title: Elderly patients' heart-related conditions: Disclosing health information differs by target.
abstract: Americans are living longer, and many are managing at least one chronic illness. Having people with whom to disclose health information is a salient component of managing a chronic health condition, such as heart disease. The purpose of this study is to explore differences in elderly patients' health disclosures by target (i.e. disclosing to a partner vs. another person). Elderly patients (>age 60) with a diagnosed heart-related condition (n = 273) completed a survey regarding sharing information about their health condition. Results indicated significant differences between the two groups in perceived support; breadth, depth, and frequency of disclosures; and disclosure of psychological/emotional symptoms, physical symptoms, and talk about heart-healthy behaviors. No significant differences were found between the two groups for relationship quality and efficacy. Patients who reported sharing information with a partner reported significantly more health information disclosures compared to patients who reported sharing information with another person.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Communication , Rutgers University , New Brunswick , NJ , USA.
authors.forename: Maria G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Checton
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Greene
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: chronic health conditions; disclosure; elderly; health information management