RESOURCE SUPPORT AND HEART PATIENT RECOVERY

This prospective study examines the effects of resources utilized by m yocardial infarction (MI) and coronary artery bypass (BY) patients in the recovery process. The resource support model incorporates formal ( institutionalized) and semi-formal (mutual aid) services along with in formal assistance (social networks). Patient interview data were colle cted on 147 MI and 159 BY patients at hospitalization and at 3 months. Sociodemographic, illness and resource data were obtained, and hospit al records were abstracted. Two outcomes were evaluated: activity limi tations and work capacity. Bivariate and multivariate anlayses were us ed to assess individual and resource effects. Multivariate analyses re vealed that, for MI patients, a higher level of activity prior to hosp italization and a shorter hospital stay were significantly related to recovery. A smaller social network with greater frequency of contact e nhanced recovery. For BY patients, recovery was significantly associat ed with higher social class, higher level of activity prior to hospita lization and fewer health care visits. Outcome based on work capacity revealed that MI patients who were younger in age, male sex and who ha d fewer prescribed medications were more likely to recover. BY patient s had a similar pattern as that observed for MI patients in terms of a ge and sex. Co-morbidity had a negative effect on recovery. Those with less affective informal support were more likely to have recovered. T he resource support model employed in this prospective study proved to have mixed results. However, the model may be a useful multifactorial framework for examining the effects on patient recovery over a longer duration.