Coping Styles of Patients Hospitalized in an Intermediate Trauma Unit

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Trauma Care
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Effective coping is crucial for managing physical and mental changes post-traumatic injury, reducing complications and promoting healing.
• Limited research exists on the coping styles of patients within trauma units.
• Understanding these styles is vital for developing supportive interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• Adapt the Vignette Similarity Rating Method for a Puerto Rican trauma unit.
• Describe coping styles of trauma patients and explore associations with demographic, clinical, and situational factors.

Main Methods:

• Recruited patients from a trauma unit for coping style assessment.
• Utilized a culturally adapted Vignette Similarity Rating Method to evaluate coping strategies.
• Analyzed associations between coping styles, sociodemographics, clinical characteristics, and hospital stay duration.

Main Results:

• Patients reported greater similarity with adaptive coping vignettes compared to less adaptive ones.
• Individuals with diabetes and longer hospital stays showed higher similarity to less effective Type A coping vignettes.
• Significant associations were found between specific clinical factors and less adaptive coping.

Conclusions:

• Coping style effectiveness is context-dependent and requires careful consideration.
• Interventions promoting adaptive coping strategies are essential, particularly for patients with prolonged hospitalizations.
• Further research should explore tailored support for trauma patients.