The functioning of patients and partners after the coronary artery bypass graft surgery process: examining the patient’s psychosocial and physical adjustment

The coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) process is one of the methods used to assist individuals with serious forms of coronary artery disease. CABG patients may experience difficulty with depression, anxiety, physical functioning, and quality of life problems post-surgery. Research has shown that caregivers/partners have become more responsible for assisting the patient with their quality of life post-surgery and the caregivers have become increasingly vulnerable to psychological distress. Research has also demonstrated that distressed caregivers are associated with decreased post-surgical well-being in patients. Other studies examining the patient and partner’s relationship satisfaction have found that greater relationship satisfaction and support before and after surgery are important predictors of the patient’s well-being post-surgery. In addition, there have been few studies that provide information concerning what coping skills may serve as potential buffers of patient distress. The aim of this study was to examine the significance of several possible predictors of post-surgical psychological adjustment and quality of life, including the patient’s history of cardiovascular disease/coronary artery disease, history of CABG, number of vessels bypassed, history of angina, and history of myocardial infarction, the patient and partner’s ratings of relationship satisfaction before and after surgery, the partner’s ratings of depression and anxiety, and the patient and partner’s social problem-solving ability. The study consisted of 31 dyads from the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Hahnemann University Hospital. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed and as predicted the patients reporting greater relationship satisfaction after surgery experienced lower depression and greater general quality of life post-surgery. However, the results unexpectedly indicated that patient’s reporting greater relationship satisfaction before surgery had an increase in depression and a decrease in general quality of life post-surgery. Also, the results indicated that the patient’s physical status, partner’s ratings of relationship satisfaction and ratings of depression and anxiety, and the patient and partner’s social problem-solving ability did not predict the patient’s post-surgical psychosocial and physical adjustment. Results suggest that the patient’s post-surgical relationship satisfaction could be an important coping mechanism related to their mood and quality of life. Implications of findings, limitations of the study, and future directions are discussed.%%%%Ph.D., Clinical Psychology  – Drexel University, 2008