Authors

1Marta Ferraz Torres, 2Tomás Belzunegui Otano, 3Blanca Marín Fernández, 4Óscar Martínez García, 5Leire Azcona Ciriza, 6Xavier Jiménez Fábrega

Position

¹Enfermera. Servicio de Urgencias. Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra.²Médico adjunto. Servicio de Urgencias. Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra. ³Doctora en Enfermería. Universidad Pública de Navarra. ⁴Médico adjunto. Servicio de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del dolor. Clínica Ubarmin. ⁵Enfermera, Servicio de Cardiología. Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra.⁶Jefe clínico. Servicio de Emergencias Médicas de Barcelona.

Contact address

Marta Ferraz Torres. C/ Pintor Casiano, 2, 4º izq. 31007 Pamplona.

Contact email: martaf342@gmail.com

Abstract

The study on gender inequality within the healthcare setting shows the current differences in professional activity on cardiac conditions according to gender.
Objectives: this article intends to understand the perception and
action of patients with Acute Coronary Failure, and to identify those factors associated with the delay in requesting medical care.
Method: descriptive, analytical and transversal study with patients diagnosed with Acute Coronary Failure (AMI or unstable angina), admitted to the Cardiology Unit and/or the Coronary Unit of the Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra (CHN), between January, 1st and July, 1st, 2012. Non-probabilistic sample, excluding patients with over 48 hours since admission, and those with a repeated coronary episode. Information was collected through a 13-item questionnaire about the perception of their previous health status, changes in emotional state, presence of family obligations, period of time since symptom initiation and until help was requested, causes for this delay, and self-perception of knowledge about the coronary condition.
Results: 113 questionnaires were completed, out of which 71.7% were completed by male patients. The mean age was 67 years in men and 72 years in women (p=0.041). The average minutes elapsed until help was requested was 138 in men and 238 in women (p= 0.001). There were also significant differences in the perception of health status, severity of the condition, family obligations, level of activity at the time of the episode, acknowledgement of severity, and self-perception of knowledge.
Conclusions: we found a higher delay in the demand for medical care in women, as well as psychosocial differences associated with this action.

Keywords:

Acute Coronary Syndrome; prehospital delaygender inequality

Versión en Español

Título:

Percepción y actuación de los pacientes con patología coronaria aguda en la fase prehospitalaria