Attitude to disease in patients following cardiac emergencies

Abstract

Objective. To assess attitudes toward disease in patients following cardiac emergencies at early stages of rehabilitation. Design and methods. The study sample consisted of 70 patients (23 females, 47 males) aged 35-67 years (54,5 ± 6,4 years old) hospitalized with myocardial infarction (MI; 55,7 %), unstable angina (18,6 %) or for planned cardiac surgery (25,7 %). The following methods were used: interview, medical records analysis, «Method for psychological diagnostics of attitude towards disease» (Wasserman L.I. et al., 2005). Results. Most patients (48,6 %) have «ergopathic» attitude toward disease characterized by aspiration to overcome disease in order to maintain the level of social activity they had had before the hospitalization. Denial of illness itself was found in 22,9 % cases, denial of possible illness consequences — in 51,4 %. Females, patients with recurrent cardiac attack and those, who had emergent (versus planned) hospitalization were more frustrated by the disease. Males and patients, who survived MI for the first time, were more prone to deny the fact of the disease as well as its possible consequences. Denial of the fact of illness was typical only of patients with the most life-threatening states — MI (compared to unstable angina). This may be regarded as an evidence of defensive/protective character of illness denial. Conclusion. Resistance, active overcoming and denial are predominant psychological tendencies in reaction to illness in patients following cardiac emergencies at early stages of rehabilitation. In case of ineffectiveness of these psychological strategies there is an increased risk of psychosocial disturbances. These characteristics of attitude toward illness in cardiac patients should be taken into account in the treatment and rehabilitation process.