Evaluation of the cardiovascular symptom index for midlife women in multiethnic/racial midlife women.
Young Ko, Wonshik Chee, Eun-Ok Im
PMID 31809655WHAT IT FOUND
A questionnaire for midlife women's cardiovascular symptoms showed dependable total scores, but some symptom subscales did not.
The symptom clusters differed across ethnic/racial groups.
Key findings
01The total symptom scores were dependable across ethnic/racial groups, but the digestive disturbance subscale was not.
02The symptoms clustered into five groups for Hispanic and white women and seven groups for Asian-American and African-American women.
03The 'nose bleeds' item was excluded from the overall symptom clusters because it did not fit with the other symptoms.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample came from internet surveys, so it may not represent all midlife women in the US. The study did not test whether the questionnaire predicts cardiovascular disease or helps decide who needs diagnostic evaluation. The symptom clusters changed across ethnic/racial groups, so total scores may not mean the same thing in every group. Some subscale scores, especially digestive disturbance, were not dependable enough to use as separate measures. The questionnaire relied on self-report and did not include clinical cardiovascular outcomes.
Declared interests
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. The publication type lists NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that the questionnaire predicts cardiovascular disease or should replace clinical assessment. The study tested questionnaire properties in an internet sample of midlife women, not cardiovascular outcomes, and several subscale scores were not dependable.