A comparison of women's and men's symptoms during home recovery after coronary artery bypass surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To compare women's and men's recovery symptoms during home recovery after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).


METHODS
This secondary analysis used a survey design. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to compare women's and men's recovery symptoms.


METHODS
Subjects were interviewed about physical and emotional symptoms they experienced after CABG at three measurement points: 1 day before discharge, 2 days after being discharged, and 3 weeks after being discharged.


METHODS
A purposive sample of 20 women and 20 men recovering from their first CABG.


RESULTS
More men than women reported fatigue, chest incision discomfort, and negative emotional symptoms. Unlike men, women described numbness and discomfort in their breasts during the first weeks of recovery. Women's and men's recovery emotions centered on concerns associated with their social circumstances. Women were more likely to be older, unemployed, unmarried, and live alone, and they were anxious about who would care for them during home recovery and where that recovery would take place. Men's anxiety centered first on their immediate physical recovery symptoms and then on long-term issues in regard to return to work and activities.


CONCLUSIONS
An understanding of these gender differences in CABG recovery is important so clinicians can tailor discharge planning to the specific needs of women and men.
Moore
S M
SM
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012737:Sex Factors; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D014945:Wound Healing