ADL and IADL Following Open-Heart Surgery: The Role of a Character Strength Factor and Preoperative Medical Comorbidities

This study explores the role of character strengths (e.g., hope and spirituality) in post-OHS activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL), along with cardiac indices used by all cardio-thoracic surgeons, after controlling for self-reported pre-OHS depression, quality of life indicators, and non-cardiac medical comorbidities. Three waves of interview data and cardiac/surgical indices in theSociety of Thoracic Surgeon (STS) national database were collected for a cohort of 481 patients (age  = 62 +, female 42%). Multiple linear regression was used to identify pre-OHS predictors of post-OHS functional status. ADL and IADL statuses after OHS were better among those who pursued pre-OHS positive spiritual/religious coping than those who did not. Outcomes were poorer for those reporti ng poor pre-OHS, higher numbers of medical comorbidities, and use of more post-OHS prayer for coping. Perfusion time, a proxy for surgical complexity, was associated with poor IADL only. Pre-OHS positive spiritual coping, a common coping means used among cardiac patients in medical crises, could hav e played a positive role in better post-OHS functional status during the post-OHS recovery month. Cardiac health providers should pay more attention to patient-centered character strengths and coping and non-cardiac conditions. More nuanced interdisciplinary research is necessary to identify mechani sms underlying these associations.
Source: Journal of Religion and Health - Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research