Factors Associated With Patient Delay in Seeking Care After Worsening Symptoms in Heart Failure Patients

Abstract Background To receive optimal treatment and care, it is essential that heart failure (HF) patients react adequately to worsening symptoms and contact a health care provider early. This specific “patient delay” is an important part of the total delay time. The purpose of this study was to assess patient delay and its associated variables in HF patients. Methods and Results In this cross-sectional study, data of 911 hospitalized HF patients from 17 Dutch hospitals (mean age 71 ± 12 years; 62% male; left ventricular ejection fraction 34 ± 15%) were analyzed. During the index hospitalization, patient delay and HF symptoms were assessed by interview. Patients completed questionnaires on depressive symptoms, knowledge and compliance. Clinical and demographic data were collected from medical charts and interviews by an independent data collector. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine independent associations with patient delay. Median patient delay was 48 hours; 296 patients reported short delay (