The 'Heart Attack Survival Kit' project: an intervention designed to increase seniors' intentions to respond appropriately to symptoms of acute myocardial infarction.
The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a 'Heart Attack Survival Kit', disseminated via two different delivery methods, designed to increase seniors' intentions to call 911 and take an aspirin in response to a cardiac emergency. Twelve-hundred seniors were randomly assigned to (1) receiving a Kit via a home visit by an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), (2) receiving a Kit via direct mail or (3) a control group. All participants were telephoned and asked how they would respond to a cardiac emergency. Results showed that respondents in the intervention group (EMT and direct mail group combined) reported a greater frequency of the recommended coping response to AMI (39%) than respondents in the control group (10%) (P < 0.000). Within intervention groups, 47% in the EMT group and 30% in the direct mail group (P < 0.000) reported intentions to take the appropriate response to AMI. The results suggest that a Heart Attack Survival Kit, especially when delivered door-to-door by EMTs, can be an effective way of educating seniors about cardiac emergencies.
Meischke
H
H
Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle 98195-6123, USA.
Eisenberg
M
M
Schaeffer
S
S
Henwood
D K
DK
D000368:Aged; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction; D016017:Odds Ratio; D013664:Teaching Materials; D014861:Washington