Illness perceptions in coronary heart disease. Sociodemographic, illness-related, and psychosocial correlates

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Psychology
• Health Psychology

Background:

• Illness perceptions significantly influence how patients manage chronic conditions like coronary heart disease (CHD).
• Understanding the factors associated with illness perceptions in CHD is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
• Previous research has explored illness perceptions in various chronic illnesses, but specific correlates in large CHD cohorts require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine illness perceptions (IP) in individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD).
• To identify correlates of illness perceptions, including disease severity, history, vicarious experiences, and psychosocial resources.

Main Methods:

• A large-scale questionnaire study was conducted with 3130 participants at baseline and 2745 at 1-year follow-up.
• Participants were aged 45-74 years and drawn from a drug reimbursement register, covering diverse drug-treated conditions.
• Independent variables included CHD severity and history, vicarious experiences, and psychosocial resources.

Main Results:

• Gender differences emerged: men attributed CHD to risk behaviors and internal factors, while women more often cited stress.
• Women reported more CHD symptoms but perceived less severe consequences.
• CHD severity was the strongest correlate of illness perceptions and predicted changes over time; perceived competence related to illness identity and perceived consequences.

Conclusions:

• Disease-related factors are significant correlates of CHD illness cognitions.
• Social and psychosocial factors also play a crucial role in shaping illness perceptions in CHD patients.
• These findings highlight the multifactorial nature of illness perceptions in coronary heart disease.