Patients' and significant others' health-related quality of life one month after coronary artery bypass grafting predicts later health-related quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
To describe and compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients (N = 367) and significant others (N = 367) and to identify factors associated with HRQoL after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).


METHODS
HRQoL was measured by the 15D in 3 stages: 1, 6, and 12 months after CABG. The focus in this study is on HRQoL at the second (6 months) and third (12 months) stages of the recovery process. Stepwise linear regression analysis was used to identify the associations of independent variables with HRQoL.


RESULTS
Patients had a lower HRQoL than significant others in both stages after CABG. The HRQoL of patients and significant others was explained by their HRQoL 1 month after the operation. Other significant explanatory factors among patients were cardiac symptoms on physical exertion and other additional diseases. Among significant others, chronic diseases were associated with HRQoL.


CONCLUSIONS
The HRQoL of patients and significant others differed from each other at both 6 and 12 months after CABG. Previous HRQoL affects later HRQoL in both patients and significant others.
Rantanen
Anja
A
Department of Nursing Science, University of Tampere, Tampere FIN-33014, Finland.
Kaunonen
Marja
M
Tarkka
Matti
M
Sintonen
Harri
H
Koivisto
Anna-Maija
AM
Astedt-Kurki
Päivi
P
Tarkka
Marja-Terttu
MT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology