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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Glob. Womens Health
Sec. Sex and Gender Differences in Disease
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fgwh.2025.1501237

Behavioral Delays in Seeking Care Among Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction Women: A Qualitative Study Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Provisionally accepted
Vincenza Giordano Vincenza Giordano 1Caterina Mercuri Caterina Mercuri 2Silvio Simeone Silvio Simeone 2Teresa Rea Teresa Rea 3,4*Michele Virgolesi Michele Virgolesi 4Rita Nocerino Rita Nocerino 5Vincenzo Bosco Vincenzo Bosco 2Assunta Guillari Assunta Guillari 5
  • 1 Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University Hospital Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy
  • 2 Department of Medical and Surgical Science, University of Magna Graecia, Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy
  • 3 Federico II University Hospital, Naples, Italy
  • 4 Department of Public Health, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Campania, Italy
  • 5 Department of Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Campania, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with ischemic heart disease contributing significantly to female morbidity and mortality. Despite this, women often delay seeking medical help during acute myocardial infarction (AMI), leading to poorer outcomes compared to men. Objective: To describe the early experiences of Italian women with AMI, focusing on behaviors that delay access to care.Methods: Using a phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 22 women hospitalized in Campania, Italy, within five days of an AMI event and their Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), to capture vivid recollections of the experience. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes regarding risk behaviors and delays in care.Five key themes emerged: (1) vivid recollection of symptoms and experience, (2) lack of knowledge and risk perception of AMI, (3) decision-making process in seeking assistance, (4) influence of family and others on decision-making, and ( 5) post-AMI reflections on seeking medical care. Delays in seeking care stemmed from symptom misrecognition, social responsibilities, past healthcare experiences, and the role of family in decision-making, which either facilitated or hindered access to care.The findings highlight the need for targeted educational interventions that address barriers specific to women in recognizing and responding to AMI symptoms. Gender-specific training for healthcare professionals is essential to ensure timely and appropriate care for women.

    Keywords: Women, acute myocardial infarction, Ischemic Heart Disease, Risk behaviors, delay in seeking care, social and psychosocial factors

    Received: 24 Sep 2024; Accepted: 27 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Giordano, Mercuri, Simeone, Rea, Virgolesi, Nocerino, Bosco and Guillari. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Teresa Rea, Federico II University Hospital, Naples, Italy

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