QUALITY OF LIFE: WOMEN UNDERGOING CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS SURGERY (BYPASS SURGERY).
Contributors: University Of Illinois At Chicago, Health Sciences Center.
Published: 1993
Number of pages: 248
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery.; Psychology, Social.
Description: Information regarding the physical and psychosocial outcomes of women following coronary artery bypass surgery (CABS) is minimal. This study examined the quality of life (QOL) of women undergoing CABS preoperatively and three months following surgery. A questionnaire booklet was used to assess QOL by subjective and objective measures. Subjective aspects included satisfaction and importance in four domains of life: health and functioning, socioeconomic, psychological/spiritual and family. Other subjective measures evaluated were coping, general well being and social support. Objective aspects of QOL included: cardiac symptoms, general and specific activity levels and the resumption of roles identified preoperatively (including employment).

Of those subjects who were judged eligible (n = 111) for participation at two data collection sites, 76 (69%) were agreeable to the preoperative portion of this study. Of those who participated prior to surgery, two had incomplete data and were dropped from the analyses. Therefore, 74 comprised the initial study group. Of these women, 82% (n = 61) continued at three months. Therefore 61 patients comprised the final study group.

Overall, women were noted to have significant improvements in QOL at three months following CABS. These improvements were in the areas of health and functioning as well as psychological well being. Women also reported less use of emotive coping following surgery. Of particular importance, however, was the loss of emotional and informational support experienced by women following surgery. In addition, although patients reported no changes in terms of general and specific activity levels, they had more participation in structured exercise programs at three months postoperative. Improved health behaviors such as dietary adherence and weight loss were also reported at this time. Finally, women reported significant relief of the symptoms of angina and shortness of breath after surgery. And although fatigue was noted to decrease after surgery, it was still a significant problem experienced by most women at three months following surgery.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-05, Section: B, page: 2443.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO, HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, 1993.

School code: 0806.