title: The General Public's Awareness of Early Symptoms of and Emergency Responses to Acute Myocardial Infarction and Related Factors in South Korea: A National Public Telephone Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prompt treatment affects prognosis and survival after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) onset. This study evaluated the awareness of early symptoms of AMI and knowledge of appropriate responses on symptom occurrence, along with related factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants' knowledge of the early symptoms of and responses to AMI onset were investigated using a random digit dialing survey. We included 9600 residents of 16 metropolitan cities and provinces in Korea.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportions of respondents who were aware of early symptoms of AMI ranged from 32.9% (arm or shoulder pain) to 79.1% (chest pain and discomfort). Of the respondents, 67.0% would call an ambulance if someone showed signs of AMI, 88.7% knew ≥1 symptom, 10.9% knew all five symptoms, and 3.1% had excellent knowledge (correct identification of all five AMI symptoms, not answering "Yes" to the trap question, and correctly identifying calling an ambulance as the appropriate response when someone is exhibiting AMI symptoms). The odds ratio (OR) for having excellent knowledge was significantly higher for those who graduated college or higher (OR 3.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-10.76) than for those with less than a primary school education, as well as for subjects with AMI advertisement exposure (OR 1.49; 95% CI, 1.10-2.02) and with knowledge of AMI (OR 1.63; 95% CI, 1.16-2.27). The 60- to 79-year-old group had significantly lower OR for excellent knowledge than the 20- to 39-year-old group (OR 0.53; 95% CI, 0.28-0.99).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Awareness of AMI symptoms and the appropriate action to take after symptom onset in South Korea was poor. Therefore, educational and promotional strategies to increase the overall awareness in the general public, especially in the elderly and those with low education levels, are needed.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University.
authors: Hee-Sook
authors: HS
authors: Kim
authors: HeyJean
authors: H
authors: Lee
authors: KeonYeop
authors: K
authors: Kim
authors: Hyeung-Keun
authors: HK
authors: Park
authors: Ki-Soo
authors: KS
authors: Park
authors: Gil Won
authors: GW
authors: Kang
authors: Hee-Young
authors: HY
authors: Shin
authors: Rock Bum
authors: RB
authors: Kim
authors: Gyung-Jae
authors: GJ
authors: Oh
authors: Jae Hee
authors: JH
authors: Seo
authors: Young-Hoon
authors: YH
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004522:Educational Status; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D055815:Young Adult