PSYCHOLOGICAL AND KNOWLEDGE FACTORS RELATED TO DELAY OF HELP-SEEKING BY PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

Survival of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and subsequent progno sis are highly dependent on the time between onset of symptoms and med ical intervention. The purpose of this study is to investigate which p sychological and cardiovascular knowledge factors may contribute to th e time the AMI patient takes to decide to seek medical help (patient d elay). Three hundred patients took part in the study. They were interv iewed and filled out several psychological questionnaires. The results show that patients who ask for medical help within half an hour have more cardiovascular knowledge, seek less distraction and more social s upport during the acute phase, compared to patients waiting longer. In general those who call soon appear to have easing thoughts in case of personal difficulties. They also deny their feelings of resentment to a lesser degree and interpret the symptoms of an AMI more often as or iginating in the heart. Future education campaigns should therefore no t only address cardiovascular knowledge, but also coping and defense m echanisms.