Coping with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

This study examined how acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients cope during the first three days of illness. Although the ability of patients to cope has been previously studied, there has been little investigation of coping efforts other than denial. Using the theory of coping explicated by Lazarus and colleagues, this study examined patients' appraisals and use of various behavioral and cognitive coping strategies.

This study used a descriptive, exploratory design. The nonrandom sample consisted of 30 acutely ill AMI patients. Data were collected on the fourth or fifth day of hospitalization through open-ended interview and administration of the Jalowiec Coping Scale (JCS). Interview content was analyzed using qualitative methods; data collected by use of the JCS were quantitatively examined as recommended by the instrument's author.

Patients' appraisals were conceptualized as coming to recognize the illness, evaluating stakes, appraising the type of stress, considering coping options, experiencing emotions, and appraising and reappraising stress. From these appraisals emerged a unique description of coping with an AMI differing from that proposed by earlier investigators. Most patients said they had to accept the AMI although the initial symptoms were difficult to recognize. Most also considered their ability to change the future, prevent recurrence, and came to view this situation as a challenge. Patients reported mean use of 25 different strategies; among those frequently used were positive thinking, humor, controlling feelings, controlling the situation, and handling things one step at a time. Two-thirds of the sample reported use of strategies representing all eight coping dimensions measured. Among those contributing most to the total coping efforts of the group were the optimistic-, confrontive-, and self-reliant-type strategies with mean relative use scores of.17 to.20; those contributing least were the evasive-, emotive-, and palliative-type coping strategies with mean relative use scores of.06 to.09. These was little evidence of attempts by AMI patients to deny the existence of the illness as a means of coping.