Abstract
Introduction Coronary artery bypass grafting surgery is an effective treatment for coronary heart disease for many patients; however, evidence suggests that there are some patients who do not report a good post-operative recovery. Although several studies have begun investigating possible reasons for these observations, little is known about the impact of CABG on quality of life and there still remains a lack of information that can help clinicians identify those people more likely to experience poorer recovery so that interventions can be targeted appropriately.Aims The overall aim was to investigate barriers to and facilitators of recovery after CABG.
Method Phase 1 was a retrospective qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with eleven patients who had undergone CABG and with ten health professionals experienced in caring for these patients. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Phase 2 was a prospective study comprising two components, questionnaire and interview. The questionnaire included measures of quality of life, perceived recovery, demographic and psychosocial variables and was administered prior to surgery and at six and twelve months post-surgery. A sample of ten people who completed questionnaires were interviewed at the same time points and data analysed using framework analysis.
Results Interview data described the patient experience of undergoing CABG and identified components of a good recovery from the patient perspective. Patient and health professional participants identified numerous barriers and facilitators to recovery at three key time points - prior to surgery, during the hospital in-patient stay and post-CABG - and noted the complex inter-relationships between them, thus emphasising the need for a holistic approach to investigating recovery. Questionnaire data described the pattern of psychosocial functioning, quality of life and perceived recovery across the surgical pathway and identified depression and self-efficacy as the main predictors of post-CABG quality of life and perceived recovery. Using interview and questionnaire data a model of recovery is proposed.
Conclusions Findings from this research have identified a complex inter-related network of barriers and facilitators to recovery, suggested the possible mechanisms by which they impact on post-CABG outcome and identified recommendations for clinical practice.
| Date of Award | 2007 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | David Ellard (Supervisor), Julie Barlow (Supervisor) & Tom Quinn (Supervisor) |