Abstract

Background: Illness Perceptions (IPs) are associated with health behaviors and health outcomes among those with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)1,2,3. IPs can change over time4,5. They are also associated with emotional factors5,6 and previous medical history2.

Purpose: To describe factors associated with changes over time in IPs among those hospitalized with ACS.

Methods: A national survey of all patients admitted to Israeli hospitals with ACS over 2 months in early 2024 were included. Patients were surveyed while hospitalized and 3 months later by telephone. Demographic and medical history data were obtained from medical records. Patients were asked to complete the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire7 and the ACS Distress Thermometer8. Bivariate analyses were conducted to determine which factors (function, distress [practical, family, emotional and physical], demographic and medical history data) were associated with 8 illness perceptions (timeline, personal control, treatment control, identity, consequences, concern, coherence and emotional representation). Statistically significantly associated factors were then placed into multiple regression models for each perception.

Findings: 829 patients were included in the study (males: n=660, 79.8%). Mean age was 63.7(SD=11.8). All IP components statistically significantly changed over time (p<.001). Function and demographic variables were not associated with IPs. All of the regression models were statistically significant (p< .001). All of the distress components were found to significantly contribute to at least one perception model and different medical conditions were associated with different IPs.

Discussion and Implications for nursing: These findings suggest that there is at least a 3- month window of opportunity to impact IPs. All forms of distress should be assessed while patients are still hospitalized in order to improve IPs. Designated interventions could be designed for those with underlying medical histories in order to improve specific IPs, and potentially, health outcomes of those with ACS

Notes

References:

1. Zhang, G., Cui, J., Zhang, X., Chair, S.Y., Liu, W., Liu, Y.J., Cheng, Y.X., Liu, Q., Yang, B.X.,& Zou, H. (2024). Relationship between disease severity, psychological stress, and health-related quality of life among patients with acute coronary syndrome: mediation of illness perception. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 23 652-660. Doi: 10.1093/eurjcn/zvae030

2. Cheng, C., Yang, C-Y., Inder, K.& Chan, S. W-C. (2020). Illness perceptions, coping strategies and quality of life in people with multiple chronic conditions. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 52(2), 145-154, Doi: 10.1111/jnu.12540

3. DeKeyser Ganz, F., Raanan, O., Shafir, G., Levy, D., Klempfner, R., Beigel, R., Iakobishvilli, Z. (2022). Illness perceptions of Israeli hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome. Nursing in Critical Care, 22, 157-165. Doi: DOI: 10.1111/nicc.12616

4. Singh, S.K.D., Ahmedy, F.B., Noor, A.B.Y.A., Abdullah, K.L., Abidin, I.Z. & Bin Suhaimi, A. (2023). Changes in perception of illness during cardiac rehabilitation programme among patients with acute coronary syndrome: A longitudinal study. Healthcare, 11. 311. Doi: 10.3390/healthcare11030311

5. Nasri, Z., Alavi, M., Ghazavi, Z. & Rabiei, K. (2020). The effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention on perceived stress and perception of disease in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, Doi 10.4103/jehp.jehp_660_19

6. Zou, H., Chair, S.Y., Zhang, C. & Bao, A. (2022). Depressive and anxiety symptoms and illness perception among patients with acute coronary syndrome. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79, 2632-2642. Doi 10.1111/jan.15612

7. Broadbent E, Petrie KJ, Main J, Weinman J. (2006). The brief illness perception
questionnaire. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 60, 631-637.

8. DeKeyser Ganz, F., Raanan, O., Shafir, G., Levy, D., Klempfner, R., Beigel, R., Iakobishvilli, Z. (2021). Distress among hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome.. Nursing in Critical Care, 2021;1-7. Doi: 10.1111/nicc.12739

Description

At the completion of this presentation, participants will have a better understanding of what demographic data, medical history data, and levels of distress are associated with illness perceptions of hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Author Details

Freda DeKeyser Ganz, PhD; Genday Shafir, BSN, RN; Levana Jakobson, MSN, RN

Sigma Membership

Omega Lambda

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Other

Research Approach

Other

Keywords:

Acute Care, Illness Perceptions, Acute Coronary Syndrome

Conference Name

36th International Nursing Research Congress

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Seattle, Washington, USA

Conference Year

2025

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

Review Type

Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Click on the above link to access the slide deck.

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A Longitudinal Study of Illness Perceptions of Hospitalized Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome

Seattle, Washington, USA

Background: Illness Perceptions (IPs) are associated with health behaviors and health outcomes among those with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)1,2,3. IPs can change over time4,5. They are also associated with emotional factors5,6 and previous medical history2.

Purpose: To describe factors associated with changes over time in IPs among those hospitalized with ACS.

Methods: A national survey of all patients admitted to Israeli hospitals with ACS over 2 months in early 2024 were included. Patients were surveyed while hospitalized and 3 months later by telephone. Demographic and medical history data were obtained from medical records. Patients were asked to complete the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire7 and the ACS Distress Thermometer8. Bivariate analyses were conducted to determine which factors (function, distress [practical, family, emotional and physical], demographic and medical history data) were associated with 8 illness perceptions (timeline, personal control, treatment control, identity, consequences, concern, coherence and emotional representation). Statistically significantly associated factors were then placed into multiple regression models for each perception.

Findings: 829 patients were included in the study (males: n=660, 79.8%). Mean age was 63.7(SD=11.8). All IP components statistically significantly changed over time (p<.001). Function and demographic variables were not associated with IPs. All of the regression models were statistically significant (p< .001). All of the distress components were found to significantly contribute to at least one perception model and different medical conditions were associated with different IPs.

Discussion and Implications for nursing: These findings suggest that there is at least a 3- month window of opportunity to impact IPs. All forms of distress should be assessed while patients are still hospitalized in order to improve IPs. Designated interventions could be designed for those with underlying medical histories in order to improve specific IPs, and potentially, health outcomes of those with ACS