Coping in patients with heart failure

• Author: Farcas, A. D. - Nastasa, L. E.
• Position: Faculty of Medicine, Iuliu HaNieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj Napoca - Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences,Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 65-72

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 4 (53) No. 2 - 2011

COPING IN PATIENTS WITH

HEART FAILURE

A.D. FARCAŞ1 L.E. NĂSTASĂ2

Abstract: The outcome of patients with chronic heart failure is influenced

by the type of c oping with chronic heart disease. We employed the COPE

questionnaire to identify the mechanisms of coping and analyze the

parameters involved. Our results show that heart failure patients use mainly

emotion-based coping (acceptance, seeking emoti onal support, religion).

Independent variables that influence the type of coping mechanisms include

gender, anxiety, depression and decreased quality of life. Identification of

disadaptive mechanisms should become an important step in a complex

management program devised by a multidisciplinary team.

Key words: coping, heart failure, quality of life.

1 Faculty of Medicine, Iuliu HaŃieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj Napoca

2 Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences,Transilvania University of Braşov

1. Introduction

Living with chronic heart diseases is

uncomfortable for the patients, who must

adapt to this discomfort [15]. The adaptive

process is performed using coping

mechanisms or techniques that have a

favourable or unfavourable influence and

therefore are called adaptive and

disadaptive, respectively.

Failure of adjusting one’s behaviour to

the disease results in disadaptive coping

which implies dissatisfaction, uncertainty,

anxiety, passivity, feelings of helplessness

and depression, all of which have an

unfavourable effect on disease, mortality

and quality of life [17].

The process of adjustment is influenced

by modulating factors such as the

perceived controllability of the stressor and

personality features (genetic factors,

personal life experience, behavioural types,

disimunogenic personality traits) [8], [23].

Research regarding the importance of

coping in the outcome and life of patients

with heart failure is relatively recent [8],

[23] and not as extensive as, for example,

distress in patients with myocardial

infarction [19].

2. Objectives

Our study aims to analyze the coping

mechanisms used by patients with heart

failure. We also studied th e influence of

personal features (such as patient age and

gender, duration of disease and the number

of associated illnesses) as well as