Students' Scientific Group at the Second Department of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
Family Medicine Practice, 32-740 Łapanów, Poland.
Folia Med Cracov. 2021;61(2):103-115. doi: 10.24425/fmc.2021.137227.
I n t r o d u c t i o n: Mortality from myocardial infarction (MI) is determined by patients' ability to prevent it and, in case of its occurrence, to recognise its symptoms and call an ambulance immediately. There is scarce data on rural populations' knowledge of MI, even though they are disadvantaged in access to medical emergency services. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the rural patients' awareness of MI risk factors, symptoms, necessity of calling an ambulance in response to MI symptoms, and its determinants. Materials and Methods: An anonymous and voluntary survey was conducted among 194 patients and their caregivers with median age 68 years at a rural non-public healthcare facility in Poland. R e s u l t s: 60.3% perceive their knowledge of MI as insufficient. Only 26.3% were able to recognise all suggested MI risk factors. 44.8% did not know whether they are at risk of MI. Furthermore, 78% of respondents who had at least three MI risk factors were unaware of being at risk. 45.4% recognised at least three out of four suggested MI symptoms. 76.2% would call an ambulance in response to chest pain suggesting they have MI. Merely 80% were able to provide the emergency phone number. Moreover, among respondents who declared they would not call an ambulance, 38.7% were afraid of in-hospital COVID-19 infection or healthcare system collapse. C o n c l u s i o n s: Rural patients' knowledge of MI risk factors, symptoms, and proper response to them is insufficient. The problem is exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To improve survival in MI an education campaign is needed.
心肌梗死（MI）的死亡率取决于患者预防疾病的能力，以及在发生 MI 时能否识别其症状并立即呼叫救护车。尽管农村人口在获得医疗急救服务方面处于不利地位，但关于他们对 MI 风险因素、症状、出现症状时呼叫救护车的必要性以及这些因素的决定因素的知识，数据却很少。目的：本研究旨在调查农村患者对 MI 风险因素、症状、出现症状时呼叫救护车的必要性及其决定因素的认识。材料与方法：在波兰一家农村非公有制医疗机构，对 194 名患者及其护理人员进行了一项匿名自愿调查，患者的中位数年龄为 68 岁。结果：60.3%的人认为自己对 MI 的了解不足。只有 26.3%的人能够识别所有建议的 MI 风险因素。44.8%的人不知道自己是否有患 MI 的风险。此外，78%的受访者有至少三个 MI 风险因素，但不知道自己有患病风险。76.2%的人会在出现疑似 MI 的胸痛时呼叫救护车。只有 45.4%的人能识别出至少四个 MI 症状中的三个。仅有 80%的人能够提供紧急电话号码。此外，在那些表示不会呼叫救护车的受访者中，38.7%的人担心在医院感染 COVID-19 或医疗系统崩溃。结论：农村患者对 MI 风险因素、症状以及正确应对措施的了解不足。COVID-19 大流行使问题更加严重。为了提高 MI 的生存率，需要开展一项教育活动。
