Gender and the Symptom Experience before an Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis
WESTERN JOURNAL OF NURSING RESEARCH(2021)
摘要
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in the world. Despite the increasing prevalence, there remains a limited understanding of how the pre-diagnosis symptom experience varies by gender. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively explore gender differences/similarities in the pre-diagnosis period of AF. Twenty-six adults (13 men and 13 women) were interviewed guided by the Symptom Experience in AF (SEAF). Data were analyzed using a two-step approach to thematic analysis. Women had greater challenges receiving a timely diagnosis, with 10 women (77%) experiencing symptoms >= 1 year prior to their diagnosis, in comparison to only three (23%) of the men. Women also reported more severe symptoms, less AF-related knowledge, viewed themselves as low risk for cardiovascular disease, and described how their comorbid conditions confused AF symptom evaluation. This study provides a foundational understanding of differences/similarities in the AF symptom experience by gender.
更多查看译文
关键词
atrial fibrillation, gender, illness behavior, symptom, pre-diagnosis, treatment-seeking delay, symptom experience, symptom self-management
AI 理解论文
溯源树
样例
生成溯源树,研究论文发展脉络
Chat Paper
正在生成论文摘要