Changes in awareness and attitude toward their disease in patients with acute coronary syndrome admitted to the CCU of Vali-Asr Hospital -Birjand

  Background and objectives: It is predicted that 23.4 million people will be died of acute coronary syndrome up to 2030. Health education based on the awareness of risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and changing of patients' attitude of patients are among important factors affecting the prognosis of these diseases. This study was conducted to determine the changes of awareness and attitudes of patients with acute coronary syndrome toward their disease during their hospitalization in CCU.   Materials and Methods : In this descriptive study, 60 patients admitted to the CCU of Vali-Asr Hospital of Birjand were included using census method. Patients' awareness and attitude were measured at the times of admission and discharge using a researcher-made questionnaire. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using content validity and Cronbach's alpha test respectively. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and t test was used for comparison of the means of the dates of admission and discharge.   Results : The findings of this study indicated that the rate of patients' awareness at the discharge time was not significantly increased compared to the corresponding value of the admission time. The patients' attitude toward the intensity of the perceived risk for recurrent morbidity was equals to or greater than the intermediate level. The average time of patients' education during their hospitalization by nurses was 3.83 ± 2.87 minutes.   Conclusion : According to the results of this study, more and extensive training courses for patients are warranted to improve the level of their awareness and attitude toward the disease of acute coronary syndrome .