A nurse-delivered in-hospital counselling program of four 30-minute sessions significantly reduced anxiety and depression in men with a first myocardial infarction over a six-month period.
RCT (n=60)
Single-blind
Randomly assigned
No
Does a simple programme of in-hospital counselling reduce anxiety and depression in male patients under 66 years of age with a first time acute myocardial infarction?
A brief, nurse-delivered in-hospital counselling program significantly reduces anxiety and depression in male patients following a first myocardial infarction, with benefits sustained up to six months.
Self-ratings of anxiety and depression were studied over six months in 60 male patients, under 66 years of age, who were admitted to a coronary care unit with a first time acute myocardial infarction.Patients were randomly assigned to either a treatment group, where they received a simple programme of in-hospital counselling in addition to routine care, or to a control group, where they received routine care only.All patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale and a battery of visual analogue scales measuring anxiety on a range of topics related to recovery from a myocardial infarction.Patients who received in-hospital counselling reported statistically significantly less anxiety and depression than those who received routine care alone.This effect was sustained for six months after leaving hospital.It is concluded that a simple programme of in-hospital counselling, provided by a coronary care nurse, is efficacious and should be routinely offered to first myocardial infarction patients in hospital.
Thompson , David, R.; id_orcid 0000-0001-8518-6307 (Thu,) conducted a rct in First time acute myocardial infarction (n=60). In-hospital educative-supportive counselling vs. Routine care was evaluated on Self-ratings of anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale). A nurse-delivered in-hospital counselling program of four 30-minute sessions significantly reduced anxiety and depression in men with a first myocardial infarction over a six-month period.