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Couples coping with cardiovascular disease: A systematic review
Lisa J Trump1, Tai J Mendenhall1
1Department of Family Social Science.
Insights
This systematic review highlights how couples cope with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Findings suggest a need for dyad-focused care and longitudinal research to support patients and partners navigating CVD challenges.
Area of Science:
- Health Psychology
- Family Studies
- Cardiology
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death globally.
- The impact of CVD on couples is under-researched, with a focus primarily on individual patients.
- Understanding couple coping mechanisms is crucial for comprehensive care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review existing literature on how couples cope with one partner's CVD diagnosis.
- To identify gaps in current research and inform future studies, practitioners, and policymakers.
- To synthesize knowledge on dyadic coping strategies in the context of cardiovascular illness.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of 25 peer-reviewed articles was conducted.
- Data extraction focused on theory integration, coping constructs, instruments, samples, analyses, and findings.
- Inclusion criteria ensured relevance to couple-based coping with CVD.
Main Results:
- Most reviewed studies successfully integrated theory and utilized valid coping instruments.
- Limitations were identified in sampling strategies and analysis techniques, impacting external validity.
- The review synthesized diverse findings on couple adaptation to CVD.
Conclusions:
- There is a need for healthcare models that focus on couples (dyads) rather than solely on individual patients.
- Integrated healthcare approaches are recommended for managing CVD within relationships.
- Longitudinal research is essential to understand the evolving nature of couple coping over time.
Introduction:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Its potential ramifications on all aspects of life, for patients and partners, are just beginning to be understood. Although research has focused on the individual who has received the diagnosis, relatively little is known about how couples manage CVD. This article presents a systematic review of literature that focuses on how couples cope with one partner's CVD diagnosis. A systematic review is warranted to orient practitioners, policy makers, and researchers to the state of existing knowledge and its gaps and to identify what still needs to be done.
Method:
Data were extracted from 25 peer-reviewed articles that met our inclusion criteria. Content examined included theory integration, coping constructs and instruments, samples, analyses, and findings.
Results:
Most articles successfully integrated theory in the studies' respective conceptualizations and designs. Most used valid and reliable instruments to measure coping. Principal limitations included problematic sampling strategies and analysis techniques, thereby limiting external validity.
Discussion:
Principal implications of this review's findings relate to our fields' need to provide more care focused on dyads (vs. individual patients), adopt an integrated model in health care, and conduct systemic, longitudinal research to gain a better grasp on how coping changes over time. Doing so will serve to better equip providers in the support of patients and partners living with CVD. (PsycINFO Database Record
