Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Norwegian population consists of 8 % immigrants, Pakistanis being the largest group. OBJECTIVE: The aims of the study were too register the communication process between health care providers and Pakistani patients submitted to the hospital with acute myocardial infarction and the effect on patient’s satisfaction and compliance. METHODS: Study of the literature and retrospective interviews. During 2002-2004, all patients admitted to Department of Cardiology, Ullevål University hospital with ICD-10 diagnosis I21 and a Pakistani background were asked to answer a questionnaire. The answers were graded from 1-10 with 10 as the best score. RESULTS: 40 patients were identified, only 10 patients agreed to participate. The patients suffered from overweight (90 %), diabetes (60 %) and nicotine abuse (60 %). Self-rated Norwegian proficiency scored 7,3, health service ability to understand patient scored: telephone 6, ambulance 8,5, emergency room 8,9. None of the patients were offered to watch video of angiography procedure. Halal-food (including fish and vegetarian) requested and offered to the whole group. Total 60% of the patients got advice to increase physical activity and reduce smoking. Compliance rate among these patients was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Average satisfaction rate was 9, which indicates an overall good satisfaction with the stay. All patients who were given life-style advices changed their exercise and smoking habits, but only 6 out of 10 received such information. The low response rate and number of individuals limit the conclusions which can be drawn from the study.