Premium
Identifying the health and mental health information needs of people with coronary heart disease, with and without depression
Author(s) -
Pier Ciaran,
Shandley Kerrie A,
Fisher Julie L,
Burstein Frada,
Nelson Mark R,
Piterman Leon
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2008.tb01879.x
Subject(s) - psychosocial , medicine , mental health , thematic analysis , anxiety , social support , depression (economics) , disease , qualitative research , psychiatry , psychology , social science , sociology , economics , psychotherapist , macroeconomics
Objective: To identify the health and mental health information needs of people with coronary heart disease (CHD), with and without comorbid depression. Design and setting: A qualitative study conducted in Melbourne in 2006, using thematic analysis of semi‐structured interviews on the types of health information that patients with CHD considered useful to assist with the management of their illness. Structured clinical interviews were used to assess current and prior depressive episodes in these patients. Participants: 14 general practice patients (eight with current or prior history of major depression) who had experienced myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, angioplasty or angina (confirmed via testing). Results: Four themes relating to information on how patients could manage their cardiovascular health and improve their psychosocial wellbeing emerged: psychosocial; physical activity; medical; and information for family. The most prominent information needs included identification and management of risk‐related physical symptoms, and psychosocial information, most notably to enhance patients’ social support. Patients considered this information important for alleviating health anxiety and negative affect. Conclusion: This small patient sample endorsed the need for health and mental health information on a range of psychosocial and physical health topics. Participants desired specific types of information to assist with the self‐management of their health and to assuage their health concerns.