Treatment Seeking Behaviors and Associated Factors among Patients Experiencing Acute Coronary Syndrome Using Health Belief Model in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a life-threatening condition. The mortality rate will be reduced if immediate treatment is provided. Patients' awareness of ACS is limited, so they do not seek help as quite often as they should. The level of treatment seeking behavior and associated factors among ACS patients admitted to three hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, were assessed using a health belief model. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 330 ACS patients from November 2019 to December 2020. Sociodemographic and clinical variables data were extracted using pre-tested checklist. The outcome and other variables data were collected using the checklist and structured questionnaire. The data were entered into Epi-data 3.1 and exported to STATA 17.1 for analysis. Descriptive statistics relevant to the variable was performed. A multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with treatment seeking behavior. RESULTS: This study revealed that the mean time from symptom onset to arrival at the emergency unit (EU) was 24 ± 19.5 hours, slightly < half of the participants (n=149, 45.1 %) had adequate treatment seeking behavior. Perceived threat (AOR=1.03,95% CI:1.01–1.06, p=0.002), perceived benefits (AOR=1.09, 95%CI: 1.02–1.0, p≤0.001), self-efficacy (AOR=1.16, 95% CI :1.01- 1.22, p≤0.001), education (AOR=2.2,95%CI:1.31–3.9, p≤0.01) self-autonomy (AOR=3.1,95%CI:1.82–5.4, p<.001) and no depression (AOR=1.9,95%CI:1.1–3.3, p≤0.05) were found to have significantly association with adequate treatment seeking behavior. CONCLUSION: This study indicates, less than half of ACS patients had adequate treatment seeking behavior. Thus, context-specific behavioral interventions, along with public awareness campaigns about ACS, should be implemented.