Public Awareness and Attitude Regarding the Symptoms of Heart Attacks

To assess the heart attack (HA) knowledge, awareness, and attitude among adults in Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia, and to identify gaps in understanding that could hinder prompt medical intervention.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire distributed via Google Forms from January to March 2024. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS, Version 29, to evaluate associations between demographics and HA awareness.

Participants demonstrated moderate awareness of non-classical HA symptoms such as slurred speech (relative importance index (RII) = 72.88%) and dizziness (66.35%), whereas critical symptoms such as chest pain (47.8%) and shortness of breath (47.25%) were among the least recognized. This suggests a concerning gap in knowledge of the most urgent indicators of HA. Respondents showed higher awareness of non-modifiable risk factors such as family history (RII = 70.99%) and high cholesterol (63.92%) compared to modifiable lifestyle-related risks. Smoking (43.71%) and obesity (43.08%) ranked lowest in awareness, indicating insufficient recognition of preventable contributors to cardiovascular disease. Participants exhibited a high level of hesitation in seeking immediate medical attention during a suspected HA. Social embarrassment (RII = 67.36%) and concerns about healthcare costs (66.08%) were the primary reasons cited for delay. Alarmingly, the belief that one should wait to be 'very sure' before going to the hospital was common (RII = 59.01%), whereas the urgency of symptoms such as persistent chest pain was undervalued (RII = 31.18%). Significant differences in symptom recognition were observed across age groups (e.g., P = 0.001 for jaw/neck/back pain), education levels (e.g., P = 0.028 for pain in arms/shoulders), and marital status (e.g., P = 0.002 for several symptoms). No significant gender-based differences were found.

Al-Hasa population showed good knowledge and awareness of HA symptoms and risk factors; however, significant gaps exist in recognizing less common symptoms and emergency procedures. Poor attitude was shown toward HA seeking medical care. Concerns about cost, embarrassment, and suspicion in the severity of the symptoms appeared to be barriers to seeking timely care.