Teaching and adaptation of patients with myocardial infarction

The role of teaching in facilitating adaptation were examined in 60 patients with myocardial infarction (MI) of working age (under 65 years). Recovery of three different patient groups were followed for one year at three times: at discharge and three months and one year after it. Data for evaluating the effects of the teaching program on the patients and their close relatives were collected by questionnaires from the patients at discharge and by interviewing the patients three months after discharge. Information on patients' recovery during the first year after MI was collected from patients' records. Impact of teaching was prominent on several outcome measures. Patients' knowledge of illness and care increased, they also perceived having received more information and support. The time devoted to exercise increased after myocardial infarction and amount of butter used on bread decreased in the follow-up state. No impact was observed on the outcome variables measuring patient's use of alcohol and smoking. Some of the impacts at the early stages of the convalescence were not lasting. After one year of MI patients had partly returned to their old life styles, for example some patients had resumed the smoking habit. Teaching of close relatives improved only slightly.