title: Spouses' coping alongside myocardial infarction patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of the research was to develop a substantive theory to describe the coping of myocardial infarction (MI) patients' spouses. The theory describes spousal coping experiences at 4 and 12 months after the patient's MI.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were collected by means of theme interviews from 28 spouses in the years 2006 and 2007 and analysed using Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The substantive theory describes four main categories of spousal coping. The categories are: serene and balanced coping; action-centred coping; illness-centred coping; and coping based on denial of illness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The theory can be useful when developing support and counselling interventions for the spouses of MI patients. The study provides new knowledge about the spouses' coping experiences and about the factors that influence their coping over a longer period of time. The theory also discusses causal, contextual, and concurrent factors, which affect the coping experience and whose identification is important when seeking to support the spouses. Another application of the theory can be found in nursing education.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Nursing Science, University of Tampere, Finland. mari.salminen-tuomaala@seamk.fi
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salminen-Tuomaala
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Astedt-Kurki
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rekiaro
authors.forename: Eija
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paavilainen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D004644:Emotions; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors