title: The impact of the intensity of fear on patient's delay regarding health care seeking behavior: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This systematic review focuses on the role of the intensity of fear in patient's delay in cancer and in myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a search of literature published between 1990 and June 2009, 161 articles were found. After the use of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 11 articles in cancer and 4 articles in myocardial infarction remained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High levels of fear are associated with earlier help-seeking in both diseases; for low levels of fear, the picture is unclear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The level of fear is an important factor, which should be taken into account when facilitating help-seeking by patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Education, University of Presov, Presov, Slovakia. dubayovat@unipo.sk
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dubayova
authors.forename: Jitse P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.forename: Iveta
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nagyova
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosenberger
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Havlikova
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gdovinova
authors.forename: Berrie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Middel
authors.forename: Johan W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Groothoff
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*
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