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Does overprotection cause cardiac invalidism after acute myocardial infarction?
1Clinical Research Dept., Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego, CA 92123.
Insights
Overprotection from family and friends may help patients adjust after a heart attack, reducing anxiety and depression. This social support, rather than hindering recovery, appears beneficial in the initial months post-myocardial infarction.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Psychosocial Health
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Cardiac invalidism is a concern following acute myocardial infarction.
- The role of social support, specifically overprotection, in recovery is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether overprotection by family and friends contributes to cardiac invalidism after acute myocardial infarction.
- To examine the impact of perceived social support levels on psychosocial adjustment post-myocardial infarction.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal survey conducted across nine hospitals in the southwestern United States.
- One hundred eleven patients with a first acute myocardial infarction were assessed.
- Outcome measures included self-esteem, emotional distress, health perceptions, interpersonal dependency, and return to work.
Main Results:
- Patients reporting overprotection experienced less anxiety, depression, anger, and confusion, alongside higher self-esteem and vigor at 1 month post-myocardial infarction (p < 0.05).
- Inadequately supported patients demonstrated increased interpersonal dependency at 4 months post-myocardial infarction.
Conclusions:
- Overprotection from family and friends may facilitate early psychosocial adjustment after acute myocardial infarction.
- Contrary to concerns about cardiac invalidism, perceived overprotection appears to be a positive factor in the initial recovery phase.
Objective:
To determine if overprotection on the part of the patient's family and friends contributes to the development of cardiac invalidism after acute myocardial infarction.
Design:
Longitudinal survey.
Setting:
Nine hospitals in the southwestern United States.
Subjects:
One hundred eleven patients who had experienced a first acute myocardial infarction. Subjects were predominantly male, older-aged, married, caucasian, and in functional class I. Eighty-one patients characterized themselves as being overprotected (i.e., receiving more social support from family and friends than desired), and 28 reported receiving inadequate support. Only two patients reported receiving as much support as they desired.
Outcome Measures:
Self-esteem, emotional distress, health perceptions, interpersonal dependency, return to work.
Results:
Overprotected patients experienced less anxiety, depression, anger, confusion, more vigor, and higher self-esteem than inadequately supported patients 1 month after myocardial infarction (p < 0.05). Inadequately supported patients were more dependent 4 months after the event.
Conclusions:
Overprotection on the part of family and friends may facilitate psychosocial adjustment in the early months after an acute myocardial infarction rather than lead to cardiac invalidism.