Research Article: Relationships of illness perception, symptoms response and social support with acute myocardial infarction patients’ prehospital delay in rural China: protocol for a cross-sectional study
Abstract:
Introduction The timely treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients is of utmost importance, and yet, there remains a significant disparity between urban and rural areas in China due to the unequal distribution of medical resources. The manifestation of symptoms and psychosocial factors play a crucial role in shaping medical decisions for AMI patients. It is well established that minimising prehospital delay (PHD) is crucial for the successful implementation of recanalisation therapy and reducing mortality in out-of-hospital settings. However, there remains a paucity of studies investigating the correlation between illness perception, symptom response, social support, and PHD in AMI patients. Aim The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship pathways between symptom response, illness perception, social support and PHD time in patients with AMI in rural areas of China. Methods A primary care-based cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the inpatients initially diagnosed with AMI in the emergency department of three tertiary care hospitals in three counties in northern Zhejiang Province by convenience sampling method from January 2023 to December 2023. A minimum of 286 patients will be enrolled (voluntary response sample). Each participant will complete a paper-based questionnaire to gather research outcomes. Statistical analyses will be performed using logistic regression and structural equation model with PHD as main outcome parameter. Discussion This is the first study of the factors influencing PHD in AMI in rural China using structural equation model. Our study will address this gap in the available research. The implementation and findings of this study may provide a reliable basis for reducing PHD in AMI patients in rural areas and establish a relevant theoretical foundation for the implementation of targeted interventions and risk prevention measures in primary care hospitals.
Introduction:
In recent years, cardiovascular diseases have emerged as the leading cause of death in both urban and rural areas in China. The incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been steadily increasing, with projections indicating that the number of AMI patients in China will reach 23?million by 2030. 1 2 Prehospital delay (PHD), which refers to the interval between the onset of symptoms and arrival at the hospital, 3 4 has been identified as a critical determinant of morbidity and mortality in AMI. Studies have…
Read more