Effects of a home-based intervention program on anxiety and depression 6 months after coronary artery bypass grafting: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a home-based intervention program (HBIP) on anxiety and depression 6 months after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).


METHODS
In a prospective randomized controlled trial, 203 elective CABG patients were included. An HBIP structured for respondents in the intervention group was performed 2 and 4 weeks after surgery. Anxiety and depression symptoms were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in both patient groups before surgery, 6 weeks after surgery, and 6 months after surgery.


RESULTS
A total of 185 patients completed the study: 93 patients in the intervention group and 92 patients in the control group. On 6-week and 6-month follow-ups, significant improvements in anxiety and depression symptoms were found in both groups. These improvements did not differ significantly between the groups. However, in a predefined subgroup of patients with anxiety and/or depression symptoms at baseline (n=65), improvement was significantly larger in the intervention group (n=29) than in the control group (n=36) after 6 months (P<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients experiencing high levels of psychological distress before CABG surgery benefited from a structured informational and psychological HBIP. Implementation of psychological screens of patients scheduled for CABG might serve to identify patients experiencing anxiety and/or depression. These patients could then be targeted to receive individualized HBIP.
Lie
Irene
I
Heart and Lung Center, Ullevål University Hospital/Institute of Nursing and Health Science, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. irene.lie@uus.no
Arnesen
Harald
H
Sandvik
Leiv
L
Hamilton
Glenys
G
Bunch
Eli H
EH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D003152:Community Health Nursing; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000451:nursing; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012944:Social Support