Psychosocial outcomes of Hong Kong Chinese diagnosed with acute coronary syndromes: a prospective repeated measures study.
BACKGROUND
Western studies have suggested that emotional stress and distress impacted on the morbidity and mortality in people following acute coronary events. Symptoms of anxiety and depression have been associated with re-infarction and death, prolonged recovery and disability and depression may precipitate the client's low self-esteem. This study examined perceived anxiety, depression and self-esteem of Hong Kong Chinese clients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) over a 6-month period following hospital admission.


OBJECTIVE
To examine:


METHODS
A prospective, repeated measures design with measures taken on two occasions over a 6-month period; (1) within the 1st week of hospital admission following the onset of ACS and (2) at 6 months follow up.


METHODS
Convenient sample of 182 voluntary consented clients admitted with ACS to a major public hospital in Hong Kong who could communicate in Chinese, complete questionnaires, cognitive intact, and were haemodynamically stable and free from acute chest pain at the time of interview.


METHODS
Baseline data were obtained within 1 week after hospital admission. The follow-up data was collected 6 months after hospital discharge. The Chinese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), State Self-esteem Scale (SSES), and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were used to assess anxiety and depression, state self-esteem, and trait self-esteem, respectively.


RESULTS
Findings suggested gender differences in clients' perception in anxiety, depression and self-esteem. Improvements in clients' perception of these variables were evident over the 6-month period following their acute coronary events.


CONCLUSIONS
The study confirmed the western notion that psychosocial problems are common among coronary clients and this also applies to Hong Kong Chinese diagnosed with ACS. Further studies to explore effective interventions to address these psychosocial issues are recommended.
Chan
Dominic S K
DS
School of Nursing, Australian Catholic University Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia. d.chan@patrick.acu.edu.au <d.chan@patrick.acu.edu.au>
Chau
Janita P C
JP
Chang
Anne M
AM
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors