Awareness of Heart Attack Symptoms and Risk Factors Among the Elderly in Rural Chennai: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study finds that elderly people in rural Chennai have limited awareness of heart attack symptoms and risk factors, highlighting the need for better education.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the awareness levels of heart attack symptoms and risk factors among elderly individuals in rural India.

Findings

Chest pain and breathlessness were the most recognized heart attack symptoms among participants.

Hypertension and stress were the most identified risk factors, while high salt intake and obesity were poorly recognized.

Average awareness scores indicate significant gaps in knowledge about heart attack symptoms and risk factors.

Abstract

Aims and objectives

Myocardial infarction (MI) remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally. Timely recognition of symptoms, and understanding of associated risk factors, are critical for early intervention and improved outcomes. However, awareness levels - particularly among the elderly in rural regions - remain poorly studied. This study aimed to assess the awareness of heart attack symptoms and risk factors among the elderly population in rural Chennai.

Methodology

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 384 individuals, aged 60 years and above, in the rural field practice area of Medavakkam, under Madras Medical College, Chennai, India. An interviewer-administered questionnaire assessed knowledge of 9 symptoms and 11 risk factors associated with MI. Awareness scores were calculated based on participants’ spontaneous and prompted responses.

Results

The mean age of participants was 65 years. Chest pain (248, or 64.58%) and breathlessness (176, or 45.83%) were the most recognized symptoms, while neck pain (12, or 3.12%) was the least known. Among risk factors, hypertension (182, or 47.4%) and stress (178, or 46.35%) were most identified, whereas high salt intake (22, or 5.73%) and obesity (26, or 6.77%) were least known. The average awareness score for symptoms was 5.56, for risk factors, 7.61, and the total knowledge score was 13.18 out of 20.

Conclusion

The study reveals significant gaps in awareness of heart attack symptoms and risk factors among the rural elderly. These findings underscore the urgent need for community-based health education and preventive strategies, tailored to this vulnerable demographic, to enhance early recognition and reduce MI-related morbidity and mortality.