Perceived social support among percutaneous coronary intervention patients over a long-term follow-up period.

Abstract

To investigate perceived social support and the associated factors as well as the sources of social support among post-percutaneous intervention patients over a long-term follow-up period. An explanatory and descriptive survey with a six-year follow-up (STROBE Statement: Supplementary file 1). Baseline data (n = 416) were collected from Finnish patients in 2013, with follow-up data collected from the same study group in 2019 (n = 154). The research employed the Social Support of Patients with Coronary Heart Disease self-reported questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate methods. In the acute phase, higher informational support was associated with lower LDL cholesterol and female gender and higher emotional support with working status. In long-term follow-up period, physical activity, younger age, normal cholesterol levels and previous percutaneous coronary intervention predicted higher informational support, regular participation in follow-up sessions and relationship status predicted higher emotional support, and previous coronary artery bypass grafting, smoking, alcohol consumption, normal cholesterol and regular follow-ups predicted higher functional support. No Patient or Public Contribution.