The impact of knowledge on the functioning of patients with coronary artery disease

Introduction: The functioning of patients with chronic disease is inseparably connected with the understanding of the essence of the disease, acceptance of the disease, and taking measures leading to achieving the best possible treatment results. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of patients’ knowledge on their functioning in coronary artery disease, which was assessed with the aid of the tool ‘The Functioning in Chronic Illness Scale’ (FCIS). Materials and methods: A single-centre prospective, observational study was conducted on 202 patients hospitalized due to coronary artery disease. In the study, patients’ knowledge was assessed (subjective method: self-assessment report; objective method: an APK questionnaire which assesses familiarity with symptoms, knowledge about the disease and disease prevention), as well as the functioning in a chronic illness (FCIS scale which checks the impact of a disease on the patient, the influence of the patient on the disease and the impact of a disease on attitudes). Results: The distribution of FCIS results varied depending on self-assessment regarding the level of know- ledge (p = 0.04). High result was achieved by 27% respondents who declared a sufficient level of knowledge, and 38% of those respondents who declared insufficient knowledge. The analysis of the impact of knowledge on various areas of functioning in coronary artery disease has shown that patients with a higher level of knowledge about the disease and its prevention achieved better results in the subscale which evaluates patients’ opinion on the possibility of influencing the course of disease (p = 0.039). This observation was confirmed by a weak positive correlation (R = 0.193; p = 0.006). Discussion and conclusions: Reliable information about a disease, available therapeutic plans and prevention procedures help patients understand their health condition and let them take decisions with full awareness. The correlation noticed in the study between patients’ knowledge resources regarding the disease and its prevention and their convictions about the possibilities of having influence on the course of the disease is a strong argument supporting the claim that conducting coordinated educational interventions for patients with coronary artery disease is a legitimate task.