Key result
Only ~37% of surveyed adults recommend emergency services for acute MI symptoms, with recognition varying by ethnicity.
Why the study?
The association of gender and ethnicity with acute myocardial infarction symptom recognition and emergency medical services recommendation was unclear.
Are gender and ethnicity associated with acute myocardial infarction symptom recognition and the recommendation to call emergency medical services among the lay public?
Cross-Sectional (n=976)
No
Are gender and ethnicity associated with acute myocardial infarction symptom recognition and the recommendation to call emergency medical services among the lay public?
Ethnicity, but not gender, significantly impacts the recognition of acute myocardial infarction symptoms and the likelihood of calling emergency services, highlighting the need for culturally tailored health education.
Gender of patient or respondent unrelated to AMI symptom recognition; leaves open whether ethnicity-targeted education improves EMS activation.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To find out if gender and ethnicity are associated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) symptom recognition and the recommendation of enlisting emergency medical services. DESIGN: In an experiment, a random sample of the public was provided a scenario of a person experiencing symptoms of AMI; the gender of the character (male, female, or indeterminate) was manipulated. SETTING: Vancouver, Canada PARTICIPANTS: 976 people from a population based random sample of 3419 people, 40 years of age and older, participated in a telephone survey given in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Punjabi. MAIN RESULTS: 78% of the respondents identified the symptoms as heart related. Unadjusted analyses showed that ethnicity, education, income, and AMI knowledge were significantly associated with symptom recognition (Chinese respondents were least likely to identify the symptoms as heart related). Thirty seven per cent recommended calling emergency services, which was associated with symptom recognition, ethnicity (Chinese respondents were least likely to make the recommendation), AMI knowledge, having an immediate family member with AMI, and having talked with a health professional about the signs and symptoms of AMI. Neither the gender of the respondent nor of the affected person in the scenario was associated with symptom recognition. CONCLUSIONS: Heart health education must be targeted to and tailored for ethnic communities. Health professionals must discuss the signs and symptoms of AMI, and the correct course of action, with their patients.
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Pamela A. Ratner (2006) conducted a cross-sectional in Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (n=976). Respondent ethnicity and gender of the character in the AMI scenario was evaluated on Identification of symptoms as heart related and recommendation of enlisting emergency medical services. In a survey of 976 adults, 78% identified AMI symptoms as heart-related and 37% recommended calling emergency services, with ethnicity but not gender significantly associated with recognition.
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