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Does overprotection cause cardiac invalidism after acute myocardial infarction?
1Clinical Research Dept., Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego, CA 92123.
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.