THE EXPERIENCE OF QUALITY OF LIFE AFTER CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS SURGERY.
Contributors: Rush University, College Of Nursing.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 178
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery.
Description: Quality of life (QL) considerations are now taking their place alongside issues of morbidity and mortality in the evaluation of coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABS). While many studies of CABS patients have begun to recognize and measure QL as an important aspect to consider in the cardiac population, few have actually gathered normative data regarding what QL means to people considering or having had CABS. This study described the experiences of QL after CABS for a group of 110 patients who belonged to the national lay organization, Mended Hearts. The treatment of the concept of QL as a multidimensional construct was used to guide the design of the study. This QL conceptual framework suggests that there are hierarchial relationships between the global construct of QL, and four major life domains of: health and functioning, socioeconomic, psychological/spiritual and family.

This study used a descriptive, exploratory design by collecting data from all the subjects using Ferrans and Powers' Quality of Index-Cardiac Version II (QLI-CVII), biographical data, and by further interviewing 23 subjects about what QL meant to them, and specifically how different aspects of their QL had been impacted by CABS and heart disease.

Study subjects were mostly a well educated, middle-aged, middle-class group of married, white men who had their CABS seven years or more at the time of the study. Their average QLI-CVII score was high with a mean of 24.23. The family subscale contributed the highest mean scores (26.13). The lowest mean scores came from the socioeconomic subscale (23.11). Interview respondents defined QL as the ability to maintain their independence, being generally and cardiovascuarly healthy, being happy, enjoying a good life, peace of mind, and participation in family life. Several conclusions from this study were: (1) that perceived QL remains stable over time, (2) QLI-CVII scores reflected successful adaptation to CABS and heart disease, (3) respondents did not perceive themselves as ill, (4) Mended Hearts participation positively improved their QL, and (5) meaning of heart surgery often perceived within the context of heart as metaphor for one's soul.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-09, Section: B, page: 4592.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--RUSH UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF NURSING, 1992.

School code: 0591.