OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to determine the occurrence of
long-term chest wall discomfort in women after coronary artery bypass
grafting. DESIGN: Prospective repeated-measures design. SETTING: Post
hospitalization. SAMPLE: Fifty-one women who had undergone coronary ar
tery bypass grafting. Data were collected at 12 and 18 months by self-
report and data collection instruments. INSTRUMENTS: Life Orientation
Test, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Profile of Mood States, Sickness I
mpact Profile, interview schedule, and discomfort scale 0 to 10. RESUL
TS: Women who had an internal mammary artery graft had significantly (
p = 0.003) more dis comfort. Most discomforts were intermittent and di
d not interfere with daily activities. However, the feelings of numbne
ss and itchiness tended to be continuous.