Objectives To examine patient delay (PD) in seeking treatment among patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and to identify factors influencing PD. Methods patients with STEMI were divided into two groups based on PD: Short PD group (PD ≤ 60 minutes after onset of symptoms) and long PD group ( ＞ 60 minutes after symptom onset). A questionnaire developed to assess demographic characteristics, clinical factors and psychological factors. Patients were interviewed within 72 hours of admission to 2 hospitals. Results 329 consecutive confirmed STEMI patients (Mean age 61years; 72.5% men) with a median PD of 90 min and a pre-hospital delay time 170 min were studied, PD was less than 1 hours in 47.4% of patients, while more than 1 hours in 52.6%, In univariate analyses,patients with short PD were witness onset, progress course of symptom, severe pain, death anxiety,knowing AMI as a deadly disease and its presentation,taking the symptom seriously. Patients with longer PD were age ≥65 year, nocturnal onset, experienced preinfarction angina. A stepwise multiple regression analysis further suggested that the following independent contributors to a late decision to seek medical help (relative risk, 95% confidence interval): taking pain medication (15.97; 1.70～149.8 ), wanting to wait and see (6.46; 1.92～21.74), not wanting to bother anybody (6.42; 2.87～14.34), preinfarct angina (2.73; 1.20～6.19), age ≥65 years (2.51; 1.15～5.48), gradual onset (2.40; 1.05～5.44), severe pain (0.38, 0.17～0.85), witness onset (0.27, 0.10～0.70),taking symptoms seriously (0.019; 0.08～0.46).Conclusions Age ≥65 years, gradual onset, witness onset, severe pain, preinfarct angina, emotional responses and coping strategies are the independent factors associated with patient delay or decision time in patients with AMI. Emotional responses and coping strategies are the major determinants of patient delay.Modification of these emotional factors might best be achieved by patients and public education.