SELF-CARE AND PSYCHOSOCIAL ADJUSTMENT OF PATIENTS FOLLOWING CARDIAC-SURGERY

This research examined the role of self-care behavior of 151 patients (aged 40 to 80) on general psychological distress at one year after co ronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. A tested hypothesis was tha t self-care practices would be associated with a lower level of distre ss one year after surgery. The results supported the beneficial effect of self-care on psychological adjustment, after controlling for the e ffects of the number of other chronic illnesses and post-CABG depressi on. The findings suggest that social work in health care and in-home c are may help promote the psychosocial recovery process following surge ry.