Illness Perception of Heart Disease in a Saudi Population

objectives: Patients’ perception of their own illness affects how they follow management plans and how they react to various symptoms of cardiac diseases. The present study evaluated symptom perception, timeline, cure, consequences and causes of heart disease in adults at King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and assessed the associations of demographic factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled N=59 patients at KKUH using the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ) with demographic questions added. Participants were patients between the ages of 18 to 75 years old diagnosed with heart disease. Results: Most participants were men (78.6%), 40 years old or older (83%) and married (81.4%); half the participants had a lower education level (52.5% secondary or less). Over 70% recognized breathlessness, chest pain, loss of strength and irregular heartbeat as symptoms of heart disease. Approximately half (52.6%) agreed that “Heart disease is likely to go on and on”, and three-quarters (76.2%) agreed that “Heart disease is a serious condition”. Almost all (91.5%) agreed, “Changing one’s diet (less fat) will help to control heart disease”. Conclusion: Participants had some misconceptions about their illness.