Return to work rate was 39.4% among young and middle-aged STAAD patients after cardiac surgery, indicating a low success rate in returning to work.
Cross-Sectional (n=208)
No
The return-to-work rate among young and middle-aged patients 3 months after surgery for Stanford Type A aortic dissection is low (39.4%), with self-efficacy, social support, and NYHA class being key modifiable or identifiable predictors.
Purpose: To investigate the current status of return to work (RTW) and its influencing factors among young and middle-aged patients with Stanford Type A aortic dissection (STAAD) after cardiac surgery. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, encompassing a sample of 208 participants who underwent cardiac surgery for STAAD in Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital from July 2024 to August 2025. All participants completed a general information questionnaire, Return-to-Work Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and Social Support Rating Scale. Univariate analyses, binary logistic regression analyses, and a random forest model (RFM) were used to identify independent factors influencing RTW. Results: A total of 208 participants completed the assessment, with only 82 (39.4%) returning to work. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that being the primary household breadwinner (OR = 4.79, 95% CI: 1.70– 13.51), performing non-manual work (OR = 3.96, 95% CI: 1.34– 11.73), objective support (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.03– 2.11), subjective support (OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.04– 2.30), return-to-work self-efficacy (OR = 10.68, 95% CI: 4.21– 27.13) and NYHA functional class III (OR = 0.155, 95% CI: 0.03– 0.77) were independent factors influencing RTW in young and middle-aged STAAD patients after cardiac surgery (all P < 0.05). The variable importance ranking for the RFM is as follows: return to work self-efficacy, objective support, subjective support, NYHA functional class, primary household breadwinner, and nature of work. Conclusion: RTW rate among young and middle-aged STAAD patients following cardiac surgery remains low. Early identification of high-risk individuals is crucial for clinical care and rehabilitation planning. These findings provide a basis for developing targeted multidisciplinary rehabilitation strategies aimed at improving outcomes for vocational reintegration. Keywords: aortic dissection, cardiac surgery, return to work, rehabilitation, random forest model
Chen et al. (Sun,) conducted a cross-sectional in Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection (n=208). Return to work rate was 39.4% among young and middle-aged STAAD patients after cardiac surgery, indicating a low success rate in returning to work.