title: Are hospitals also for relatives? A survey of hospitals' activities regarding relatives of cardiac patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients and their close relatives both feel the burden of cardiovascular disease. Relatives of heart patients experience lower quality of life and increased mortality than the general population and relatives of patients with other diseases. Nevertheless, knowledge on health services aimed at relatives of patients with cardiac diseases is sparse. This study aimed to survey the prevalence of health services for relatives of cardiac patients in Denmark.
  
  
  METHODS
  We surveyed activities offered by Danish hospitals to the relatives of cardiac patients. Data were obtained from an Internet-based survey and 50 of 55 invited hospital departments participated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost all departments offer activities to relatives of cardiac patients, but only one-quarter have activities specifically aimed at supporting relatives. Large departments offer activities for relatives more often than smaller departments. Participation rates for relatives are generally low, and the departments experience numerous barriers in providing activities for relatives of heart patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Danish hospitals focus very little on relatives of cardiac patients, and this seems to be due to several factors, including lack of resources, lack of interest and knowledge among staff, and practical and psychological barriers among patients and relatives. More research is needed on health services concerning relatives of cardiac patients, regarding both the prevalence of activities and barriers to these.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, Copenhagen, Denmark. nkn@niph.dk
authors.forename: Nina Konstantin
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Nissen
authors.forename: Mette
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.forename: Mette
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kjøller
authors.forename: Susanne B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Waldorff
authors.forename: Ann-Dorthe
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Olsen Zwisler
mesh_terms: D016507:Cardiology Service, Hospital; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003376:Counseling; D003718:Denmark; D006801:Humans; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires