BACKGROUND: Delay in seeking timely medical care by patients with acute coronary syndrome and stroke has been well established in the literature, but less is known about delay in care-seeking behavior by patients with heart failure (HF). The purpose of this narrative review was to synthesize the literature regarding non-symptom-related factors that contribute to delay in seeking medical care for HF symptoms. METHODS AND RESULTS: A literature search of Scopus, Medline, and Pubmed was conducted for published articles from database inception to July 2009. Available evidence has shown that non-symptom-related factors, such as HF severity, HF history, age, and ethnocultural background, were related to delay in certain studies; however, null results have also been reported. Other non-symptom-related factors, such as male gender, initial contact with a primary care physician, arriving in the emergency department by means other than ambulance, and patient responses such as self-care, low anxiety, and hopelessness, may play a role in longer delay. CONCLUSIONS: Although this review identified several non-symptom-related factors that may be implicated in care-seeking delay, health care professionals should be vigilant in identifying all high-risk individuals and educating them about warning signs of HF. Moreover, access to outpatient chronic disease management programs that may have potential to reduce care-seeking delay behavior should be explored.
BACKGROUND: Delay in seeking timely medical care by patients with acute coronary syndrome and stroke has been well established in the literature, but less is known about delay in care-seeking behavior by patients with heart failure (HF). The purpose of this narrative review was to synthesize the literature regarding non-symptom-related factors that contribute to delay in seeking medical care for HF symptoms. METHODS AND RESULTS: A literature search of Scopus, Medline, and Pubmed was conducted for published articles from database inception to July 2009. Available evidence has shown that non-symptom-related factors, such as HF severity, HF history, age, and ethnocultural background, were related to delay in certain studies; however, null results have also been reported. Other non-symptom-related factors, such as male gender, initial contact with a primary care physician, arriving in the emergency department by means other than ambulance, and patient responses such as self-care, low anxiety, and hopelessness, may play a role in longer delay. CONCLUSIONS: Although this review identified several non-symptom-related factors that may be implicated in care-seeking delay, health care professionals should be vigilant in identifying all high-risk individuals and educating them about warning signs of HF. Moreover, access to outpatient chronic disease management programs that may have potential to reduce care-seeking delay behavior should be explored.
Authors: D C Goff; H A Feldman; P G McGovern; R J Goldberg; D G Simons-Morton; C E Cornell; S K Osganian; L S Cooper; J R Hedges Journal: Am Heart J Date: 1999-12 Impact factor: 4.749
Authors: Debra K Moser; Laura P Kimble; Mark J Alberts; Angelo Alonzo; Janet B Croft; Kathleen Dracup; Kelly R Evenson; Alan S Go; Mary M Hand; Rashmi U Kothari; George A Mensah; Dexter L Morris; Arthur M Pancioli; Barbara Riegel; Julie Johnson Zerwic Journal: J Cardiovasc Nurs Date: 2007 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 2.083
Authors: Chad Darling; Jane S Saczynski; David D McManus; Darleen Lessard; Frederick A Spencer; Robert J Goldberg Journal: Heart Lung Date: 2013-03-06 Impact factor: 2.210