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Educational attainment is associated with atrial fibrillation symptom severity.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Goli, NM; Thompson, T; Sears, SF; Mounsey, JP; Chung, E; Schwartz, J; Wood, K; Walker, J; Guise, K; Gehi, AK
Published in: Pacing Clin Electrophysiol
September 2012

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice, is often managed with a rhythm control strategy. Despite the emphasis on symptom relief as the motivation for a rhythm controlling strategy in AF, it remains unclear what factors affect the patient's experienced severity of AF symptoms. We hypothesize that demographic variables may affect AF symptom severity as many AF symptoms (palpitations, dyspnea, fatigue) are nonspecific and may require particular patient insight. METHODS: We assessed demographic variables, cardiac and noncardiac comorbidities, AF burden, and AF-specific self-reported symptom severity in a cohort of 300 outpatients with AF presenting to outpatient electrophysiology clinics. RESULTS: In unadjusted analyses, decreased educational attainment, unemployed working status, and non-Caucasian race were associated with worsened AF symptom severity. After adjusting for potential confounders, the association of decreased educational attainment with worsened AF symptom severity persisted. CONCLUSIONS: Possible links between these demographic features and AF symptom severity are socioeconomic status and health literacy. Further study into the relationship between educational attainment and AF symptom severity is warranted.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Pacing Clin Electrophysiol

DOI

EISSN

1540-8159

Publication Date

September 2012

Volume

35

Issue

9

Start / End Page

1090 / 1096

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Sex Distribution
  • Risk Assessment
  • Prevalence
  • North Carolina
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Employment
  • Educational Status
 

Citation

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Goli, N. M., Thompson, T., Sears, S. F., Mounsey, J. P., Chung, E., Schwartz, J., … Gehi, A. K. (2012). Educational attainment is associated with atrial fibrillation symptom severity. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol, 35(9), 1090–1096. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-8159.2012.03482.x
Goli, Neeta M., Tiffany Thompson, Samuel F. Sears, J Paul Mounsey, Eugene Chung, Jennifer Schwartz, Kathryn Wood, Jennifer Walker, Kimberly Guise, and Anil K. Gehi. “Educational attainment is associated with atrial fibrillation symptom severity.Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 35, no. 9 (September 2012): 1090–96. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-8159.2012.03482.x.
Goli NM, Thompson T, Sears SF, Mounsey JP, Chung E, Schwartz J, et al. Educational attainment is associated with atrial fibrillation symptom severity. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2012 Sep;35(9):1090–6.
Goli, Neeta M., et al. “Educational attainment is associated with atrial fibrillation symptom severity.Pacing Clin Electrophysiol, vol. 35, no. 9, Sept. 2012, pp. 1090–96. Pubmed, doi:10.1111/j.1540-8159.2012.03482.x.
Goli NM, Thompson T, Sears SF, Mounsey JP, Chung E, Schwartz J, Wood K, Walker J, Guise K, Gehi AK. Educational attainment is associated with atrial fibrillation symptom severity. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2012 Sep;35(9):1090–1096.

Published In

Pacing Clin Electrophysiol

DOI

EISSN

1540-8159

Publication Date

September 2012

Volume

35

Issue

9

Start / End Page

1090 / 1096

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Sex Distribution
  • Risk Assessment
  • Prevalence
  • North Carolina
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Employment
  • Educational Status