Montadhar R. Al-zuhairy
Ministry of Health, Diyala Health Directorate, Iraq
Mohammed Baqer Al- Jubouri
Associate Professor. College of Nursing / University of Baghdad
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Most Heart attack is characterized by early warning signs that include central chest pain, pain or discomfort in the arms or shoulder, discomfort or pain in the jaw, neck, or back, sensations of weakness, dizziness, or loss of consciousness, and difficulty breathing, combining nausea and vomiting that occur with some patients. Awareness plays a major role in the treatment process, starting with the early recognition of warning signs and the timely arrival at the hospital. If patients are not aware of the signs of an acute myocardial infarction, they cannot seek treatment that could improve outcomes. Patients who do not perceive warning signs may choose not to seek medical care that could improve their outcomes. Purpose: To evaluate the awareness and perception of ischemic heart disease patients toward warning signs of a Heart Attack Method: A convergent(parallel) mixed methods design has been used, mixing the quantitative and qualitative approaches. 165 patients with ischemic heart diseases from cardiac care units who were chosen using convenience and purposive sampling participated in the study. A questionnaire was used to collect the quantitative data, and a 7-item semi-structured interview guide was developed to gather qualitative data. Results: The study showed a high awareness score. Six themes and sub-themes emerged. These themes include dubious recognition, imagination, worry, family support, experience (Experience with episodes and psychological tension experience), religious issues, and consequences. Conclusion: The awareness was high. The participants' clear perception of the patient was related to their experience with the attack. Suggestion: Utilizing the results of a study by decision makers to identify aspects of the problem and develop human resources for emergencies.
Keywords: Awareness, Perception, Warning Signs.
