Perceived risk of heart attack: a function of gender?
OBJECTIVE
The influence of gender on women's risk beliefs for heart attack.


OBJECTIVE
To inform healthcare providers how women's beliefs and attitudes contribute to treatment-seeking delay in the event of a heart attack, and to establish the importance of risk beliefs in women.


METHODS
Published literature in MEDLINE and CINAHL computerized databases, reference lists of obtained articles.


CONCLUSIONS
Women's perceived risk beliefs for heart attack are influenced by the effects of media, cultural, and gender roles and the modeling of bias in health care. There is a need for healthcare providers to change their focus from acting on (etic) a patient to interacting within (emic) the belief systems of their patients to optimize positive outcomes.
University of Arkansasfor Medical Sciences, College of Nursing, Little Rock, AR, USA. LeflerLeanne@uams.edu
Leanne L
LL
Lefler
D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008402:Mass Media; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011287:Prejudice; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*