The Psychology of Men and Women Recovering From Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the differences between men's and women's cardiac rehabilitation processes. What helps men during recovery may not necessarily aid women's recovery. Psychosocial variables are known to impact recovery in positive and negative ways. Unfortunately, it is not clear what variables are the most effective predictors of recovery outcomes for men and women. METHODS: Ninety coronary artery bypass graft patients (60 men, 30 women) completed a battery of psychological questionnaires on or after the third day after surgery. RESULTS: Results showed that women reported significantly more depressive symptoms than men. For women, pain was correlated positively with depressive symptomatology and functional impairment. For men, pain and functional impairment were correlated negatively with social support. In addition, the results of a multiple regression of pain on age, severity of disease, and two psychosocial variables (depressive symptomatology and social support) for the women showed that after controlling for age and severity of disease, depressive symptomatology and social support accounted for a significant 43% increment in the variance in pain. The psychosocial variables accounted for much less variance in pain in men. However, in a multiple regression of functional impairment on the same variables, depressive symptomatology and social support accounted for a significant 14% increment in the variance in pain in men but a nonsignificant increment for the women. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the notion that psychosocial variables play different roles in the recovery paths of men and women. In consequence, cardiac rehabilitation programs would be more effective with gender-specific tailoring.