Cynthia Arslanian-Engoren1. 1. University of Michigan School of Nursing, 400 N. Ingalls, Room 2176, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA. cmae@umich.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine Black, Hispanic, and White women's knowledge of the symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. DESIGN: Descriptive, nonexperimental design. SETTING: Detroit, Michigan, and San Antonio, Texas, metropolitan areas. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 78 ethnically diverse women. Hispanics (n = 26) were recruited from San Antonio, Texas; Blacks (n = 26) were recruited from Detroit, Michigan; and Whites were recruited from San Antonio, Texas (n = 13), and Detroit, Michigan (n = 13). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants ranked 10 acute symptoms they believed represented a myocardial infarction: anxiety, arms ache, change in thinking, chest pain, cough, fatigue, decreased appetite, headache, indigestion, and shortness of breath. Next, participants assigned a likelihood score for each acute symptom as representing a myocardial infarction. RESULTS: Hispanic women were more likely than Black women to perceive the symptom of headache as indicative of a myocardial infarction. Women older than age 45 were more likely to assign a higher likelihood score to the symptom of shortness of breath than were women age 45 or younger. CONCLUSIONS: Age and ethnic differences were noted in women's perception of the signs and symptoms indicative of a myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE: To examine Black, Hispanic, and White women's knowledge of the symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. DESIGN: Descriptive, nonexperimental design. SETTING: Detroit, Michigan, and San Antonio, Texas, metropolitan areas. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 78 ethnically diverse women. Hispanics (n = 26) were recruited from San Antonio, Texas; Blacks (n = 26) were recruited from Detroit, Michigan; and Whites were recruited from San Antonio, Texas (n = 13), and Detroit, Michigan (n = 13). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants ranked 10 acute symptoms they believed represented a myocardial infarction: anxiety, arms ache, change in thinking, chest pain, cough, fatigue, decreased appetite, headache, indigestion, and shortness of breath. Next, participants assigned a likelihood score for each acute symptom as representing a myocardial infarction. RESULTS: Hispanic women were more likely than Black women to perceive the symptom of headache as indicative of a myocardial infarction. Women older than age 45 were more likely to assign a higher likelihood score to the symptom of shortness of breath than were women age 45 or younger. CONCLUSIONS: Age and ethnic differences were noted in women's perception of the signs and symptoms indicative of a myocardial infarction.
Authors: Jean C McSweeney; Mario A Cleves; Weizhi Zhao; Leanne L Lefler; Shengping Yang Journal: J Cardiovasc Nurs Date: 2010 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 2.083
Authors: Jean C McSweeney; Patricia O'Sullivan; Mario A Cleves; Leanne L Lefler; Marisue Cody; Debra K Moser; Kelly Dunn; Margaret Kovacs; Patricia B Crane; Lois Ramer; Patricia R Messmer; Bonnie J Garvin; Weizhi Zhao Journal: Am J Crit Care Date: 2010-01 Impact factor: 2.228