Work

Sense of coherence and quality of life in the recovery of women and men with myocardial infarction: a 10-year follow-up study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: AIMS: Sense of coherence (SOC) allows individuals to be more resilient to adverse life events, and it is associated with quality of life (QoL), but its long-term effects are unknown in patients with myocardial infarction. This study aimed to examine longitudinal variations of SOC and associations between SOC at baseline and QoL at a 10-year follow-up in relation to gender. METHODS AND RESULTS: This longitudinal study included 61 patients, 16 women and 45 men with a mean age of 57.1 ± 6.5 years, who completed a questionnaire package in relation to hospital discharge, 2 years, 5 years, and 10 years later. The questionnaire package included the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13), 12-item Short Form Health Survey, and Seattle Angina Questionnaire. Data were analysed with repeated measure ANOVA and linear regression. Overall, SOC was stable over the 10-year follow-up, but comprehensibility improved significantly (P = 0.003). A significant main effect for gender was shown regarding SOC total (P = 0.032) and comprehensibility (P = 0.034); women reported lower SOC compared with men. An interaction effect between gender and time was shown in comprehensibility (P = 0.007), as the differences between genders decreased over time. The SOC-13 was significantly associated with all dimensions of QoL; three significant interaction effects showed that the associations were true for women but not for men. CONCLUSION: The SOC is an important aspect to consider in the care of patients with myocardial infarction, as it is associated with long-term QoL, particularly for women. This means that SOC can also be used to identify patients who are at risk for poor QoL after a myocardial infarction.

Source: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing

DOI: 10.1093/eurjcn/zvaf028

Authors: Dan Malm, Jan Mårtensson, Kristofer Årestedt

Institutions: Jönköping University, Linnaeus University, Landstinget i Kalmar län

Language: English

Topic: Health, psychology, and well-being

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,792