Cardiac arrest and heart attack: an evaluation of lay knowledge

Random samples of Dunedin residents were interviewed before and after the publication in the telephone directory of an information sheet on cardiac arrest and heart attack. Most subjects had heard of both cardiac arrest and heart attack but almost half of the samples were either wrong in identifying which was the more serious or they did not know. One-third of the post-publication sample had looked at the information sheet. Results indicate limited awareness of all but the most elementary medical facts and the existence of a variety of confusions and misconceptions in the two samples. Problems of comprehension and remembering are discussed in the context of the communication of medical information by doctors and health educators.