Illness attribution among Japanese patients with acute myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to describe causal attribution of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Japanese patients.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study design was used.


METHODS
The setting for this study was 5 hospitals in urban areas in Japan.


METHODS
A convenience sample of 155 patients admitted with AMI was used.


METHODS
Causal attribution was assessed by a semi-structured interview. Known risk factors were assessed by medical record review and patient interview.


RESULTS
Twenty-two different primary causes for AMI were identified. Patients most commonly cited smoking, stress, and diet as risk factors. Except for smoking, Japanese patients did not identify their cardiac risk factors as a cause of their AMI. Controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, patients with a recorded history of coronary heart disease were significantly less likely to attribute their cardiac risk factors to their AMI (P <.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Effective education and counseling of patients after an AMI must be coupled with their view of what factors put them at risk for future AMIs.
Fukuoka
Yoshimi
Y
School of Nursing, University of California San Francisco, 94143-0604, USA.
Dracup
Kathleen
K
Kobayashi
Fumio
F
Ohno
Miyoshi
M
Froelicher
Erika Sivarajan
ES
Hirayama
Haruo
H
D000208:Acute Disease / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015984:Causality; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012803:Sick Role