Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #104299

C. Annette DuBard, MD, Preventive Medicine Residency Program/ School of Public Health Dept. of Health Policy and Administration, University of North Carolina, 1621 Spring Lily Lane, Hillsborough, NC 27278, 919-643-1674, annettedubard@hotmail.com, Ziya Gizlice, NC- Division of Public Health, 1908 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1908, and Joanne M. Garrett, PhD, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 5034 Old Clinic Building, CB 7105, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.

Context

Previous studies suggest that Latinos with cardiovascular emergencies have longer delays between symptom onset and hospital arrival, and are thus less likely to benefit from time-dependent therapies. Heart attack and stroke awareness is known to be poor among racial and ethnic minorities, but the extent to which language barriers account for this has not been described.

Objective

To estimate level of awareness of cardiovascular emergencies among Latinos; and to determine whether English-speaking Hispanics (ESH) and Spanish-speaking Hispanics (SSH) differ in knowledge of stroke and heart attack symptoms, and intention to utilize emergency medical services.

Design and Participants

Cross-sectional analysis of data from the Heart Attack and Stroke Module of the 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a national telephone survey of the adult population. Four participating states conducted interviews in Spanish; respondents included 698 English-speaking Hispanics and 527 Spanish-speaking Hispanics.

Main Outcome Measure

Correct identification of heart attack and stroke symptoms, and intention to call 911 for a suspected heart attack or stroke.

Results

SSH are less likely to know all heart attack symptoms (8.5%, 95%CI 5.4-13.4) than ESH (21.1%, 95%CI 16.5-26.7) and non-Hispanics (35.5%, 95% CI 34.3-36.7); and less likely to know all stroke symptoms (18.2%, 95%CI 13.5-24.1) than ESH (29.8%, 95%CI 24.0-36.2) and non-Hispanics (46.9%, 95%CI 45.6-48.2). There were no significant differences in intention to call 911.

Conclusion

Lack of English proficiency is associated with lack of heart attack and stroke knowledge among Latinos, highlighting the need for cardiovascular emergency education targeted to Spanish-speaking communities.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants will be able to

• Appreciate the low level of awareness about heart attack and stroke among Spanish-speakers, and understand its implications in terms of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
• Recognize lack of English proficiency as a useful marker of a population with decreased access, increased health-related risk factors, and low health literacy.
• Prioritize the need for public health cardiovascular awareness campaigns targeted to Spanish-speaking communities.

Keywords: Latino, Health Literacy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation