title: Testing a model of delayed care-seeking for acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: A theory-testing approach to the study of delay in seeking treatment for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was performed using a descriptive design with 135 AMI patients. Participants provided information pertaining to history of AMI, symptom congruence, responses to symptoms, cardiac symptom attribution, and AMI care-seeking delay. Structural equation modeling fit indices suggested that the independent predictors of AMI care-seeking delay were cardiac symptom attribution and emotion-focused coping. History of AMI had a direct relationship with AMI care-seeking delay, but its total effect through symptom attribution and symptom congruence was not significant. The total effect of symptom congruence on AMI care-seeking delay was significant. In conclusion, the study findings highlight the importance of targeting cardiac symptom attribution and emotion-focused coping in interventions that are aimed at reducing AMI care-seeking delay.
authors.affiliation: University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. sfox@uwindsor.ca
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Fox-Wasylyshyn
authors.forename: Maher
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Masri
authors.forename: Nancy T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Artinian
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies