Of the patients, 18% had never, by their own accord, chosen to use preventive care services. During hospitalization, 43% described preventive care as a negative perception. Patients showed intent to change their habits but after discharge, they had difficulties in self-management of disease, maintaining monitoring or changing their cardiovascular risk factors such as physical activity (41%), blood pressure (37%), and eating habits (24%).
Conclusions: There were considerable discrepancies between the intention and action in behavioral changes in patients after a myocardial infarction. Regarding the patients’ perceptions, there is a need to improve their involvement in the management of disease.
Self-management of cardiovascular risk factors after myocardial infarction. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265291688_Self-management_of_cardiovascular_risk_factors_after_myocardial_infarction [accessed Jan 21, 2016].