Perceived social support following percutaneous coronary intervention is a crucial factor in patients with coronary heart disease.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To describe perceived social support among patients with coronary heart disease following percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND

A low level of social support is considered a risk factor for coronary heart disease in healthy individuals and reduces the likelihood that people diagnosed with coronary heart disease will have a good prognosis.

DESIGN

A descriptive cross-sectional study.

METHODS

A survey of 416 patients was conducted in 2013. A self-report instrument, Social Support of People with Coronary Heart Disease, was used. The instrument comprises three dimensions of social support: informational, emotional, functional supports and 16 background variables. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, mean sum variables and multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Perceived informational support was primarily high, but respondents' risk factors were not at the target level. The weakest items of informational support were advice on physical activity, continuum of care and rehabilitation. Regarding the items of emotional support, support from other cardiac patients was the weakest. The weakest item of functional support was respondents' sense of the healthcare professionals' care of patients coping with their disease. Background variables associated with perceived social support were gender, marital status, level of formal education, profession, physical activity, duration of coronary heart disease and previous myocardial infarction.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthcare professionals should pay extra attention to women, single patients, physically inactive patients, those demonstrating a lower level of education, those with a longer duration of CHD, and respondents without previous acute myocardial infarction. Continuum of care and counselling are important to ensure especially among them.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study provides evidence that healthcare professionals should be more aware of the individual needs for social support among patients with coronary heart disease after percutaneous coronary intervention.