The moderating role of sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviours in the relationship between daily living activities and postoperative recovery in CABG patients

This study examined the moderating role of sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviours in the relationship between daily living activities and postoperative recovery in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery. This descriptive, cross-sectional, and analytical study was conducted with 200 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery in two training and research hospitals in Istanbul between December 2024 and April 2025. Data were collected using the Patient Assessment Form, the Barthel Activities of Daily Living Index, and the Postoperative Recovery Index. Pearson correlation analysis and moderation analyses via PROCESS Macro (Model 1) with 5,000 bootstrap resamples were performed. A significant negative relationship was identified between daily living activities and postoperative recovery ( r = − .453, p < .01). Physical activities recorded the highest subscale mean (2.52) and the strongest correlation with ADL scores ( r = − .834, p < .01). BMI (B = − 0.214, p = .016), educational status (B = 0.036, p = .034), income level (B = − 0.023, p = .042), smoking status (B = − 0.039, p = .018), alcohol consumption (B = − 0.018, p = .009), and previous surgical experience (B = − 0.042, p = .023) each significantly moderated this relationship. The relationship between daily living activities and postoperative recovery is significantly shaped by individual sociodemographic and behavioural characteristics. It is recommended that individualised care approaches be strengthened by incorporating patients’ sociodemographic profiles and health behaviours into postoperative nursing care planning.