Appraisal and illness delay with symptoms of ACS: A questionnaire study of illness representations

Farquharson, Barbara; Johnston, Marie; Bugge, Carol

Abstract

Background: Reducing patient delay is key to reducing mortality in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Interventions to date have had little success.

Aim: To explore whether illness representations (Leventhal's Commonsense Model of Self-Regulation (CS-SRM)) are associated with patient delay (appraisal or illness delay) in those with symptoms of ACS.

Design: A CS-SRM questionnaire study

Methods: A random sample of 182 patients who contacted NHS 24 with symptoms of ACS completed the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire and gave access to data from their NHS 24 records.

Results: Median appraisal delay was 2 hours. Median illness delay was 75 minutes. Women were more likely than men to have long appraisal delays (>2 hours) (57% vs 43%, c2(df=1)=3.93, P=0.047) but did not differ regarding illness delay. Gender and illness representations (identity, emotion and consequences) predicted appraisal delay category (c2=19.907, df=4, P=0.001).

Conclusions: Appraisal and illness delays may be associated with different factors. Interventions addressing illness representations might reduce appraisal delay, especially in women.

Citation

Farquharson, B., Johnston, M., & Bugge, C. (2012). Appraisal and illness delay with symptoms of ACS: A questionnaire study of illness representations. British Journal of Cardiac Nursing, 7(10), 493-499. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjca.2012.7.10.493

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 24, 2012
• Online Publication Date: Sep 27, 2013
• Publication Date: 2012-10
• Deposit Date: Aug 2, 2016
• Journal: British Journal of Cardiac Nursing
• Print ISSN: 1749-6403
• Publisher: Mark Allen Healthcare
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 7
• Issue: 10
• Pages: 493-499
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.12968/bjca.2012.7.10.493
• Keywords: Acute coronary syndrome, Illness representations, pre-hospital delay, symptoms, NHS 24, seeking help,
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/323590