Open AccessAttitudes About Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease Among Women and Men Presenting for Exercise Testing
Author(s) -
Ayanian John Z.,
Epstein Arnold M.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of general internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.746
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 1525-1497
pISSN - 0884-8734
DOI - 10.1046/j.1525-1497.1997.012005311.x
Subject(s) - medicine , coronary heart disease , physical therapy , disease , medline , heart failure , gerontology , political science , law
To assess attitudes that could contribute to gender differences in the use of coronary procedures, we surveyed 322 patients presenting for exercise testing at a major teaching hospital. Adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors, women and men did not differ significantly in their willingness to seek a second opinion, reduce physical activity, or take drugs to avoid major cardiac surgery, but men were more likely than women to describe themselves as risk takers on a three‐item personality measure (adjusted odds ratio 2.5; 95% confidence interval 1.4–4.6). Patients’ attitudes about risk should be explored further in studies of gender differences in the use of coronary procedures. KEY WORDS: gender (sex); attitude to health; exercise test; coronary angiography; coronary artery bypass.