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. 2021 Dec;43(12):1093-1104.
doi: 10.1177/0193945921999448. Epub 2021 Mar 12.

Gender and the Symptom Experience before an Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis

Ryan E Wilson  1 , Kathy L Rush  1 , R Colin Reid  2 , Carol G Laberge  1
Affiliations

Gender and the Symptom Experience before an Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis

Ryan E Wilson et al. West J Nurs Res. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in the world. Despite the increasing prevalence, there remains a limited understanding of how the pre-diagnosis symptom experience varies by gender. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively explore gender differences/similarities in the pre-diagnosis period of AF. Twenty-six adults (13 men and 13 women) were interviewed guided by the Symptom Experience in AF (SEAF). Data were analyzed using a two-step approach to thematic analysis. Women had greater challenges receiving a timely diagnosis, with 10 women (77%) experiencing symptoms ≥1 year prior to their diagnosis, in comparison to only three (23%) of the men. Women also reported more severe symptoms, less AF-related knowledge, viewed themselves as low risk for cardiovascular disease, and described how their comorbid conditions confused AF symptom evaluation. This study provides a foundational understanding of differences/similarities in the AF symptom experience by gender.

Keywords: atrial fibrillation; gender; illness behavior; pre-diagnosis; symptom; symptom experience; symptom self-management; treatment-seeking delay.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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