The Examination of Factors that Influence Treatment Seeking Delay Among Older Adults Diagnosed with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Early diagnosis and treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can greatly reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition. However, individuals, particularly older adults, delay seeking treatment for AMI symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of factors that influence pre-hospital delay in seeking treatment among older adults diagnosed with AMI. A descriptive, cross-sectional, comparative study design with a correlational component was used. Data were collected from 82 hospitalized older adults (60-80 years of age). For statistical analyses, older adults were divided into two groups. The shorter delay group delayed ¢ 120 minutes from the onset of symptoms (OS) and the longer delay group delayed > 120 minutes. Using the Common Sense Model as a guide, groups were compared on the following variables: internal influences (age, gender, race, history of AMI) and external influences (personal and professional support), cognitive representations of symptoms (symptom interpretation, perceived level of control, seriousness), and emotional representations of symptoms (anxiety and uncertainty). The majority of participants were retired/unemployed (64.6%) White men (82.9%) who were married (73.2%) with a mean age of 69.04 (¤ 5.82) years. The median delay time was 2.6 hours (range 0.5 - 432 hours). Participants experienced on average eight (¤ 3.86) symptoms (typical and atypical) with high levels of pain (M= 7.1 ¤ 3.4) and high state anxiety (M = 56.47 ¤ 10.37) at the time of the AMI. Findings show the only significant independent predictor of delay time was personal support. Being more certain that symptoms were heart related or having a previous AMI resulted in significantly shorter delay time (p <.05). Contacting a healthcare provider was not helpful for these older adults. Findings show factors influencing delay are challenging and complex, yet laypersons play an important role in the decision to seek treatment. Future research should include community-based educational programs focusing on atypical AMI symptoms and ways to increase the activation of emergency medical services soon after the OS.