The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of depression on treatment-seeking behaviors among persons experiencing symptoms of an evolving myocardial infarction (MI). Depression has been identified as a risk factor for MI; however, previous research has not considered how depression might affect the treatment-seeking behaviors of people who experience acute cardiac symptoms. Participants (N=433; 71% male) had been diagnosed with an MI. Depression was assessed with the PRIME-MD Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Participants completed the PHQ-9 with regard to how they had felt during the 2-weeks preceding hospitalization for MI; 71 (23%) participants scored above the threshold for depression. A semi-structured telephone interview was used to assess MI symptoms and treatment delay behaviors. A survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model found that participants who were depressed were significantly more likely to delay in seeking treatment for evolving MI symptoms (p=.002), even after controlling for the effects of age, gender, history of prior MI, severity of heart disease, and other key variables. Compared to those who were not depressed, depressed participants experienced significantly more MI symptoms (p < .001). However, depressed participants were just as likely as their non-depressed counterparts to think their evolving symptoms might be cardiac in origin; depressed and non-depressed participants also perceived their symptoms to be comparable in severity. Depressed (vs. non-depressed) participants were more likely to consult support persons about their symptoms (p=.01). Those who were depressed actually were significantly more likely to be advised by a support person to seek medical care (p=.01). Findings suggest that depressed MI victims delay in seeking treatment, even in the context of sound advice from support persons.
Session #1192 - Acute Care
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)