk factors and the impact of the National Heart Foundation (NHF) advertisements on their AMI experience. Results: Only 26% of patients recognised that they were having an AMI. In 34% of cases, an ambulance was called. There was no significant difference in the median pre-hospital time between patients who encountered the NHF advertisements and those who had not (133. minutes vs. 137. minutes, p. = 0.809). Only 22% of patients could identify all of their personal AMI risk factors. Conclusions: Most AMI patients do not initially recognise their condition nor do they call for an ambulance. Exposure to the NHF advertisements had no significant influence on reducing pre-hospital time in this cohort. Most patients have a limited understanding of AMI risk factors and causes.

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Patients' Understanding of their Heart Attack and the Impact of Exposure to a Media Campaign on Pre-Hospital Time

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